Page 80 of Island Protector

“I know how they feel.” Miles pulled her close, her back resting against his chest.

“We’ll face some tricky questions in the days ahead,” she said, thinking aloud.

“We knew that going in.” Miles brushed a kiss to her temple. “Staring now,” he murmured as Bryce came racing up from the dock. “Mom! Mom! Dad!”

“What is it?” Miles bent to scoop up his son.

“Mimi and Pop,” Bryce shouted. “We all three decided on it.” He put his hands on Miles’s face, holding tight as he looked into his dad’s eyes. “Pop is the tall one.”

“Got it.”

“Good to know,” Molly said, smiling as Thomas, Anne and Sharon returned.

Bryce released Miles. “Yeah. Mimi and Pop.” He pointed. “They’re gonna move here.”

“Really?” Miles turned his attention to the Graingers. “That’s cool.”

Bryce scrambled down to the ground. “Uh-huh. Pop says he’s going to bring his boat and get a house and everything. And Mimi’s coming too. We’re going to sail every day.” He gave a big cheer.

“Except school days,” Molly reminded him.

Bryce frowned up at her. “Every summer day and break day,” he pressed.

All of the adults laughed.

“To clarify,” Thomas said, “we’re looking at property. Something like a second home for us. We don’t intend to get underfoot.”

Molly believed him. And she thought having them closer would be a lovely idea. The better to create those close family bonds she’d craved for so long.

“We’d love to have you on Brookwell anytime,” Sharon said. “That’s just the kind of place we are.”

“And the kind of family we want to become,” Miles added.

Happy tears tickled the back of her throat as Bryce let loose another wild cheer.

Even knowing they’d turn her into a sailor one day, Molly’s joy bloomed brighter than ever before.