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Thirty-Eight
That thought was at the front of her mind for the next four days. Glenna was needed at the counseling center more than she'd anticipated, and half her future step-daughters had been recruited to help—the half that Robin had been hoping to ask to babysit.
Becky ended up going to work with Robin each day. Not exactly something she'd planned, but Nick had insisted she bring Becky with her every morning, if she needed.
He and Chandler just made room for Becky like she'd been in the plans all along. Until it just seemed part of the routine to have Becky with her, with them, while they worked. Sometimes, Nick would be the one caring for Becky when needed, while Robin spoke with clients on the phones. They’d hand Becky off between them almost without a problem. As if they’d been doing it for years.
Like it was the way it was supposed to be.
Half the clients who’d come into the building thought Becky was Nick’s—and thought Robin was his wife, working for the family business. Two older men had actually called her the littlemissus, and Becky the little missy.
Becky had been sprawled out beneath Nick’s desk with chunky crayons coloring him an Elmo picture at the time and playing peekaboo with the two men in their sixties from behind Nick’s feet.
Nick hadn’t exactly discouraged any of that.
When the school bus pulled up, it dropped off not only his two—but her boys as well. Like that had been the intention, all along.
Half the nights, she'd ended up taking Nick and his kids to her house for dinner—or she'd ended up at his, or he'd taken them all to the diner or the pizza place. Even McDonald’s.
Whenever he could, he was stealing kisses that were designed to do nothing more than taunt her. Completely.
When Friday finally rolled around, she was exhausted, heated up by that man, and so confused she needed a road map to find her own head.
What she needed was Glenna. She'd prefer Glenna and Rory, but that wasn't going to happen. Not anytime soon. She missed her friend, no denying that.
Friday, around one, the door to the trucking company came open. And there she was—Ms. Aurora Price. With one Glenna soon-to-be-Tyler right next to her. "Rory!"
She hugged her friend quickly. "What's going on?"
"Girl time. We are going to plan Glenna's wedding tonight and tomorrow. Then we'll dutifully accompany you to church on Sunday."
"What about the kids?"
Glenna laughed. "Phil has sent me to ask you...if he—and apparently Nick, who has been roped into it, I think—can take your three camping with the rest of the pack, and Ivy. Something about continuing Tyler family traditions, and something about a Tyler Beach up on the property and a private campground."
Robin gave a soft smile as she remembered. "They go up behind the houses and pretend to rough it. Phil and his brothers used to drag us up there the first chance they got every spring. And we'd go at least once a month until autumn arrived."
"So...can the kids come?" Nick asked from the door to his office.
"Even Becky? She's rather little..." Robin looked at her daughter where she once again napped on the couch, her blanket and her stuffed Elmo in her arms. "I don't think she's ever been away from me with anyone other than Glenna or Rory."
"Ivy's going," Nick said. "Perci and Nate are going to spend the night in the cabin. Rhea's keeping Poppy for them so they can have some time alone. Apparently, Rhea thinks they’ve been working too hard."
"They will only be two minutes away through the woods," Glenna said. "Phil's insisted on taking Elly, too. Patton and Pete will both be there. So...with Phil, Nick, Pete, and Patton, they should be able to handle everyone."
Robin looked at Glenna, a woman even more overprotective than she was. There was no hesitation on her friend’s face at the idea of the toddlers being out there. She nodded, slowly. "I'll have to pack their bags, but...I think they'll enjoy it."
Her boys had never been camping before in their lives. Camping was not something Douglas Benson would ever have considered doing. Even with his sons.
"Good. Nate is taking a satellite phone Joel is loaning him in case the hospital needs him," Nick said. "So we'll be able to call in case of emergency. I promise, I'll take care of your baby. Every single minute."
Robin looked at him and knew the truth—she would trust him with her children. In a heartbeat. No questions asked. Forever, if that was what was needed. "I'll go grab their bags on my lunch break, then. I hope you and Phil know what you are getting in to."
"I think they'll manage just fine," Glenna said. "Now, we'll go with you and help pack. Then we're going to grab lunch, check on the counseling center, and plan our weekend. Let's move."
"I'll watch Becky until you get back." He leaned down and pressed a kiss to Robin’s cheek—something he'd only ever done in the office when they'd been alone before. "It'll be ok, I promise."
"I'll hold you to that."
