* * *
Will: My girls need to get out of the sun.
* * *
I don’t think there will be a time in my entire existence that I ever get tired of him referring to Mia and me as his girls.
* * *
Me: We’re in the shade. It’s just hot. Her face is red because she’s been running around with the other kids like her ass is on fire. LOL. She finally crashed about 15 minutes ago.
Will: Sounds like she was having fun.
Me: She was for sure. She fought sleep for a little while. I had to move to a shaded area away from the commotion to get her to settle and fall asleep.
Will: If I were there, I could have helped you.
Me: Soon.
Will: Camp is over, Mandy.
Me: I know. I know the longer we wait, the worse it will be, but I can’t get past that paralyzing fear of losing you both.
Will: You’ve caught me, baby. You won’t lose me.
* * *
I smile down at my phone. My heart is so full, I feel as though I might burst. I don’t know how he does it, but Will always knows the right thing to say to ease my worries. I need to tell Bellamy. I know that waiting will only make it worse. I’ll talk to Will later. We’ll look at his game schedule and set a time to sit down with Bellamy to tell her.
“Whoa,” Bellamy exclaims as she takes the chair next to mine. “Who’s making you smile like that?”
“What?” I ask, my pulse racing, while I slap my phone down on my lap.
“Who were you texting that brought out that smile?”
“That? Oh, just a work thing. Trying to get a new artist, and I think I’m close,” I lie. I mean, it’s not a lie, but that’s not why I’m smiling either.
“I love it,” Bellamy says, sitting back in her chair and closing her eyes. “Everyone is happy. Mom and Cliff are happy, even though I miss her like crazy. Our Rampage family is happy, you’re happy, hell, even my dad has been all smiles the last couple of times I’ve seen him. Everyone I love is happy.”
“Yeah,” I agree, guilt weighing heavily on my chest.
Coral comes running over and climbs onto her mom’s lap. Her eyes droop, and I know she could also use a nap. “I love that our kids get to grow up together.”
“I do, too. I hope our girls are close.”
Sloane announces that it’s time for cake, and Coral’s head pops up. “I wove cake!”
“I know you do, sweetie. Let’s head over so we can sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to Cam and get some cake.” Bellamy stands and smiles. “You want me to bring you a slice?”
“Nah, I’m too hot to eat right now. This one is putting off the heat.”
“You know you can take her inside. Sloane and Baker won’t care.”
“I know, but the day is coming when I won’t be able to hold her like this while she sleeps. I want to soak up every second while I can.”
“I’m proud of you, bestie. You knew what you wanted, and you made it happen. Love you,” she says.
I swallow past the lump of emotions in the back of my throat. “Love you, too,” I tell her, before they skip off together to get a piece of birthday cake.