Dot held up the bottle.
“Water bottles,” Otis said, holding them up.
“Towels,” Rowdy said, pointing at Bob and his load of towels.
“Looks like we’re ready,” she said, picking up the inner tubes from the side of the house.
Poppy, Bob and the three kids made their way to the river—all three kids talking at once.
* * *
TOBEN STOOD ON the massive wraparound porch of Ryder Boone’s home. He could hear the giggles and squeals inside. Ryder and his wife, Annabeth, had three boys—twin two-year-olds and an eight-year-old. They were loud, rambunctious kids who made his cousin burst with pride.
He knocked on the door, smiling when three voices yelled, “Door!”
“I’ll get it.” Annabeth was smiling, too. “You didn’t have to knock, Toben. You’re family, after all. Come
on in.” She stepped back. “Watch the toys. The place is booby-trapped.”
He grinned, assessing the floor. He sidestepped a castle, dodged a mountain of teddy bears and almost tripped on a metal sports car.
“Ryder, Toben’s here,” Annabeth called out. To Toben she said, “Can I get you something? Lemonade? Water? Tea?”
Toben shook his head. “I’m good.” He looked down, smiling at Dawson and Emmett. The twins were each clinging to one of his legs, using him as their personal ride. “Looks like I’m getting a leg workout.”
“Who needs a gym?” she asked.
Toben grinned. Annabeth was a beautiful woman. His cousin Ryder was a lucky man. He had it all, wife, kids—he was happy.
“Send him out, will ya, Princess?” Ryder called. “With something to drink, please, ma’am.”
Annabeth poured two glasses of lemonade, handed them to Toben and nodded at the back door. “Boys, let Uncle Toben go help Daddy with the motorcycle.”
“Where’s Cody?” Toben asked, looking for their eldest.
“Shh, Uncle Toben,” Cody called out. “I’m hiding.”
The twins let go, running into the other room in the direction of Cody’s voice, squealing.
Annabeth shook her head and followed the twins into the front room while he headed out the back door.
Ryder’s hands were black with grease. “Cousin.” He nodded. “Feel like making yourself useful?” Toben nodded. He helped Ryder for a full thirty minutes before Ryder asked, “Wanna tell me why you’re here?”
Toben wiped his hands on a shop rag and sat on the metal stool. “I’m in deep.”
Ryder downed the lemonade and stared at him. “Trouble?”
Toben nodded.
“What’s going on?” Ryder sat opposite Toben, wiping his hands.
He wished he could put the jumble of emotions in his head into words. “I don’t know how to be a better man.”
Ryder’s brow creased. “You’re asking me?”
“You and I were on similar paths.” Toben glanced at the house. “Until you met Annabeth.”
Ryder stared at the house. “There’s a woman?”