“It’s nice to meet you, too.” Rachel took the offered hand. “These are my girls, Lark, Jade and Ivy.”
“You’re all as pretty as your mother. I’ll leave you to finish your lunch. Maybe we’ll see each other down at the lake later.”
Rachel picked up her sandwich after Mimi left. “She seems like a nice woman.”
Lark rolled her eyes. “Another fan?”
Ivy frowned at her sister. “Mom was famous. You’re just jealous because no one knows you were on the show.”
“She was only in a couple of episodes.” Rachel reached for a chip.
“And I was a tiny baby. You’re such a dork, Ivy.”
Jade poked her younger sister. “Hurry up and eat your sandwich. I want to go swimming.”
Rachel frowned. “The lake is probably pretty cold.”
“Who cares? Can I go change into my bathing suit?”
“If you’re finished eating, you may.”
Jade dumped her paper plate in the trashcan and hurried off with Ivy right behind her.
“Don’t you want to go swimming?” Rachel glanced over at Lark.
“Maybe later. Can I go talk to that girl over there? She looks like she’s my age, and if I’m going to be stuck here for a week, I may as well make friends.”
“Do you mean Mimi Andrews’s daughter?”
Lark nodded. “Her mom said her name’s Lauren.”
“That’s right, Lauren and Kevin. Sure, go introduce yourself. I want you to have fun this week.”
“Don’t push it, Mom.”
Rachel grinned. “A mother can dream, can’t she?” She dropped her plate in the trash. “I’ll be down at the lake with your sisters if you need me. And please don’t wander off without checking with me first. I don’t want you to get lost.”
“Or eaten by a bear or kidnapped by an escaped lunatic. I know the drill. See you later.” She hurried off to catch up with the other two kids before they left the picnic area.
The boy was tall and good-looking like his father. Rachel had a feeling he was the attraction, not his sister. Which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Anyone who could distract Lark from her crush on Rose’s brother earned a gold star in Rachel’s book. Leaving her eldest to her own devices, Rachel headed back to the cabin where she changed into a bathing suit and wrap. She grabbed a towel and a book, put Daisy on a leash and headed out at a fast clip. As they approached the lake, the dog lifted her nose to sniff the air then tugged even harder.
It was warm for mid-June. With the sun riding high in the sky, a quick dip in the lake would be refreshing after their earlier hike. As Rachel neared the dock, Jade jumped in with a splash and came up gasping.
“It’s freezing.” Her teeth chattered. “Don’t be a chicken, Ivy. Just close your eyes and jump.”
Ivy did, then screamed and flailed. Rachel smiled. Maybe she’d skip the swim and settle for a bit of sunbathing. She spread her towel in a patch of sand between two boulders. A perfect spot with a towering pine creating just enough shade to keep her cool, and a spectacular view of the lake shimmering beneath the afternoon sun. The girls jumped in again, their laughter ringing across the water. Rachel sighed. It had been far too long since her last vacation. She could only think of one thing that would make it better.
“Would you like a cold drink?”
Shading her eyes, she glanced up as a shadow loomed over her. Anticipation. Excitement. Delight. A conflux of emotions swirled inside her. Settle down, Rachel. With an effort, she composed her voice, afraid she’d sound like a school girl with a mad crush.
“I’d love one.”
Kane sat on the boulder next to her and opened a small ice chest. “Cola or beer?”
“Cola, please.” She took the cold can then offered a smile.
He opened a beer with a hiss and took a swig. “I recognized you from the trail above. Nobody else has hair quite that color of red. I was afraid I was imagining things.”
“Should I take that as a compliment?”
“Definitely. When did you decide to come up here?”
“Last week. I wanted to get away for a while, so I looked the place up online like you suggested. It appears I made a good choice. My girls are having a great time.”
“Are those two yours?” He pointed toward the dock.
Both her daughters bent at the waist. Simultaneously they dived into the water and came up screaming.
“The taller one is Jade, and the blonde is Ivy. I have a feeling they’re going to disturb the peace around here.”
“That’s okay. Kids should be able to make noise when they’re outside.”
Rachel smiled. “Let’s hope the rest of the guests feel that way.”
“And who is this?” He scratched Daisy behind one ear.
The dog moaned in delight then leaned against him.
“Apparently, your new best friend. Her name’s Daisy.”
“Why isn’t she swimming with the girls?”
“She’s not a big fan of the water.” Rachel stroked the dog’s silky coat. “She has a few hang-ups, but she’s very sweet.”
“I thought you had three daughters.”
His eyes were a clear, beautiful blue as he held her gaze. Her stomach fluttered.
“I do. Lark’s up at camp with a couple of other kids.”
“Blond hair with pink streaks, but still pretty?”
Rachel laughed. “That’s a very good description.”
“I saw her before I came down. She and the Andrews kids were talking to Jed about taking out a canoe.”
“I’m glad she’s found someone her own age to hang out with. My oldest wasn’t exactly looking forward to this trip.”
“You didn’t want to leave her home alone?”
“Not a chance. She got a tattoo a couple of weeks ago along with that awful haircut.”
Kane choked on his beer. “Now I remember why I wasn’t in a rush to have kids when I was married.”
“They’ve given me more than my fair share of headaches, but the rewards are worth it. How can you resist those happy faces?”
Jade and Ivy ran up, their curious gazes on Kane. Water dripped from their hair and bathing suits to form a couple of growing puddles.
“Can we swim out to that big rock and back?” Jade asked.
The rock in question was probably more than a hundred yards from shore.
Rachel frowned. “You can go, but I’m not so sure about Ivy. That’s an awfully long way for you to swim, honey.”
“I can do it. I’m much better than I used to be. Please.”
“I don’t know. If you got into trouble, it would take me too long to reach you. I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“That’s not fair!”
Kane touched her knee. “Would you let her go if I swam with them? I came down here to cool off, anyway.”
She glanced over