Page 116 of Act Like You Don't Care

“I have a month between finishing up work on Wild Silver and starting with the physical trainer for Wirechild Two. Why don’t we go away for a while? I still haven’t taken you back to see Oceanport.”

“I don’t think I can take that long off,” he said regretfully. “You know how it is.”

I did know. I’d had more than a year’s worth of experience with how quickly his schedule could be upended, particularly since the LAPD had bumped up their contract for his services. “Not the whole month,” I compromised. “Maybe two weeks? We’ll rent a cottage or AirBnB or something there and just hang out and relax.” I held up a hand to stop him before he even got his first sentence out. “I will permit you to take some work with you, but I won’t have you working the whole time we’re there. We’re going to visit people, and eat Dean’s food, and introduce Corey to her cousins.” And maybe, just maybe…

After all, Nick’s twin brother was married to a wedding planner.

“Let me talk to Dad,” he said thoughtfully. “I might be able to work remote and make it a longer visit.” He kissed me, then our daughter. “It would be nice to meet all your cousins. I have to admit, the stories you’ve told make me curious.”

“They’re curious about you, too.” I gazed down at our little angel. “So, what do you say? A working vacation in small-town Maine?”

“I’ll talk to Mom about it tomorrow.”

A faint popping sound came from somewhere in the region of Corey’s diaper. “I hope that’s just gas,” I told her.

She grinned and jabbered at me, then made the same noise again, for even longer this time.

Miles peeked down the back of her little leggings and shook his head ruefully. “Heads or tails?”

“Like I’m going to fall for that again,” I told him severely and carefully passed Corey into his arms. “Your turn.” I followed them to the hallway and watched as he went to change her and thought again about that ring that Summer was holding on to for me.

It was definitely time I put it to use.

>>>