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I hop off the cart as soon as we’re stopped. “When are we leaving?”
“Ten minutes. Right out here,” Will calls.
I give him a thumbs up and head inside. I don’t stop at my room but Maggie’s.
“Morning,” I say, poking my head inside.
She’s changing Ian’s diaper and jerks her head up when she hears her name. “Oh, there you are. You disappeared this morning.”
I step into the room and shut the door. “Just went to the driving range for a bit.”
She eyes me wearily for a moment and then nods. “You going on the hike?”
“Yeah. I was going to put Ian in the carrier.”
“Good idea.” She motions over to the chair where it is hanging. I adjust the straps and start buckling in on as she snaps Ian’s sleeper closed. Once she’s done, she holds him to my chest so I can secure him in the carrier.
“Turn around,” she says. “I’ll buckle the back.”
I turn, holding Ian close to my chest until I hear the buckle snap into place. Maggie sits down and starts pulling on her shoes.
“Before we go, I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” I say quietly. She moves her eyes up to meet mine.
“From last night?”
“Yeah.”
“A tiny bit sore but that’s to be expected. Otherwise, fine.”
“Good.”
She stands up and says, “Yeah. It is. Next time will be better. I’m sure that wasn’t much fun for you.”
My stomach goes cold. There isn’t going to be a next time, but I’m not telling her that right now.
She gives Ian a kiss on the top of the head and says, “Ready for your first hike?”
I laugh. “I doubt he’ll stay awake for half of it.”
She gives me a smile over her shoulder as we walk out the door.
She joins up with Elizabeth and Olivia and I stay back with Will and Eli as we start out down the trail. Will has Ansley in a carrier on his back. Vivi and Isaiah run up ahead of the group.
“Don’t get too far ahead,” James calls. He’s wearing Everett in a carrier.
Eli looks at the three of us. “I feel left out. I’m not wearing a baby.”
“You’re going to have to work on that,” James says, giving him a pat on the back.
Eli snorts.
“I would have thought Eli would have a baby before Declan,” Keene says as he walks past.
“Me too.” Eli and I both say at the same time.
He laughs. “It suits you though.”
I look down at Ian. “It does, doesn’t it?”
