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I let that sink in for a minute. “Maybe we’re forever connected to the important people from our past. I mean, I don’t ever see me and Tyler getting back together again, but I know I’ll still think about him from time to time and he’ll always have a place in my heart.”
“I agree with you.” Sienna perks up again because, you know, Sally Sunshine just can’t help it. “Oh! Garth and Mr. Roberts installed the stone a few days ago. It came out so great!”
“It’sadequate, baby, and that’ll have to be good enough for now. Once I get better at it I’ll make two stones to replace it.”
“I’m sure you did a great job, Garth. And when Sienna told me about the design I kind of liked the idea of one stone for the two of them.”
“I only did that because it was cheaper. I intend to replace it.”
“Do you want to go see it now?”
I shake my head and smile at Sienna. “I’d rather wait until Sunday.”
She understands.
“That’s nice, Leo giving you two weeks off after finals.”
“He’s away with Olivia anyway so it just worked out. Are you guys sure I won’t be in the way?”
“Not a chance!” The two of them say it at the exact same time and then laugh.
“Where did they go?” my sister asks.
“Florida. Leo’s parents retired down there. I think they’re older so they don’t travel up north much anymore. He takes her down to see them a couple of times a year. The four of them are hitting Disney World for a few days this time.”
Sienna’s eyes light up. “I cannot wait to take James to Disney!”
“Just say the word, baby. I’ll book us a trip whenever you want.”
I’m about to tell Garth that’s it’s wildly expensive and that they can’t afford it. Hell, they can’t even afford the park tickets, let alone a hotel and the gas money they’ll need to drive to Florida. But it’s not my place and I know that, so I take a different angle instead. “James won’t even know where he is now. I’d wait until he’s five or six and he’s gotten the chance to see a few of the movies.”
“You’re probably right,” my sister says, and her eyes tell me she’s grateful to me for not bursting Garth’s bubble.
“And,” I tell Garth smiling, “like it or not, I’m coming along, so you have to wait until I at least finish school next year.”
He holds James’s hand up for a high-five. “Sounds like a plan.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Leo
I let out a breath once Skylar takes off for the night, even though the sight of her walking out my front door leaves me feeling more disappointed than relieved.
The entire time we were in Florida I was stressing out over what it would be like when I saw her again, but today went well. It wasn’t awkward, the conversation wasn’t strained, I got a ton of work done on a project I started with Ed, and I even got around to opening the pool.
When they came back from the park and saw me skimming the water, Olivia started jumping up and down like a lunatic. She spent more time in the pool down at my parents’ condo than anywhere else.
I still don’t trust her around the water, but I feel better knowing Skylar will be the one supervising her rather than Maureen. Nope, try as I might, I cannot picture Maureen sprinting out to the backyard and executing a swan dive to save someone in distress.
“Your friend…Grace? She said you used to be a lifeguard. Is that true or was she pulling my leg?”
“Grace wasn’t teasing about that. I worked as a lifeguard for two summers.” She turns to Olivia. “You know what that means, Libs? Swim lessons starting tomorrow.”
“I know how to swim. Right, Daddy?”
“You were doing pretty good at Grammy and Grampy’s, but remember what I said?”
She nods. “I gotta be expert before I can go in the water alone.”
