“I’m going to go check on Leo,” Grant said.
Katrina smiled. “Thanks for that. I’m going to head up and take a shower. I’ll check in on Anya before I do.”
He stopped downstairs. Leo was still playing games. Since it was nearing midnight, he told Leo he could play for another half hour. No more. Leo didn’t even balk, just nodded and said okay.
Grant shook his head as he grabbed a couple of waters to take upstairs. He kind of felt like a parent there for a minute, which was a unique position for him.
He had no rights to these kids. They were under Katrina’s care.
But he was beginning to care for them.
And for her.
They sure as hell didn’t fit his lifestyle, though. He’d been single for a long time. He’d had a few relationships here and there, but nothing serious, and none of the women he’d ever dated had kids. He came and went as he pleased. He had a lifestyle that was all about travel during the season. He didn’t have anyone who depended on him, and he liked it that way.
He was totally out of his element here, and yet the whole situation felt … normal. He was comfortable with Leo and Anya.
And he sure as hell felt good with Katrina.
But he knew better than to rush things, especially when kids were involved.
It was time to slow down a little, maybe reevaluate where things were in this relationship.
And he knew exactly what the next step was.
TWENTY-FOUR
KATRINA, ANYA, AND LEO SPENT THE FOLLOWING morning lazing by the pool. It was fun and relaxing and Katrina couldn’t recall the last time she had done absolutely nothing.
She’d checked her e-mail and nothing was pressing at the moment. There were a few e-mails from her business manager about booking jobs in the fall, but she’d look into those more closely when she got back home. No reason to rush into that when she could take a day off and enjoy hanging out with her brother and sister. It wouldn’t be long before they’d be headed back to school, she’d go back to work, and they’d see a lot less of each other. The time together today—and this whole week—was an unexpected gift.
She had Grant to thank for that.
He arrived home in the middle of the afternoon and told everyone to go change clothes because they were heading out to see the Arch.
The kids loved riding the elevator up to the top of the St. Louis Gateway Arch, and Grant obviously enjoyed taking them to the historical portion, telling them about how it had been built and all the history behind the expansion into the western territories. Katrina was surprised Anya and Leo paid such rapt attention.
“Now for the fun part,” he said after they left the Arch.
“What’s that?” Leo asked.
“Well, Six Flags, of course.”
Anya stopped. “Aren’t we a little old to go to the amusement park?”
Grant shot her a look. “Do I look old to you?”
“A little,” she said, offering up a saucy smirk.
Katrina was going to let the kids fight this one out with Grant.
He kept walking to the car. “I’ll have you know you are never too old to go to an amusement park. I’m shocked. You mean you all don’t love roller coasters?”
He stopped and stared at all of them, as if he dared any of them to object.
“I’m a huge fan of things that go around and around and upside down until I want to throw up,” Katrina said, giving him a deadpan look.
Grant arched a brow at her.
“You’ll get no complaint from me,” Leo said.
Anya said, “Six Flags it is, then.”
He put his arm around Anya’s shoulders. “Promise, you’re going to love it.”
He was right. The amusement park was so much fun, and Katrina couldn’t remember the last time she’d been to one. Maybe when Leo was about seven? That had been a long time ago.
This one had a water park as well, so Grant had stopped at the house on the way so they could all pack up their swimsuits. They rode every ride until Katrina thought she really might throw up. She also distinctly heard her sister laugh uncontrollably on the roller coaster—several times. And then Anya insisted they ride it again.
The water park was fun, too, and on a hot day it was perfect. Grant rented a private cabana at the water park, and while Leo and Anya had run off to the waterslides, the two of them sipped cool drinks. Until Grant grabbed her hand and they took a tube ride down the river.
“I don’t know when I’ve had more fun,” she said as they held hands and coasted along the water. Kids shuffled past, splashing water everywhere. She didn’t care.