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I stepped up beside her and leaned against the railing, afraid to touch her, hoping she would reach out to me.
I didn’t have to wait long.
“Vander, what the hell are you doing?” She grabbed my arm and pulled. “You don’t lean on a railing! It’s not for leaning!”
I stepped back from the railing.
“What’s it for, then?” I asked bemused, chuckling.
“It’s a safety measure. You don’t … test it!” She looked at me, exasperated.
I reached over and gave the railing a good shake, then reassured her. “It’s solid, Ruby-mine. We’re good.”
“Humph. You didn’t know that when you leaned against it,” she grumbled.
“This is true.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “But I don’t question if my steering wheel is going to work before I drive my car. I don’t wonder if the chair legs are securely attached before I sit down. I don’t concern myself over things like that. If something happens that’s not supposed to, I’ll deal with it.”
She looked over the railing and pointed. “You’d have a tough time dealing with it from down there,” she countered.
I reached for her and pulled her into my arms, grinning. “Tell me you’re not coming biking with us tomorrow.”
She narrowed her eyes at me. “Why?”
“I don’t want you embarrassing the boys.”
“What?” She yelled. “I wouldn’t embarrass the boys!”
I pitched my voice higher. “Could you tell me Mr. Bike Rental Man, do you have training wheels for these bikes? Do any of these bikes come equipped with an armoured trailer? Are there speed limits on the mountain? Do you have butt pads in case they fall on their little tushies?”
She glared at me, but I could see her fighting her smile. “You know what? Maybe I will go with you tomorrow! God knows you’ve got about as much safety sense as a gnat!”
I heard a groan coming from the family room.
It came from Jace. George watched us, a worried look on his face. I wondered what that was about.
“Mom. You can’t come. You’ll ruin everything,” Jace laughed.
George looked at Jace with big eyes, then swung his gaze back to Ruby. He wasn’t used to this level of banter. He didn’t grow up in a big, loud, Greek family.
She laughed. “You’re wrong. I’m just going to make sure you wear a helmet. And pads. And if there’s a butt pad, you can wear that, too.”
I grabbed her and spun her around into a hug.
“Let go, you big oaf!”
“I’ll make sure they’re safe, Ruby-mine.” She assessed me, her hands trapped between our chests. I wanted to check how Jace was handling this, but I needed to reassure Ruby. “I’m not ever going to be careless with you or the boys.”
“Or you, either,” she grumbled.
I nodded and couldn’t help the corner of my mouth from tipping up. “I’ll be careful, too.”
“Fine. You can go. Without me.”
I looked over at the boys to see Jace looking relieved and happy, and George studying Ruby. He didn’t seem to know what to make of her. I understood. His mother could be a bit shrewish.
Ruby clapped her hands. “Okay! Let’s get the bedrooms sorted.”
At the first bedroom, Ruby stopped and opened the door to show the boys. “This one has one double bed. One of you can have this room. I don’t care who.” At the next door she stopped again. “This one has two singles. You guys work it out between yourselves where you’re going to sleep.”
