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“Shea’s not leaving,” Spencer said glumly.
I rubbed my forehead, trying not to think about the amount of money I spent building the house my kids felt no enthusiasm for.
“Our kayaks are at the house. We can go out on the lake anytime we want now. You guys will have your own rooms again. We have that cool ice cream machine you guys wanted so much in the kitchen.”
“Can I still go to adventure camp with Marina?” Marley asked, still beneath the covers.
“Uh...no, that’s for inn guests only, but we can make our own adventure camp. We have lots of woods at the new house, or we can go to the farm.”
Spencer came out of the bathroom, dressed and ready to go already. “We can eat breakfast here, right?”
“Right. And I bet we’ll be able to find another kid to take Marley’s room while we’re there.” I walked over to the door. “Bye Marley!”
“No, I’m coming!”
She scrambled out of bed, grabbed clean clothes and ran to the bathroom to change.
“So we’re eating, then packing up the room, then heading for the new house,” I told them before opening the door.
“I need to see Shea before we go,” Spencer said.
Same. I ruffled my son’s hair. “She said you can stop by the kitchen anytime.”
As soon as we got to a table in the dining hall, Spencer went to see Shea. It was painful knowing she was so close and I probably wouldn’t get to see her today, but I was glad he’d have a chance to say goodbye.
Marley and I ordered drinks and were discussing a sleepover she wanted to have for a friend she’d made in my parents’ neighborhood when Spencer returned, grinning from ear to ear.
“Shea’s making us a special breakfast,” he said. “We’re having churro pancakes and bacon and...I forgot the other stuff.”
Marley beamed at me. “Churro pancakes are my favorite.”
“That’s why she’s making them,” Spencer said.
The director of children’s activities at The Moose, Marina, came to our table to hug the kids goodbye. Guests we’d gotten to know stopped by, too, and I had to remind a tearful Marley that none of them would be staying here forever, either.
Our summer in the bubble of The Sleepy Moose was everything we needed. I was ready to live in a full-sized house again and have more than one bathroom, but I was also going to miss the people here.
One in particular. Shea brought our breakfast out herself, a server following behind her with the dishes she couldn’t carry.
For Marley, she’d made churro pancakes with whipped cream and a side of bacon. Spencer got the same with a side of the fresh mango he loved. My plate had an omelet prepared exactly how I liked it: with spinach, tomatoes, sausage and cheddar. Crispy hash browns and wheat toast completed my plate.
“No shellfish,” she told Spencer with a grin.
“This looks amazing,” I said. “All of our favorites. Thank you.”
“We’ve loved having your family here this summer. And we wish you a wonderful moving day.”
I met her gaze, missing the intimacy we’d shared. She was the chef at The Sleepy Moose right now, and I wanted Shea, the woman who was ticklish and got tipsy off of a single drink.
There was a softness in her eyes that gave me a glimpse of that side of her, but it passed quickly. I tried not to be alarmed, but how could I not be? All I wanted was to tell Shea how much I wanted her, and instead, we’d taken a step back at her insistence.
She bent down next to Spencer. “Thank you again for my present. I love it so much.”
He smiled at her through a bite of pancakes. “You’re welcome.”
She kissed him on the forehead and I felt a warm sensation in my chest. Spencer thought he had outgrown affection years ago, but he didn’t seem to mind it from Shea.
“Marley, can I have a hug?” she asked.
