it settled down to a slight sway.
Emma snuggled against Star, throwing her little arm across Star’s stomach. Finn, all boy, stayed on his back, his eyes trained on the sky.
“This feels good,” Star said. The hammock rocked beneath them. “A little down time is good.”
“What’s down time?” Emma asked, her eyes on Star.
“You know,” Star said. “Time to relax.”
“Are you still sad about your mother, Star?” Emma asked. “I still get sad about my mother sometimes.”
“Of course you do.” Star took Emma’s hand, knowing the little girl’s ache for her mother was a million times worse than her own.
Emma’s fingers tightened around Star’s. “What are you going to dream about, Star?”
“I don’t know,” Star said, but Cade popped into her head. She didn’t allow herself to daydream about him. What good would it do? Sex. Yes, she’d definitely daydream about sex with Cade, if the kids weren’t here. No, for now her daydreams needed to be G–rated. “I’m dreaming about my new condo.”
Finn shifted beside her. “What’s a condo?”
“It’s like a house. It’s where I live. I just moved in and I haven’t been home to enjoy it in a long time.”
“I don’t want you to go, Star,” Emma said resolutely.
“Thanks, sweetie,” Star said, rubbing the little girl’s arm. “But it’s time for me to go home.”
“Will you come back to visit?” Emma asked.
“Of course. Brandi, Bud, and Will are here.” Thinking about leaving brought a funny ache to Star’s chest. “You guys are here.”
Emma nodded, happy with Star’s answer.
“What will you daydream about, Em?” Star asked.
“Ponies, and Snowbell, and chocolate milk.”
Star grinned. “Wow. How about you, Finn?”
“My bird trap,” Finn said. “I built it today.”
“And I helped,” Emma chimed in.
“Did you catch one?” Star asked.
“Not yet.” Finn looked at her. “But I will. I put some breadcrumbs in the trap. If a bird goes inside, the box will fall and trap it.”
“What will you do with the bird if you catch it?” Star asked.
“It will be our pet,” Emma said, her eyes all dreamy.
Star prayed they wouldn’t catch anything. She didn’t have the heart to tell the twins that wild birds didn’t make good pets.
Finn leaned more fully against her right side; Emma cuddled against her left side, their little bodies soft and heavy. Star closed her eyes and relaxed. She could hear the sound of silverware clinking together as Cade got things ready for the evening meal. The high whine of a hairdryer came from the upstairs bathroom window. Probably Vivienne.
Exhaustion claimed Star and it suddenly felt like she hadn’t slept in days. Emma burrowed more securely against her. Star’s fingers smoothed the little girl’s hair. On her other side, she could feel the rise and fall of Finn’s chest.
Star drifted off. The slap of the screen door woke her, followed by Brad saying, “Dad, the stove timer’s going off.”
Star opened her eyes to find Cade watching her. How long had he been standing there beside the hammock? Instantly self–conscious, Star tried to sit up, but the kids held her in place.
“Don’t move,” Cade said softly. “I want to remember you like this.”
Star didn’t want him to remember her like this, like she was a mother. This wasn’t her at all, and this wasn’t the image she wanted him to have of her. She moved again, and woke Emma. The little girl sat up, nearly dumping them all out of the hammock.
“Hey,” Finn cried, grabbing onto a handful of Star’s shirt to keep from falling.
The blissful moment with the kids shattered. Cade lifted Emma out of the hammock. Finn jumped out, and then Cade reached for Star, pulling her up.
“Go wash up for dinner,” Cade said to the kids, his hands still on Star’s arms. “Hands and faces. Change your shirts, and comb your hair.”
“Aw, heck,” Finn grumbled on the way to his house, Emma right behind him.
“I fell asleep,” Star said. “I guess the past couple of nights are catching up with me.”
“You look good with my kids, Star,” Cade said his hands still on her arms. “They really like you.”
“I like them, too,” Star said. “I never said I didn’t like kids. I just don’t want any of my own.”
Cade’s hands slid down her arms, and he took her hands in his. “Okay. I respect that. I didn’t mean anything by it. I’ll take you any way I can get you, Star White.”
“I like the sound of that.”
“Mmmm,” he murmured, his fingers playing against hers. “I’m glad.”
Star smiled up at him.
“Thanks for helping out tonight.” He