Page 58 of Rescued By A Perfect Stranger

“Okay, I’m hungry,” she admits with a pout. “But Becca is hungry, too. I know it.”

“I bet the hot dogs will be done soon. Are you ready to get the plates and forks, or do you want to see if Kaylee wants to swim first?” I watch her weigh her hunger against play time with her friend.

She shrugs off the towel. “Kaylee,” she determines. She grabs the unicorn floatie from the edge of the pool and stalks over to Kaylee, holding it out in invitation. Kaylee accepts gracefully and leads Em farther away from Coby before they jump into the shallow end holding hands.

Becca paddles her frog floatie over as they surface, her kicks making splashes that cover the other girls. They both squeal and yell at Becca to kick underwater. Becca rolls her eyes. “My legs are too short!” she tells them.

“Look who made it,” Mads whispers and nods to the patio. Kaiden and Jacob step out onto the pool deck together. I am completely in love with James, but I can acknowledge the contrasting beauty of those two who have been best friends since childhood. Kaiden with his golden curls and eyes as green as the forest, and midnight-haired Jacob with his sapphire eyes that are a perfect match to Cami’s.

Jacob’s been on a whaling trip for a few months in Alaska. Kaiden drove to the airport to pick him up instead of letting him get a car, so I know he’s been missing him.

Cami gets up from the picnic table and propels herself at her brother who lifts her off her feet and spins her around. No one knew if he would make it today. She spares a kiss for her husband, too, who loses his no-nonsense façade for the few moments Cami’s touching him.

I look at Serena who’s flushing and pulling on a coverup while she tries not to look at Jacob. It’s gratifying to know that a confident, powerful businesswoman like her still gets nervous around a boy she likes. It makes me feel less alone in my own insecurities.

“Anything new on that front?” I ask Madison, nodding over to Serena.

“I’ve heard nothing,” she confesses. “But Jessi just graduated, and I've talked her into an internship in the New York office. Serena should have more time on her hands soon.” Serena is the head of the marketing department for The Amato Corporation, Kaiden’s family business, and she put her baby sister through school on her own. Jessi is a brilliant budding fashion designer, and Madison has been mentoring her at the small boutique she owns in the downtown square.

“Jessi’s going to New York? That’s so exciting for her! Oh, but Rafe is going to be so disappointed. He’s had a crush on her ever since he started working for Luce, right?”

She rolls her eyes. “Jessi doesn’t even know he exists. Luce is sending him to EC-SAR in Florida, in any case. He’s going to be plenty distracted in Florida.”

“What’s EC-SAR?”

“It’s a maritime program at Eckerd College. We’re sponsoring him.”

“Looks like Liam finally drifted off. Do you want to lay him down? I’m going to grab Jamie from Trev and give him a bottle.”

“That would be great.”

I lift Jamie up into my arms and he smiles at me and reaches for my face with one little hand. His cinnamon hair is sticking straight up on top, and I smile back into his happy eyes that are already as dark brown as his father’s.

“I think he’s getting hungry, Lai,” Trev tells me. “He’s starting to frown and wiggle around a lot.”

“I’ve got it. Thank you so much for holding him for a while.”

“You know I love it.”

I pat his shoulder before I walk away with Madison following me. I’m never going to stop thanking these people for my place in their lives.

As we walk up to the patio, my heart swells even more. My brother is lifting his arms for Jamie.

Brayden completed Hideaway’s six-month in-facility program and is working through the twelve-month outpatient program. He has a small apartment in their sponsored complex, a part-time job waiting tables, and is taking classes at the community college. James picked him up yesterday after work and brought him to stay overnight.

I lower Jamie into his hands. “He’s hungry; I’m about to make him a bottle.”

“I’ll feed him, Lai. If that’s okay,” Bray’s voice ends in a question. He knows he has a lot of eyes on him, and he seems more determined than aggravated about it. I’m grateful to be able to develop a relationship with this version of my brother.

I wave Madison in the direction of the extra portable crib we have set up in the quiet space of the more formal living room and watch her ease Liam down without waking him. Then I head to the kitchen to warm a bottle.

I hand the bottle to Brayden, and he tips it into Jamie’s little heart shaped lips, talking to him in a voice so low I can’t make out the words. Jamie's eyes are glued to his uncle’s face as he devours the formula, so I think it doesn’t matter much what the words are because the love is there.

I stand on the patio for a few long moments basking in the warmth in my heart as I take in all of my loved ones. I have everything I longed for right here in these people, in this town.

The End