Page 72 of The Perfect Distraction

“What is it?”

She felt a twinge of nervousness, but she plunged ahead. “If you read to him too.”

“Oh. That used to be Gretchen’s domain,” he said, looking slightly uncomfortable.

Placing a hand on his forearm, she said, “Joey mentioned that, but the more people who read to him, the better. Not that I’m trying to tell you what to do…”

Colton shook his head. “No. You’re right. I guess I never thought about it before.”

“I checked out a few extra books from the library that I can leave here. Maybe you could read to him before bed. Even ten minutes would help.”

He nodded, and she pulled out a few of the books she’d brought and set them on the coffee table.

“You’re too good to us. You know that, right?” he said, meeting her eyes.

It went both ways, but before she could tell him that, Joey came breezing back into the room in his swim trunks and with a beach towel thrown over his shoulder.

“Ready to go!” he said.

“Did you put on sunscreen?” Colton asked.

“Yes, Dad.”

“Good, because I don’t want you to get burned.”

“You don’t want to look like a lobster like your dad did the last time we went to the beach,” Beth added.

They were laughing as they gathered up the rest of their beach paraphernalia and headed out the door. From the outside, they might have been a happy family like the family she’d watched at the marina that one day. But the thought was bittersweet, and Beth pushed it out of her head. Today, she was determined to relax and simply enjoy their company, and nothing and no one would ruin it.