Page 117 of What Started In Deception

She nodded, very aware of what he was talking about.

“Really okay, Lyd?”

She shrugged. “I’m embarrassed.”

He adamantly shook his head. “You don’t need to be embarrassed. Not even a little bit.”

She raised her brow at him.

“Not even a little bit,” he repeated. “That wasn’t just you, Lyd. That was both of us.”

She nodded because that was true. She’d certainly started things, but Ty hadn’t exactly fought her off.

“I want us to be okay, Lyd. Truly okay.”

She nodded again. “We’re okay.”

“I wish things could be different.”

“But they’re not,” she told them both, but mostly she was reminding herself.

He stopped their dance, wrapping her up in a hug. “I’m sorry, Lyd.”

Helpless to do anything else, she returned his embrace, settling her head on his shoulder as he slid his hands up and down her back. Everything about her relationship with Ty was confusing, but every moment that they spent together made her happy. “We’re all right.”

Everly walked over to the edge of the pool.

“Careful, Ev,” Mac said as she sat farther up in the chair.

“I want to have a dance party.”

Ty let Lydia go. “You’ll have to come in if you’re going to dance with us.”

“Okay,” she said, holding her arms open to him.

He plucked her off the edge, letting her toes touch the water as he moved them around to the beat as Taylor Swift’s “Opalite” started to play. “How’s that?”

“Spin me around.”

He did, grinning as she laughed. “How about a dunk to your ankles?” As he said it, he did it, sending her feet under.

Everly laughed. “Spin me again.”

He spun them in the opposite direction. “Let’s dunk to your knees.” As he said it, he did it.

Lydia held her breath, afraid that he’d pushed his luck, but she grinned when Everly laughed again.

“You’re a great swimmer in the big girl pool,” he told her as he quickly dunked them to her upper thighs.

Everly nodded. “That’s because I like it! Look at me swimming in the big girl pool, Mommy!”

Mac grinned as she took a video. “You’re doing so good, Ev. You’re such a big girl.”

“Tell Daddy I did it.”

“I’m going to send him the video.”

“Okay.” She waved. “Daddy, I’m swimming like a big girl.”