Picture Perfect Summer

by Marquita Valentine

  I shake my head so hard that I think I pull something. “Not a single one.”

  True arches a golden brow. “What a shame. I love sleepovers. Unfortunately, I can’t spend the night. Maybe another time.”

  Satisfied, River grins. “Let’s go. Get her beach bag, Daddy!”

  With a look over her shoulder, True follows River around back and I not only grab True’s beach bag, but her keys, purse, and phone as well before I lock up her car.

  Summertime means Castle Beach is crowded. It also means a lot more theft involving cars.

  I quicken my stride, catching up to them as River and True throw their shirts into the air and run for the surf. River takes True by the hand and they plunge into the ocean.

  For a long minute, I simply stand there, watching as the two people I love most in the world play in the water. “This can’t be happening.”

  But it is. My eyes aren’t deceiving me. I’m so fucking happy that I want to cry.

  I don’t, but I want to so fucking bad that it hurts, and not only because River’s so accepting of True. It’s because River’s loving nature hasn’t been dampened by these long months with Laken’s demands.

  River’s had so much love, from so many people that she’s secure. She feels safe... and it occurs to me right then, that River isn’t worried about Laken leaving her at all. She’s worried about never seeing her little sister again because Laken hasn’t earned River’s trust.

  “Son of a bitch.” I’ll have to meet with Laken, not leave it to River to sort things out until it gets difficult. I send off a quick text to Laken, then toss my phone in True’s beach bag before running head on into the waves.

  I dive in as soon as it hits my knees, swimming hard for my girls.

  My girls.

  In no time at all, I’m with them, floating in the deep, blue sea while True and River talk about LOL Pillows, which are somehow a thing I’ve missed.

  “Isn’t your birthday in July?” True asks.

  “You know when my birthday is?” River squeals, her blue eyes flashing with excitement. “Daddy did you tell her?”

  “Nope. True just knows stuff like that about you.”

  “Really? What’s my favorite color?”

  True goes under a wave. I grab River and toss her over. They both shoot to the surface while I tread water within grabbing distance.

  “Aquamarine.”

  Damn, True’s good.

  “Tell me something else.”

  “You also love to surf, play soccer, and want to be a science teacher when you grow up.”

  Now that I didn’t tell True at all, not even in passing.

  “Holy poopballs,” River breathes, then turns to me. “Daddy, swear you didn’t tell her that I want to be a science teacher.”

  “Scout’s honor.” I grab River and push her around so she can hold onto my shoulders. While she’s a great swimmer, she’s still only ten and the ocean can go from fun to dangerous in the blink of an eye. “Ready to ride one in?”

  “What about True?”

  “I can ride him later.”

  I cock a brow.

  True turns bright red. “I did not mean that.”

  I laugh.

  River joins in because that child of mine loves to laugh. Soon True’s back to smiling.

  “I know you didn’t mean anything, Sunshine. You coming with us?”

  She nods. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

  The rest of the afternoon flies by. We stop for lunch and True shows River how to toss goldfish crackers in the air and catch them every time. “You have to commit and put your mouth under it. Can’t throw it too high or too low.”

  After a couple of tries, River is an expert. “You do it.” She throws the bag to me.

  “I bet your daddy has mad skills.” True smiles and opens a container of chicken casserole, then fixes a plate for River. Again, I shouldn’t be surprise, but it’s like a dream come true to have her here with us. “Go on, show us.”

  “Maybe later.” I lay the bag on the blanket and check the poles of the tent I erected near the shoreline. “I’m too hungry to play with my food right now.”

  True makes a face at River.

  River giggles and scoots her chair closer to her. “I wish you lived in Castle Beach. You could swim with us all the time and I bet, after a lot of practice, you could surf with us, too. We even go in the winter.”

  True’s gaze flies to mine. I hold my breath in anticipation of her answer. “Tell me about that, surfing in winter. Aren’t you cold?”

  My heart sinks, but I remind myself that True didn’t say she wouldn’t move here. She simply steered the conversation into a more appropriate one with River. I should be thankful. Grateful, even.

  “Not really. We wear wetsuits and Daddy puts a strict limit on the number of waves.” River gobbles down her food. “I’m done. I want to take a shower and watch Wonder Woman.”

  “Go for it. Just give me a holler when you’re out of the shower.”

  River takes her plate and shoves it in the paper bag we’re using to keep trash off the beach, then she hugs me, and after a moment of foot shuffling, she gives half of one to True before running inside.

  “That was unexpected,” True says.

  “But nice?”

  She nods. “My students like hugs. I think kids know I’m safe to touch.”

  “It’s not going to stop the world if you admit that you enjoyed spending time with my very affectionate daughter.”

  “My world would stop.” She sighs. “Honestly, it stopped the moment I met you.”

  “When you put it that way...” I finish off the half-empty jar of cherries. “Can you stay for dinner?”

  She shakes her head. “I don’t think that’s wise.”

  “Because your resolve is shaky.”

  Hazel brown eyes meet mine. “So shaky that I think I could love River like she were mine.”

  I drop the jar to the sand and cross the small distance between us, taking her in my arms. She doesn’t fight me, but I didn’t expect her to either. All she would have to do is say the word and I’d let her go.

  I wouldn’t like it, but I’d do it.

  “I’ll take River to Momma’s. You can stay here, or I’ll come to you.”

  True places her hand on my chest and I close my eyes to the feel of her branding me. “Not a good idea.”

  My eyes pop open. “Why not?

  “Because if I were to take that final step with you, there would be no going back for me... and Duke, I have to go back. I have a life in Scottsdale, family waiting on me, and a job I love. You know, all the things we’ve barely talked about.”

  Only because I want to remind her of how good things are here, in Castle Beach. Slowly, I let my arms fall away. “Is this a hard no from you?”

  “For now.”

  “What about tomorrow?”

  “I plan to take a bubble bath and watch rom-coms.”

  Be bold and tell the truth. “What if you could meet a rom-com star in real life instead?”

  “Tempting me with your connections, huh?”

  “Love makes a man desperate.”

  True gathers her things. “What is this special occasion that would make a rom-com star meetable in Castle Beach?”

  “He married my sister in a secret ceremony and they’re having a reception tomorrow afternoon, at my parents’ house.”

  She blinks at me. “Ophelia neglected to tell me that.”

  “River will be there, too.”

  “Sold.”

  “That easy?”

  She smiles softly. “I have a soft spot for girls with strange names.”

  “I’ll pick you at two and I won’t take no for an answer,” I say firmly. “This will be a real date.”

  “If you say so.” She rolls her eyes playfully. “I mean, when Duke King has something to say, we all should bow down and listen.”

  I have a lot of things to say to True, but now’s not the time, not
when I have her agreeing to spend another day with me.

  “Please... when has a Prince ever bowed down to a King in this town?” I ask with a wink.

  She shakes her head, that soft smile growing wider. “You are so smooth now, you know that?”

  I shrug. “Only took me ten years.”

  But it’s not going to take another ten years to make True mine.

  *

  “What did you think of True?” I ask, shielding my eyes from the afternoon sun with my hand. After a long nap on the back porch, we’re finally putting up beach supplies and making sure our boards are nice and dry before we store them away.

  River grins, the freckles on her nose more vibrant with the sun she got today. “I like her. She’s really silly and nice.”

  “Exactly how much do you like her?”

  “How much do you like her, Daddy?”

  Not for lack of trying to keep River as childlike as possible, my daughter is an old soul. She understands things that most adults wouldn’t and most children wouldn’t bother to entertain. “Enough to want to marry her, but that doesn’t mean things will change for you and me.” I tap her nose. “Never giving you up.”

  “I know that.” She finishes wiping down her board. “Can I help you ask her?”

  I have no idea how to answer that. I also have no idea if kids can do that in the first place. Would it be weird? Does River really know what marriage entails or does she think it’s like in the movies I allow her to watch, where the prince meets the princess and after a very short period of time, they live happily ever after. “You don’t have any other questions?”

  “Do I get to be in the wedding and wear a glorious dress?” she asks. “Ophelia says that all dresses should be glorious and have millions of diamonds sewn on them.”

  It’s always the dress. “I don’t see why not, but I can’t promise you’ll get millions of diamonds. It would weigh more than me and all your uncles combined.”

  “Then I’ll wear a glorious dress with a million rhinestones instead—no one will know the difference but me and you,” she says conspiratorially, then brightens. “Don’t worry, Daddy, I can be your wingman while my dress is made.”

  My what? “Who taught you that word?”

  “Uncle Deacon.”

  “Fair enough.” We fist bump. “Next time, run any new words or phrases you hear from him by me. He doesn’t have a filter.”

  “Like on Snapchat?”

  “Yeah, except he’s always the before picture with his words.”

  “At least you know he’s telling the truth.”

  “Can’t argue with that logic, kid.”

  Chapter 25

  True

  I don’t know exactly what to expect from a reception celebrating the now not-so-secret wedding of a Hollywood producer to Castle Beach royalty.

  “Are you sure it’s okay that you’re taking me as your plus one?” I ask Duke. He’s standing beside me, looking so proud and sexy that my toes literally curl in my shoes—a pair of Louboutins with delicate butterflies made out of crystals. They were a hit with River from the start and I think that I somehow made a promise to get her a matching pair.

  “For the last time, Sunshine, stop worrying.” He presses a kiss to my forehead and winks at River. “Why don’t you take True to the dessert table while I speak with Uncle Barron about business stuff?”

  I want to kiss him. He so knows what makes me less nervous. The answer is food. It’s always and forever, food.

  River’s eyes get big. “We get to eat dessert first?”

  “Don’t question him,” I whisper loudly. “We might not get this chance again.”

  Duke frowns, but it’s rather playful and fatherly. I shouldn’t be attracted to that frown, but I am. “Do you think it’s a bad idea? I thought you’d like being treated like an—”

  “Thanks, Daddy.” River grabs my hand and tugs hard. “Let’s go before Uncle Deacon eats all the chocolate ones. Aunt Quinn says he’s a pig in slop when there’s chocolate. I don’t even know what slop is, but if it’s like chocolate, I think I want to be in slop, too.”

  Laughter bursts from my throat. I don’t have the heart to tell her that slop is the exact opposite of chocolate. “Me, too.”

  “Aqua!” River shouts, stopping beside a very tall, very glamorous couple who look like they literally stepped off a runway. “This is True. My daddy’s date and mine, too.”

  The woman smiles beatifically. “Quinn King, er, I mean, Prescott.”

  Her husband, whose images on social media do not do him justice, nuzzles her neck. “Glad you remember who you belong to.”

  “As long as you never forget.” She holds out her hand to me, greeting me like we’re old friends. “It’s so nice to finally meet you. I’d heard Duke was dating again, but hadn’t met the mystery woman yet.”

  Dating again? “Oh, I’m not that kind of date. I’m a friendly one.”

  Quinn gives me an odd look. “My mistake.”

  “It’s okay.” I wave her sort of apology off because it’s really not needed. “Congratulations on your wedding. Everything is decorated so amazingly.”

  “Thank you. Tate did all the work.”

  I glance at him in surprise. “You did?”

  He nods. “Quinn swears I have an eye for this sort of thing. Maybe if my current career doesn’t work out, I can always fall back on planning parties.”

  “Uncle Tate is famous,” River says. “But I don’t know how because I’m not allowed to watch his movies.”

  “Not even—never mind.” I mime zipping my lips, then say, “I’m sure when you’re older, your daddy will let you.”

  “I’ll tell him that you said I could.”

  “When you’re older.”

  River looks at me from the corners of her eyes. “Tonight, I’ll be older.”

  Quinn snickers. “She’s got you there, True.”

  “Very astute of you, River, but I’ll be older too and with age, comes forgetfulness. I might not even know my own name by then.”

  River makes a little growling noise, but there’s a smile on her lips. “Fine.”

  “Nice one,” Quinn whispers, patting me on the shoulder. “You must know a lot about kids.”

  “She’s a teacher,” River says proudly. “A really good one.”

  I hear people calling Quinn and Tate’s names.

  “That’s us,” Tate says. “Nice to meet you, True. Please help yourself to one of everything.”

  “I love to eat.” Right now, I’d love to eat the food at the appetizer stations—all four of them, staged at the corners of the party.

  “Don’t be a stranger, not even a friendly one, okay?” Quinn calls out as she walks hand in hand with her husband to the small group of people waiting for them.

  “That was... interesting,” I say more to myself than River.

  “You want to meet Aunt Campbell and Uncle Knight next? Or my baby cousin, Hazel?” she asks.

  “How about later, because dessert is waiting.”

  “Dessert for the win,” River cheers. “My soccer coach likes to say that a lot on her Snapchat. Drinks for the win. Hot Date for the win.”

  “You’re on SnapChat?”

  “I use my daddy’s phone for it because he said I can’t have my own.” There’s a tinge of pouting to her voice, but that’s pretty normal for any kid. “Everything I want to do doesn’t happen until I’m older. That’s so far away.”

  “I understand. I was once in your shoes too.”

  “What did you do about it?”

  “Complain a lot.” I giggle, shrugging as we finally move to the dessert table. “Sorry, I don’t have very adult advice to give about that one. Would you look at that table, River.”

  “Holy cow,” she says, eyes widening in awe. “I don’t know what to eat first.”

  I survey the extravagant dessert table, laden with every kind of sweet confection imaginable. It’s completely Willy Wonka approved. “Okay, so let’s b
e super strategic about this. We don’t want to fill up on cookies, and we don’t want to fill up on chocolate mousse either.”

  River glances up at me. “Half and half?”

  I suck air through my teeth, canting my head side to side. “We have the wedding cake to consider, too. There’s a rule about eating it.”

  “Is it a law?”

  I nod solemnly. “I heard that someone’s grandmother created it because the cake was so bad that no one wanted to eat it, so that’s how she tricked them. Pretty sure it was made out of fruit.”

  “Oh I don’t know. I happen to like fruit cake.”

  “Grandma, did you make the wedding cake?” River chirps, letting go of my hand and wrapping her arms around the waist of an elegantly dressed older woman.

  Oh sweet Jesus. I just insulted Duke’s mother.

  “Hi, I’m True Prince and I swear I’m not normally so rude. I apologize, Mrs. King,” I say hastily, my cheeks redder than the cherries topping said wedding cake.

  Mrs. King scans me, her blue eyes kind. “No need to apologize. I rather liked your explanation.”

  River spins around, one arm still around her grandmother. “True and I were trying to strategize our desserts.”

  “Very smart. May I suggest that you start with the pralines, then work your way to the brownies.” She smiles, dimples flashing, and I see a hint of Duke in that smile... and a good dose of River, too. “Please, do call me Jane Ellen.”

  “Thank you, Jane Ellen.”

  River skips back to me, taking my hands in hers and swinging back and forth, like we do this all the time. “We need plates, True.”

  Jane Ellen doesn’t miss the show of affection to me from River. I doubt she misses much. With so many children, I bet this woman is wilier than a coyote and smarter than a roadrunner. Yes, growing up I was slightly obsessed with that cartoon featuring those two creatures and watched the new-to-me reruns religiously after school.

  I focus my attention on River, spinning her around while my heart is panging painfully. I could get used to spending lots and lots of time with this little girl. “How many plates do you think we need?”

  “River, honey, why don’t you pick out some treats for True so I can talk with her about the wedding cake rule? Two plates should do it,” Jane Ellen suggests. Only, I don’t think it’s much of a suggestion at all.