Page 13 of Prospect Year

“I’m offended.” He jumped to his feet, throwing a hand to his chest. “I’m crushed. I mean, you flash me then shoot me down. You’re great for a man’s ego.” He turned. “You’re just a tease. I’m going back to the clubhouse.” He whirled away.

She grabbed her bikini top and leapt to her feet keeping the towel as her safety shield. Before he reached the door, her small hand wrapped around his. He stopped but didn’t turn to face her. She bounced in front of him, grinning and thankfully managing to keep herself covered.

“You want to make it better?” he asked. “Let’s go to the clubhouse for the fireworks.”

She considered it a moment. She was happy right here. She felt awkward around people since she couldn’t communicate well. But he had come all the way here for her. On a sigh, she relented.

He tugged the forgotten bikini top from her fingers. “Here. Put it back on and let’s go.”

Absolutely not. She glared at him reaching for it with a shake of her head.

“I catch you. This is what you’re wearing. I’ll put it on you myself if I have to.”

She whirled and ran inside and up the stairs.

Chapter 5

Lola jogged up to Rash’s door, scenarios filling his mind as to the adventures awaiting. Rash seemed to be the daredevil of the bunch. Lola had heard stories of his antics throughout the years. No wonder he was dubbed Rash from all the battle scars he accumulated. He rapped on the door, and it immediately swung open.

“Come on in,” Rash greeted. “We have everything you need right here on the bar. She most likely has more than you need.”

Child’s clothes, Snacks, a written list jotted down on a legal pad. Lola jerked his head toward Rash. “Need for what?” The words rolled from him slowly.

“Watching Junior.” Rash grinned and turned away. “Angel, ready to go?”

London appeared in the doorway to their bedroom. “Hi, Tim. I have everything written down for you. Bath time. Bedtime. Snacks are on the counter. Make yourself at home and use anything you need.”

“He’ll be fine,” Rash jumped in, interrupting his old lady’s spiel. “We’ll only be gone a few hours. Now, let’s go. Brick has a room reserved for us.”

Lola’s heart pounded. He heard Rash’s words, but this had to be a joke. His body refused to budge as he watched Rash and London tell their son they would be back later, and that Uncle Lola was staying with him. Then Rash scooped London off her feet and carried her outside to her car.

“Can I play outside?” Junior asked.

Lola looked down into the pleading eyes of the boy. “Um, sure.” Lola opened the door following Junior outside to witness him run across the porch and launch himself through the air as he reached the end of the wooden planks, landing in the dirt.

“See how far I can jump,” Junior shouted. “I can jump on my bicycle too. Want to see?” The boy ran to a solid black bicycle nearby with training wheels attached. He instantly recalled Rash telling the club he was leaving the extra wheels on as long as possible to prevent hospital trips, either for the boy’s injuries or for his wife’s stress from the child’s daring personality.

He was not prepared for this. Lola moved to the edge of the porch and watched Junior line up the little bike with a wide ramp and begin pedaling as fast as he could. The tires shot up the plank and through the air before bouncing back to the ground with a thud. Junior wobbled for only a second before dropping his feet to the ground and shouting his achievement.

Laughing along with Junior, Lola watched him tackle the ramp two more times before the boy asked Lola to ride with him.

“I think I’m a bit big for your bike,” Lola told him.

“Dad has one you can ride. It’s back here.” The five-year-old jumped from his bike and ran around the side of the house. He came to a skidding halt and pointed.

Indeed, there were adult bicycles. Two of them. One, he could tell, was London’s because it was pink and appeared to be new. The other had to be Rash’s. It was black like Junior’s, covered with dents and scratches. Lola wasn’t sure that the entire bike wasn’t crooked. He grabbed the bent-up bike, wondering how long it had been since he had been on one. Time sped by as the two made ramps, raced, and rode circles in the yard.

That wasn’t so bad. Actually, kinda cool. Lola checked the time. “I think it’s time to head inside. I’m ready for a snack. How about you?”

“Yeah!” Junior dropped his bike where he stood. “Mom left gator jerky, my favorite.”

“Is that where you leave your bike?”

Junior’s shoulders slumped. “Sometimes.”

“Grab it and walk with me to put up Dad’s bike.”

“Okay.”