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Zane shook the water out of his hair as he walked onto the beach, where Lex was already sitting on a towel. “How did she manage that?”
“Blackmail,” Lex answered dryly.
Zane cocked his head. “Huh?”
“It’s nothing much, just something I found out I could do without realizing I could do it.”
“I guess you’re not going to tell me what that is?” Picking up another towel from the sand, Zane began drying off.
“Not yet anyway. Besides, I only agreed to stay through Christmas.”
Zane paused, his eyes meeting Lex’s as he held his gaze. “Promise me you’re still not thinking of leaving?”
“You are,” Lex replied stubbornly.
“But that’s different. I have chaperones, and I’ll be back. You can bet on it,” Zane said firmly. “There’s something you’re hiding, like I thought before. You still won’t tell me what’s going on?”
Lex shrugged. “It’s better that I don’t.”
“Well, before I leave, I’m going to expect a few promises from you.”
Lex frowned.
“You heard me,” Zane growled. “But we’ll talk about it later. Come on. Let’s go get dressed in the hideout and see if they’re finished yet at the house. I’m curious as hell to see what’s going on and why they’re not letting us help.”
“It is kind of strange,” Lex agreed.
Apparently not hearing a word of what they’d just said, Caleb finally came scrambling from the water. “Let’s hurry. I can’t wait to see my room.”
As Lex’s eyes met Zane’s, they both began laughing.
When they approached the house another twenty minutes later, Izzy came running outside to meet them.
“Caleb and Zane’s rooms are ready, but they’re still working on Lex’s room. They’re almost done. We can go check out Caleb’s room first.”
“Good,” Lex answered, grinning. “He’s probably asked about ten different times if it’s ready yet.”
They entered the house, walking through the solarium and then entering the hallway so they could climb up the main staircase. Caleb’s room would be to the left and across the hall, right beside Amy’s.
“Puppies,” Caleb cried with excitement, running into the room, and jumping onto the large bed.
Lex had to smile. The bedframe was made from wood and low to the ground, and someone had painted the headboard with a dog motif. There was a comforter spread across the bed that had a similar pattern, which matched the large area rug on the floor.
There was even a scenic mural painted on one of the walls with a boy, who definitely looked like Caleb, running along a pathway in the woods followed by a bunch of happy pups.
As they gathered in the room, Lucy appeared in the doorway, wearing what was definitely a tender smile when she studied Caleb’s face.
“What do you think, Caleb? Did you notice you have your own desk and computer? The computer isn’t just for fun. That’s how you’re going to do some of your homework.”
“Oh,wow,” Caleb said in a whisper. “Thank you, Mommy.”
“And look, Caleb,” Izzy said. “Amy thought you should have a doggie bed in here for when Millie and the puppies want to come inside and visit. In fact, they might sleep in here with you for the first few nights in case you get nervous about sleeping in here by yourself.”
“But Amy’s right next door?”
“Yes, she is, so you won’t have to worry if you have any bad dreams,” Lucy said, bending over and kissing him on the cheek. “Did you want to come along with us to see Zane’s room, or would you rather stay in here and play with some of those toys on the shelves?”
“Toys?”Caleb ran over to the rows of shelves he’d failed to notice and began pulling out items from the baskets.
