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“Thanks.”
Once I’m dry, I lay it down on the sand, sitting down and leaning back on my arms as I watch him move closer to the kids.
“Who wants to go canoeing?”
“Me!” both the kids shout at the same time, arms raised.
Nate turns toward me. “How about you?”
“I think I’ll sit here and watch,” I reply, relaxing back even more. “My tan needs a top up.” I smirk, but when his eyes trail over my body, I start to squirm.
“It looks fine to me, but as you wish.” He turns back to the kids. “Come on then, last one over to the boat shed is a rotten egg!”
They run ahead of him, their excited chatter surrounding them. I keep my eyes on them as they retrieve the canoes and head toward the water. He helps Izzie into the canoe before turning around and checking on Clay. He says something to him and then hops in behind Izzie.
I stare after them as they go farther onto the lake before lying down completely, closing my eyes and basking in the warmth of the sun hitting my skin.
I don’t know how long I lie there, but when a hand touches my shoulder, I startle, sitting up and nearly head-butting Nate.
“Nate,” I gasp, my heart hammering in my chest. “What are you doing?” I swing my gaze around, looking for Clay and Izzie, finding them sitting on towels to my left, the canoes nowhere in sight. “Did I fall asleep?” I ask, sheepish.
“You did.” He smirks. “I didn’t know you snored.”
“I do not snore.”
He raises a brow at me before addressing the kids. “She was snoring, right?”
“Yep,” Clay answers.
“Liars!” I point at Clay and then Nate. I place a mock angry look on my face as I stand up, swiping the towel off the sand and shaking it out before wrapping it around me.
“It’s okay that you snore like a wildebeest.” Both of the kids start laughing as I continue to scowl at Nate. “We can’t all be perfect.”
My eyes widen, staring at him with fire shooting from my eyes. “How dare you.” I reel my head back. “I do not sound like a wildebeest.” I step toward him, jabbing my finger in his stupidly hard chest. “I’ll have you know—”
“I’m hungry,” Izzie whines, cutting me off.
I tip my head back, staring up at Nate, letting him know I don’t appreciate him comparing me to an animal with horns.
He shoots me a wink before turning his attention to the kids. “How about we pack up here and go back to the main house? I can make us a snack and show you the new library, Clay.”
Clay nods emphatically. “What books have you got?”
I head over to Izzie, wrapping the towel around her body before we all head off the sand.
“I’ll let the books speak for themselves, but I will say there’s a few first editions in there,” Nate explains.
Clay’s eyes light up. “Really?” he asks, his voice high-pitched.
We make it back to the cart, but this time Clay sits up front with Nate and Izzie sits next to me, leaning against my side. Placing my arm around her shoulder, I pull her closer.
“Hold on tight, ladies,” Nate calls back to us as he starts the drive back.
Izzie giggles, but it’s not as raucous as it was when we first got to the lake. “You tired?”
“Mmmhmm,” she answers, her eyelids drooping. “I’m hungry, too.” She tilts her head back, looking up at me, her blue eyes smiling at me. “Do you think Uncle Nate will make me pancakes?”
I laugh. This girl and pancakes. “I don’t know,” I tell her as we come to the end of the trail and back to the house. “You’ll have to ask him, he may not have the chocolate sauce though.”
