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“I’ll help you.” Evie followed and stood behind her, taking the cans Piper handed to her.
Piper spread a red-and-blue-paisley cloth on the deck and emptied the canvas bag. “Come sit, everyone. Peanut butter and jelly for the first mate,” she said, handing a sandwich to Stelli. “This time, no lumps in the jelly.”
He took it from her wordlessly.
“Thank you?” Leo reminded him.
“Thank you,” Stelli repeated.
“Do I have turkey?” Evie asked.
“You do indeed.” Piper handed one of the wrapped sandwiches to Evie and the other one to Leo. “Turkey and Swiss on rye for the captain,” she said, then picked up a plastic container of salad and removed the lid. She took a forkful as Stelli watched her.
“How come you always eat salad?” he asked, taking a bite of his food.
“Because I like salad. And it’s good for you.”
He shrugged, taking another bite. “I don’t like salad.”
“Well, that’s okay. We all like different things.”
“Can we go swimming when we finish eating?” Evie asked her father.
“Absolutely. Can’t have a boat ride without a swim. But we’ll wait a little before we go in the water. How about if I read a story before we do?” Leo reached a hand under her life vest, tickling her, and Evie squealed with delight.
When they finished lunch, Stelli scrambled into Leo’s lap. “Story, Daddy.”
Piper leaned back against the cushions, looking at the cozy family picture—Leo’s arms around Stelli and, as he heldThe Swiss Family Robinson, Evie next to him, leaning against his arm. She closed her eyes as Leo read, listening to the sonorous voice that she had come to love so much.
Afterward, they swam for over an hour, the children jumping from the steps into the water over and over again, until both of them were exhausted. Piper took them below, and Stelli nodded off instantly. Evie didn’t take much longer, and once they were both sleeping soundly, she took two beers from the refrigerator and went back on deck to join Leo.
“They both went out like a light,” she said, handing him the can of Dale’s Pale Ale.
“Thanks.” He flipped the top. “Nothing like the sea and the salt air to tire them out.”
“How do you think they’re going to react when we tell them?”
“It might take a little while for them to get used to the idea, but they’ll be fine. I’m sure of it.”
“I hope so. Stelli still doesn’t seem to be too happy to have me at the house.”
“Don’t worry. He’ll come around.”
By the time they were ready for dinner, it was still light, but this time the four of them ate at the table. Leo made a big to-do about the apple pie Piper had made, and she dished out vanilla ice cream to go on top of it.
“Yum,” Stelli said, as he spooned it into his mouth.
Leo smiled across the table at Piper and gave her a reassuring smile. “So,” he began, “Piper and I have some wonderful news to tell you.”
Evie and Stelli looked up from their desserts.
“Piper and I have been good friends for a while now. And I know you’ve liked having her as your friend, too. I really like it when she’s with us, and I’d like her to be with us all the time. I think you’d like that, too. So... I asked her if she would marry me.” He reached across the table and took Piper’s hand. “And she said yes.”
No one said anything. Piper looked from Stelli to Evie, whose eyes were as big as saucers.
Still, neither of the children spoke.
Leo cleared his throat. “I hope you’ll tell Piper that you want her to be part of our family. And we want you both to be in the wedding. Evie, you and Piper can pick out a special bridesmaid dress, and I’ll take you to get your first suit, buddy,” he said, turning to Stelli.