Page 133 of Tragic (Lark Cove 3)

“Daddy!” Gabe finally noticed me and abandoned the rope toy. He pushed up onto his feet and raced my way. His feet couldn’t keep up with his head as he ran my way and he dove into my legs. I caught him before he could fall, just in time to catch his brother.

“How are my boys?”

“Goot,” Robbie declared as I hoisted them each on a hip.

They were slow to talk, but over the last month, their words had come like a flood, though they replaced d with t most of the time and sentences were spoken slowly.

“Where. Mommy?” Gabe asked, a clear break between his words.

“I don’t know where she went.”

He frowned. “Want. Nack.”

Snack.

“Nack!” Robbie squirmed out of my grip, dropping to the floor. He fell to his knees but quickly scrambled back up, leading the race to the cabinets as Gabe wiggled his way down too.

“I’ll help.” Mom stood from the floor, going over to the cabinets.

She’d come up two weeks ago to stay in the cabin. We used it for any guests, but she was our most frequent visitor. She’d come for a couple of weeks every few months, and each time, she’d bring a haul of snacks for the boys. They knew right where she kept the Fruit Roll-Ups and Goldfish crackers.

“I’m going to find Piper. Are you good?” I asked. Babysitting the boys could be exhausting, and I didn’t want her to get too worn

out.

She waved me away. “We’re great. I’ll bring them over later.”

“Thanks, Mom.” I left them to their snacking and went back outside. Koda stood to follow, but I motioned for him to stay. At least with him there, Mom had a helper.

My relationship with Mom had gotten easier since the boys were born. The animosity I had for her just . . . disappeared. I guess I never wanted Robbie or Gabe to see any strife between their father and their grandmother. They loved her so completely, and she them, that it wasn’t worth holding on to my anger toward her.

From the cabin, I walked down to the shop. I’d just come from there, but I was running out of places to search for Piper. And with both of our properties, there was a chance that she’d come while I was going.

But when I opened the door, it was only Isaiah inside. He was still tinkering on the engine to the wood lathe that had quit on me last week.

“I don’t suppose Piper stopped by here, did she?”

He looked up, his hands covered in grease. “No. I haven’t seen her since breakfast.”

I frowned. “How’s it coming?”

“Good.” Isaiah reached for a rag to clean off one hand, then flipped the switch on the lathe. It spun to life without the squeak I’d gotten used to over the last year and sounded as good as the day I’d bought it.

“Fixed.” He grinned. “Told you I could save you a couple grand.”

“Damn. Then I guess I’ll just have to pay you instead.”

“Nah.” He shut off the lathe and finished wiping his hands. “It’s just a hobby.”

“You’ve always liked engines. Maybe you should look for a job as a mechanic.”

Isaiah sighed and looked at his feet. This was about the time that I expected him to shut down.

Whenever I brought up the future or things he could make of himself, he’d go quiet. He still hadn’t told me what had happened to him in prison. I’d only asked once and I’d gotten silence for three months as an answer. Eventually he’d returned my phone calls, but since, I hadn’t pushed.

Isaiah had changed since the accident. He was still living with pain and regret. Piper’s theory was that he didn’t want to think about the future because he didn’t think he deserved one. Maybe she was right.

But like with Mom, the last couple of years had changed my feelings toward Isaiah. I didn’t hold ill will toward my brother. He deserved to find some of the happiness that I’d been lucky enough to find in my life.