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“Nice to meet you,” she tells him as she pokes her head around my shoulder.
“Nice to meet you. I’ll see you guys down at the gazebo.” He smirks as he walks away.
“Oh my god, why do I feel like we just got caught by the principal?” She laughs.
“Don’t mind him. I’ve got more dirt on him and my sister than any brother should,” I tell her. “He won’t say much, or at least, not until he’s alone with Miranda. They tell each other everything. There’s no secrets between those two.”
“I love that,” she says, and I can understand why she would.
“When they were first dating, I thought it was a little disgusting just how close they were, but I’ve grown to understand the bond they share and how important that can be to a healthy relationship.”
“Trust is so important. I think, deep down, I knew Neil wasn’t always truthful with me, I just didn’t know how much he wasn’t telling me. I mean, it’s one thing to keep a surprise from your spouse about what you’re buying them for Christmas or their birthday, but it’s another to keep secrets about things that could potentially be hurtful to them.”
“I agree. Your spouse should be one of your best friends. Someone you can talk to about all your hopes, dreams, highs, and lows in life. They should be the first one you want to go to when you need support, and the first one to find out about the triumphs you’ve achieved.”
“We should probably get back before they send a search party after us,” Lacey suggests, and I can tell my words are affecting her.
“You’re probably right,” I tell her before I sneak one last chaste kiss before leading her back.
We spend the rest of the day hanging out, swimming, playing catch, searching for shells and rocks, and just having a good time. Hope finally lets go of the last shred of shyness she was holding onto when she finally agrees to let me throw her in the water. We do that over and over again. She swims up to me, I pick her up, and toss her a few feet away. The giggles that she lets out are so damn cute, they melt my heart. Benjamin gets in on the action, as does Noah and Josh.
“You are so good with them,” Miranda says once I’m out of the water and dried off.
“They’re easy to get along with,” I tell her honestly.
“I can see why you’re so enamored with all of them,” she murmurs. “Just be mindful of them as you explore what’s happening.”
“I am, and will continue to do so,” I assure her. “Lacey and I talked earlier about trying to see each other more this coming week, to see how things go. I’m going to their house a few nights, have dinner together and probably hang out until after bedtime.”
“Sounds like a solid plan,” she says.
“Hey,” Lacey interjects, “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
“Not at all. Did you get the kids all dried off?” I ask.
“Yep, they’re dried and in clean clothes.”
“Just let me know when you’re ready to get out of here and we can take off,” I tell her.
“Did you have something else planned for today?” she asks.
“I was hoping to show you guys my house, but if that doesn’t work for today, we can do it some other time.”
“It should be fine. The kids might be a little cranky earlier than normal, just due to all the fun they’ve had today, but we can make a short stop.”
“Should we get going now, then?” I ask.
“If you don’t mind,” she says, looking a little remorseful.
“Not at all,” I state, and grab one of her bags that is still down here in the gazebo. Miranda and Josh are also packing up the kids, and Mom and Allen left awhile ago.
I help get everything packed up or put away that we keep down here. “I’ve texted you my address so you can put it into your GPS if we get separated in traffic,” I tell her once everything is loaded and we’re ready to hop into our respective driver’s seats.
“Thanks, I’ll try and keep up.”
I pull out, making sure Lacey is right behind me the entire way. My house is only about a ten-minute drive away, and traffic is fairly light this evening.
I help her unload the kids, take them inside, and give them a quick tour. “Are you guys hungry for a snack?” I offer the kids.
