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“What’s that?” he asked.
“That,” Derek said, “is your new climber, buddy!”
Charlie, unblinking, stumbled slowly toward it.
“Where exactly did this come from?” Cate asked Derek.
He winced and ran his hand through his hair, realizing he maybe should’ve asked her first. “Uh, sorry. Was this a bad idea?”
“Oh, he’s going to love it,” Cate said. “But Uncle Derek will be in charge of supervision and swing-pushing.”
“Fair enough.” He laughed.
Charlie’s trance broke, and he started climbing up to the platform. Adam got up and helped him get down the slide.
“Kylie, did he drag you into this mess?” Cate sat and took a sip of iced tea.
“Let’s just say I showed up at an opportune time.”
“Thanks for your help.” Derek grinned at her. “I really wanted to have this up before Charlie got home, and it was seeming like an impossible task until you showed up.”
She gazed back at him, and his chest hitched watching her hair catch in the breeze, the afternoon sun giving her brown hair an auburn glow. From the corner of his eye, he caught his sister looking back and forth between them.
“Well,” she said pushing out of her chair, “I’ll get supper started. Are you staying to eat, Kylie?”
Derek was surprised at how easily Cate asked. Like it was a normal thing.
“Oh thanks, Cate.” Kylie also stood. “But I should be getting to the café for my shift.”
“Okay, good to see you.” Cate went into the house.
“Adam,” Derek yelled across the yard. “Can you watch Charlie for a few minutes? I’m going to walk Kylie to work.”
He expected her to say she didn’t need an escort, but she waved bye to Adam and followed him to the gate.
“You’re really not going to tell me your exciting news?” he asked.
“Nope,” she said. “At least not yet, but maybe soon.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Okay. I can wait.”
“Until then, please don’t make me jinx it.” Her eyes were pleading.
“You got it.” He shrugged.
He wanted to reach out and take her hand when they turned onto the street of the café, but he didn’t know if they were there yet. Was he really thinking about public displays of affection? Then his heart sank knowing how fast word would get around town. Better to not let on that anything was going on. He wished he could tell his heart nothing important was happening here. Kylie would be leaving soon, and he shouldn’t get his hopes up.
But he couldn’t convince his heart to not somersault every time she looked over at him. She didn’t seem distant. She wasn’t pushing him away. Could she be imagining the same things as him? Staying together in Camden? Was he foolish to even hope?
Yes, he was. She’d told him flat out she wasn’t sticking around. This was just a fun fling. And that was fine. But watching her relax in the backyard, everything felt right. She fit there. She was comfortable with Adam, Charlie, and Cate.
“What time do you work until tonight?” Derek asked as they approached the door.
“I’ll probably finish up around ten with the book club that’s coming in.”
“I have to work early tomorrow morning, diverting traffic around a gas line dig. Maybe I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon?” He was suddenly embarrassed. What if a planned meeting, a date, was presuming too much at this point?
“Sounds good,” she said. “I’m working until five though.”
