Island Affair (Keys to Love #1) - Priscilla Oliveras Page 0,34
for that number one fan moniker,” Ruth warned.
The older woman swung her thin legs off her lounger and set her empty smoothie glass on the low end table. Angling her head, she shot her husband a secretive smile. Charles stroked his wife’s slender back, his expression attentive and loving as he nodded at whatever question he read in her gaze.
“Your father and I recently came to a decision,” Ruth announced. “We plan to be more focused on each other, on our children and their partners.” Her gaze slid pointedly to Sara and Luis, then Robin and Edward still seated at the shallow end of the pool, then on to Jonathan and Carolyn. “And our grandchildren. Life’s too short. We have missed out on far too much. That stops right now.” She tapped her knee, emphasizing her point. “With us spending more quality time together, starting this week. Really getting to know one another better.”
Beside Luis, Sara stiffened. She shot him a sharp, slightly panicked look out of the corner of her eye.
If he guessed right, the last thing she wanted was her parents poking into their sham relationship.
He sandwiched her hand tightly with both of his, hoping she understood his we-got-this signal.
“You may want to rethink some of that togetherness when you have to sit through Susan’s dance recital. Twice!” Jonathan’s playful warning had his wife and parents chuckling.
Luis liked the guy’s sense of humor. Plus the fact that he’d started to come to Sara’s defense when their older sister bared her fangs.
“Says the man who was mouthing the steps to his daughter’s routine from his seat in the auditorium,” Carolyn threw in. “I thought he was about to volunteer to dance in the wings with their instructor, helping preschoolers struggling to remember the next step.”
Jonathan shrugged good-naturedly. “What can I say, my little girl has me wrapped around her pinkie. I could have easily filled in for the teacher.”
“Now that I would have liked to see. I’m sorry I wasn’t feeling well that day,” Ruth said, sliding her feet into her black sandals. “Next year, I’ll do my best to be there.”
“Me too,” Charles chimed in. He and Ruth exchanged another secretive nod before he continued. “Robin, you’ve done such a fine job covering for me while I cared for your mother. While we’re here, I’d like us to discuss keeping this division of duties permanent. If you agree, we’ll talk with the hospital when we get back.”
Surprise widened Robin’s gray eyes at her father’s announcement. Her jaw dropped, leaving her mouth a shocked oh that smoothed the rough edges of her caustic personality.
Beside her, Edward clumsily patted her thigh, his mouth tilted in a crooked smile his orthodontist skills might not be able to straighten but that showed his pride for his wife.
“Dad, are you sure?” Robin asked, her abrasive tone tempered with awe and uncertainty. “Stepping back, permanently, that means—”
“That means more cases for you. More responsibility and leadership expectations. You’ll be the Dr. Vance that’s paged first for difficult consultations, not me. If you’re ready for it.”
“Yes! Of course, yes!” Pulling her feet out of the water, Robin hurried toward the shaded porch. A trail of darkened wet footprints marked her steps across the bricked deck. Charles rose from his seat on Ruth’s lounger to wrap his oldest in a bear hug.
“This is what you’ve worked for, and I’m happy to hand over the reins to you. Just like—” Charles pulled back to grasp Robin’s shoulders. He peered down at her, the same authoritative expression he’d aimed at Luis and Sara when they’d first arrived. “Just like I’m happy for each new follower person or sponsor opportunity Sara garners. Or each patient you and your brother save. And especially any dance recital moves Jonathan teaches us this week.”
“Which could possibly happen tonight, if we all hurry and freshen up.” Ruth checked the dainty gold watch encircling her left wrist, then rose to stand beside them. “It’s nearly five thirty. If we plan to eat before sunset at eight, we’ll need to get a move on.”
Jonathan and Carolyn strolled over to join the rest of the group. Luis stayed in his deck chair, waiting to take his cue from Sara. While their banter had eased her discomfort earlier, she didn’t appear in a hurry to congratulate her sister. Instead, she gazed at her family standing in a huddle, without her.
The longing on her face made Luis want to wrap his arm around her, make their own circle