“What?” Connor asked.
“Are you alright?” Trevor asked. He walked to the counter and dug a hand-held thermometer out of the medicine cabinet.
Connor eyed the device. “Don’t be at me, Trevor. I’m going out even if you pretend I’m sick.”
“Your cheeks are very red,” Nick remarked.
Connor cut his gaze toward him, but Nick’s attention had already moved back to his food. Connor narrowed his eyes at him. Of course, the only time Nick paid attention to his health was when it was to his disadvantage.
“You can only blame yourself if you’re sick after sleeping out in the cold.” Trevor pressed the thermometer against Connor’s forehead. It beeped before he could smack it away.
“It’s up.”
“I naturally have a high—”
Trevor snorted before Connor even got to finish the sentence. Connor glared. “I’m fine.”
“You’ve barely touched your food.”
“Maybe it doesn’t taste good?”
Laurence pouted. “You don’t like it?”
“Yes, Connor.” Trevor rested his hands on Laurence’s shoulders. “Are you sick, or did Laurence do a bad job cooking the food?”
Connor scowled at Trevor and his stupid, smug expression. He knew Connor wasn’t going to insult Laurence’s food.
“I think the ocean could do with a break today. It’ll still be there once you’re better,” Trevor said. He returned to his seat.
“I’m still going out.”
“Not while you’re sick, you’re not,” Trevor said. This wasn’t the asking tone that Trevor had used before when he tried to convince Connor not to go out alone. This was a voice of authority. And technically, yes, Trevor didn’t have any authority over Connor. But technicalities aside, he really did.
“I’ll bring Laurence with me,” Connor compromised.
Laurence perked up. Trevor’s smug look vanished. “No—that’s not—”
“Yes!” Laurence hopped up from his chair in delight. “I’ll make sandwiches for us.”
“Laurence, Connor doesn’t feel well,” Trevor cautioned, but he was obviously less confident now that he was trying to reason with his youngest. Connor sat back, unable to help the smug feeling that filled him. If Trevor wanted to use Laurence against him, then Connor could do the same.
“IfLaurencedecides he doesn’t want to come, I’ll stay in for the day,” Connor said with a wicked grin, knowing very well that Laurence would decide no such thing. He watched Trevor grovel for Laurence to try to stop him.
Connor finished his soup and bread and stood. Trevor stood next to Laurence at the counter saying how harmful it could be to Connor if they went out. Laurence’s chipper reply was, “I’ll do the rowing!”
“Almost done there?” Connor asked.
“Just wrapping them up.”
“I’ll be ready after I change. Make sure to grab a sketchbook to bring with you. Only a cheap one, though, in case it gets wet.”
“Will do.”
Trevor pleaded with Laurence all the way to the dock. Connor lifted the paddleboard to the water, and they strapped on the cooler. As Connor was clipping in his snorkelling gear, Nick approached him. Connor straightened up, ready for whatever threats Nick would issue to ensure Laurence stayed safe.
“Something to say?” Connor asked blandly. His voice came out rough and scratched irritatingly against his throat.
Trevor and Laurence were a few feet away, out of earshot.
