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“Not yet, I don’t have a car. But I’m gonna buy one with the insurance money I get from the trailer. The loan on the thing was already paid off. So I can do what I want with the cash I get.”
“We’re not going to agree on this. So you’ve got to hang in there for a little while longer.” He finished off the last of the potato salad after making that oh-so-very-helpful announcement.
“But I don’t want a cheeseburger!” Lily screamed.
The noise pulled my attention, and I watched the little girl have a meltdown and stomp her feet.
Darcy looked like she was at the end of her rope. “You’re on thin ice, kid.”
“I got you,” Boxer said. “Lily Burger, let’s figure out what you want to eat.”
“No,” Darcy snapped. “Donotcoddle her. She needs to learn to eat what’s offered to her.”
Doc hopped up from her seat and quickly came to Darcy’s side. She touched her arm and whispered something in her ear. Darcy nodded and let Doc lead her away.
Boxer got the little girl some food and she looked happy. Everyone else was finally moving toward the table to get plates.
“Seconds?” Viper asked as he polished off the last of the coleslaw.
I nodded and moved to stand up. Viper beat me to it and waved me down. I sipped on my soda, enjoying the early afternoon warmth.
“Can we join you?” Mia asked. Colt stood by her side holding a mountain of food.
“Of course. You don’t have to ask,” I said with a welcoming smile.
She grinned. “You guys looked pretty cute and cozy. Didn’t want to interrupt.”
“Please interrupt.”
I moved Viper’s beer to the spot next to me so Mia and Colt could sit down on the same side of the picnic table.
“I have about ten minutes to shove food into my mouth before Scarlett wakes up from her nap,” Mia said as she picked up her burger. She glanced over my shoulder and hollered, “Silas! Leave the ball and eat some food. And wait fifteen minutes before you start running around again!”
A few moments later, Colt boomed, “Silas! Listen to Mia!”
Mia rolled her eyes. “Is there something in the water? None of the children are listening. It’s like they’re going through a collective rebellion.”
“Maybe they all got together and had a discussion about how to drive adults crazy,” I stated.
“I wouldn’t put it past any of them,” Mia said.
Viper returned to the table, and I scooted over so he could have the end. He folded his large body and slid next to me, swallowing space. He set his hand on my thigh and gave it a squeeze.
Mia’s phone buzzed and she sighed. “I didn’t even get ten minutes.”
“Sit,” Colt said. “I’ll go.”
“She’s going to want to be fed,” Mia said. “You don’t have the body parts.” She kissed her husband’s cheek and then stood up. “I shall return.” Mia squeezed Colt’s shoulder.
He lifted his hand to touch hers before letting go, and she headed for the clubhouse.
“How are you doing, Sutton?” Colt asked, his gaze darting from me to Viper and then back to me.
“I’m okay,” I said. “Getting a little stir crazy on days I don’t work, but aside from that, I’m fine.”
“You’ll be out of here before you know it,” Colt said.
Viper tightened his grip on my leg. I covered his hand with mine, wanting to tacitly reassure him that even when I moved out, it wasn’t the end for us.
