Page 107 of But For You

He shrugged and ran away. Moments later, Robert passed me, howling.

“And you’re what? A werewolf?”

He stopped to look at me. “My daddy says there’s no such thing. I’m a rabid wolf.”

Rabid. Of course he was rabid. He was so Dane’s kid, even though he was only three.

“Carry on.”

His smile was huge as he raced off.

Minutes later, Kola was a rabid wolf with him, which made Robert light up. I was so happy my kids and my brother’s kids got along so well.

“Micah wants to be an evil scientist when he grows up,” Dylan told me as I sat on top of the monkey bars with her.

It was easier to see the whole playground from higher ground, and the kids all thought it was awesome that we could get up there. Of course I had to then inform them that it was bad.

“You’re an example of what not to do?” Evan asked from below, arms crossed.

“My life serves as a cautionary tale for many things,” I reminded him.

“I can’t argue with that.” He shrugged before he walked away.

“So, spill. Kola’s career goal?” she prodded me.

“Veterinarian.” I smiled. “At least this week. How about Mab? What’s her life goal?”

“She wants to be a US marshal.”

“Are you kidding?”

“Nope. Sam said girls can do the same things that boys can. And I love him for that, but I hope to God she grows out of it.”

“Me too,” I agreed.

“If I die though, it’s all over.”

I turned and squinted at her. “Sorry?”

She shrugged. “If Chris and I die and you get Micah and Mabel, she’ll be living with her idol at that point. It’ll be game over.”

“Do you realize how many kids I’ll be raising if all my friends and my brother and his wife die in a tragic cruise ship disaster?”

She started chuckling. “Yeah, you’d better make sure we don’t all vacation together without you.”

I grunted. “I’ll keep it in mind.”

“You do that.”

She laughed, and I grabbed hold of her to make sure she didn’t fall off the monkey bars and crack her head open. I didn’t want to have to explain that to her husband.

Sam thought that the idea of Duncan and Aaron together was absurd, and then when I told him what Dylan had said, Sam rolled his eyes.

“What? I remain”—I paused dramatically—“the love god.”

He waved me over to him. “Come here, love god.”

I ran, but he caught me easily, and when I was under him on the floor in the hall, his eyes sparkling with mischief and heat, I melted.