Page 111 of Yours To Hold
“I want to try a cannonball,” Willow says, swimming over to the rocks.
“Be careful!” I call after her.
“You worry too much,” Mason says, swimming up to me.
“Please.”
Except I know I do. I love that little girl something fierce and worry more than I should. As Mason likes to point out every chance he can get.
Every day I get to spend with her makes me want my own little one with Mason.
Willow steadies herself on the rock before launching herself into the swimming hole, tucking her legs up and splashing in the water.
“Ten out of ten!” Mason shouts behind me as she pops up and swims over to us. “Think you can do better, Ivy?”
“What? Since when did this become a contest?”
“I think my cannonball is the best.” There’s a fierce determination in her eyes.
“Let’s prove it,” Mason eggs us on.
I quirk a brow in Mason’s direction. “Oh really? You plan on joining us?”
A panicked look washes over his face. “Oh, hell no. You think I can do a cannonball? No way. I’d break myself in two.”
“You can be the judge, then.” I swim after Willow, both of us heading over to the rock where Willow jumped the first time.
“Are you really going to pit me against you two?” He crosses his arms, chest glinting in the sunlight. Mason is every bit as handsome now as when I first noticed him.
A rainbow of color floats behind him from the waterfall. It’s the perfect ending to our day of exploring before we head back into town.
I don’t know how there aren’t more people here, but I’m grateful it’s just us. It’s one of the few times a year that the three of us can travel together. With Willow out of school and things not quite as busy in Dixon, we’re able to mix family time with a bit of work for me.
Not that taking pictures out here is work.
It’s the best of both worlds. Filling my need to travel while having Mason and Willow at my side.
“Dad, you have to be fair.”
“Fine. But I’m doing this out of protest,” Mason grumbles. “You first, Willow.”
“Yes!” She pumps her fist and finds a good spot on the rock. Mason winks at me from his spot near the waterfall.
God, I love this man.
Willow takes a running leap and flies into the water, splashing all of us. She comes up sputtering, swimming over to Mason.
“That’ll be hard to beat, Pipsqueak.”
“Dad, I’m not Pipsqueak anymore.”
I can feel her eye roll from here, even though her back is to me. I still remember the day she came home from school and started calling Mason Dad. Said all the kids at school call their parents Mom and Dad. About broke his heart.
“Sorry, Willow.” A small smile plays on his lips. “You’re up, Ivy.”
I take off and tuck my legs up as the water comes up to meet me. It’s just as cold going into the water this time as it was the first.
“Alright.” I wipe the water out of my eyes. “Who’s the winner?”
