“Good morning, my beautiful girl. How’d you sleep?”
“Good,” she responded, her voice muffled as she climbed up my body and nestled into the crook of my neck for snuggles.
“I thought I heard tiny feet run by me when I was in the kitchen,” Oliver said as he walked over to sit beside us.
“Hi, Daddy.” Evie yawned.
“Good morning, sweetheart.” He brushed a fallen piece of hair out of her face. “Are you ready for breakfast?”
“Berries?” She popped up like a little prairie dog.
“Of course.” Oliver chuckled. “Let’s get you some berries and yogurt and let Mummy enjoy her coffee.”
He picked up Evie, placed a chaste kiss on my cheek, and headed inside to feed our little princess.
I smiled, my heart exploding as I watched them. I would relive every moment of the last several years, including the lowest lows, if it led us to our sweet Evelyn every time.
I finished my coffee and before I could place the empty mug onto the side table, a flute of orange juice replaced it in my hand and a clink sounded as another glass hit my own.
“Cheers!” Birdie smiled as she plonked into the chair next to me.
“Cheers?” I asked incredulously.
“Yeah. We’re on family vacation, in the middle of some of the most beautiful water on the planet, the kids are eating—which means no one is fighting—and we can enjoy a nice morning drink in peace.”
“Moooooom!” Holly, Knox and Birdie’s oldest, yelled from inside the boat.
“You know you jinxed us, right?” I giggled.
“Damn it.” Birdie rolled her eyes.
“Mom!” Holly ran out to the deck. “Tell Aiden to stop throwing blueberries at me!”
“Tell Holland to stop calling me Francis. That’s not even my name,” Aiden said imperiously from behind Holly.
“It’s your middle name!” Holly giggled.
“Oh my gosh you two, it’s too early for this.” Birdie stood and grabbed her flute and walked inside the glassed-in dining area. She kissed the tops of Aiden and Holly’s heads. “I love you two so much, but if I have to listen to yousquabble all day, I will lose my mind. Now sit down, eat breakfast, and stop pestering each other.”
As I followed them into the dining area, my heart filled with such happiness to see the table full of little Courtwrights and Hendersons. We tried to make sure that we set time aside to take a family vacation each summer. Yes, most of us saw each other almost daily, with Knox and Oliver still working together and the kids going to school together, but it was different when we spent a holiday together and were able to just be.
“Good morning, family,” Xavier said as he climbed the stairs from the lower level that held the bedroom suites. His red hair was in disarray and stuck out in every direction. He walked to the table where Aiden sat and ruffled his hair before placing a kiss on the top of his head.
“Good morning, darling,” Isobel greeted Xavier from her seat next to the window. “Where’s the rest of your family?” She scanned the room to make sure she wasn’t missing anyone.
“Those night owls are still asleep.” He chuckled and shook his head. “I’m sure they’ll be up by noon.”
Isobel laughed and went back to reading her book.
“So, what’s on the agenda today?” Knox asked from his seat next to Wren, his curly headed toddler, who was currently smashing each of her blueberries with her thumb before eating them.
“Leroy and I were wondering if we could take the kids into town with Rosie. There is going to be a small street festival, and we thought they might like to go and enjoy music and treats if that sounds all right to you parents?” Isobel asked.
Birdie, Knox, Xavier, Oliver, and I all looked at each other,and without a moment of hesitation we all burst out into a simultaneous “yes!”
We loved our children, but between school fundraisers, palace events, and royal engagements across the continent, it wasn’t very often where we all had time to just relax and enjoy some quiet time.
After breakfast, we got the kids ready for their day with the grandparents and Aunt Rosie, loaded them onto the small boat that would take them to the island, and set them off on their fun-filled day.
