Page 170 of Even Ground

He chuckles, his hot breath on the back of my neck. “We gave up. Amelia just sat in the way.”

I swing Addison onto my hip and turn toward him. “At least you had fun for a while.”

Reece reaches for the baby. “Come to Uncle Reece, little one. Let’s go for a swim.”

Addison reaches for him, and she’s soon giggling again as he swings her through the water and out again.

It’s enough to bring a lump to my throat.

“He’s a keeper.” Delaney touches my arm.

I look back at her. “I know he is.”

Melly leaps into the pool, her bright orange water wings keeping her afloat. She’s a strong swimmer, but she loves the damn things. I remember her going through so many pairs of them when she was little because she was also good at ripping them.

“Look at me, Reece.” She pushes herself off the bottom of the pool toward him and just floats there.

“You’re a smart girl too. You and your sister,” he says.

She screws up her face. “She doesn’t do that much.”

“She does heaps more than she did when she was born.” I reach out and stroke her hair.

Melly shrugs. “I guess. She can’t play cricket, though.”

Before I can point out she didn’t play either, she dives under the water and swims the short distance to her father, who’s just walking down the pool steps.

“Daddy, look at meeeeee.”

He shakes his head. “You don’t need those wings. Show me how you swim without them. Addison will need some soon.”

“Okay,” Melly yells.

The water wings go flying as she pulls them off and dives under the water. Even though I know how good a swimmer she is, I hold my breath until she emerges at the other end of the pool.

“You’re so clever.” Josh laughs as she takes a deep breath and swims back into his arms.

She beams.

After she’s swum for a while, Melly shows signs of slowing down, and little Addison is yawning.

“I think we need to get out of the sun,” Delaney says.

“Good idea,” I reply.

Everyone’s lathered in sun screen, but I think we’ve all reached that point. Besides, the day has moved on and it’ll be evening soon enough.

“Come on, Amelia. It’s time to go in and get ready for dinner,” Josh says.

“Did you two want to stay to eat?” Delaney asks.

Reece shakes his head. “Not tonight. I’ve got an early start tomorrow.”

I will my eyebrows to stay in place. It’s not easy when I know he’s not even working tomorrow.

“No worries. I’ll probably see you sometime anyway.” She smiles at me.

“Sure thing.”