No Matter What (The Billionaires of Sawgrass #4) - Delaney Cameron Page 0,24
think that was the right time to go into all this.”
“I see your point. When you do get the opportunity to tell him, I’m sure it won’t be a problem.”
Robin didn’t think it would. Wade wasn’t one of the narrow-minded men Barb had referred to. “By the way, Owen doesn’t know about his parents. He thinks they’re on a trip.”
“So you have to handle that as well,” Kait said as they returned to the apartment. “Poor Robin. You’ve got some tough conversations ahead.”
Chapter Eight
“I can see the water, Aunt Robin!” Owen screeched. “Where are all the people?”
Kait’s sleepy voice answered. “Probably still in bed.”
She wasn’t wrong. At the hour of eight on a Sunday morning, there was no shortage of parking spots at Fisherman’s Wharf. Robin pulled into the one closest to the boardwalk entrance. “I think we got Aunt Kait up too early, Owen.”
“It’s not early,” he answered without turning around. “I’ve been awake for hours.”
“No one is questioning that,” Kait said, laughing a little. “You’ve been raring to go since five-fifteen.”
“Be glad you don’t have to sleep with him,” Robin said. “Owen takes up the whole bed and the covers. Around two this morning, I conceded defeat and moved to the chair.”
Owen giggled. “Daddy calls me a blankie hog.”
Robin tensed every time Owen mentioned his parents. How would she ever find the right words to tell him that they were gone? “Your daddy is right.”
While they were unloading all the things they needed for a morning on the beach, Robin’s phone rang. She put down the cooler and dug the phone out of her pocket. A relieved smile touched her lips when she saw it was Wade.
“I need to take this,” she told Kait. “Why don’t you and Owen go ahead and find us a spot? I shouldn’t be too long.”
“Sounds good,” Kait said, grabbing the straw tote bag she bought during a trip to Daytona Beach the previous summer. “Owen, love, get your bucket of toys.”
Robin walked around to lean against the driver’s side of the car. “Hey, stranger.”
Wade laughed. “I thought you weren’t going to answer. It would be no more than I deserve. I should have called before now.”
She didn’t disagree, but she was honest enough to admit her anxiety to hear from him had been heightened by the events of the last thirty-six hours. “I know how you get when you’re working.”
“I’m lucky to have such an understanding girlfriend. How’s your weekend been so far?”
Robin drew in a deep breath. “Not so good. I got some terrible news on Friday afternoon. My friend Piper and her husband were killed in a car accident.”
She heard Wade’s quick indrawn breath.
“Darling! I’m so sorry. I know how close you were to Piper. How are you holding up?”
“Okay, I guess. The good news is Owen wasn’t with them when it happened. I drove to Arcadia to get him.”
“He’s in Jacksonville with you? I don’t understand. Is this a temporary thing?”
“No, it’s permanent. I’m Owen’s guardian. As you know, Piper didn’t have any family. Daniel hasn’t spoken to his in years.”
“So none of his relatives are willing to take Owen? That must have been some family squabble.”
“It isn’t that they aren’t willing. I met Daniel’s sister Barb yesterday. She’s not at all happy about me being Owen’s guardian. She tried to talk me into refusing. When that failed, she threatened to contest the will. The attorney I spoke to said it was unlikely she’d win.”
“If Barb wants to take care of Owen, then I’m confused as to why you wouldn’t let her.”
“It’s not a question of letting her, Wade. Piper and Daniel asked me to be Owen’s guardian.”
“And you agreed to do it. I wouldn’t have expected otherwise. You’re the kindest, sweetest person I know. But as someone who cares about you, I think it’s important that you consider what you’re getting into. Putting aside any potential problems with Daniel’s family, have you considered what this means for you personally?”
Robin shoved away the thought that Wade’s remarks were similar to those Barb had made. “Not in every detail, of course. With that said, Kait and I had a long talk last night after Owen went to bed. We’re going to split the work day so that one of us can be home with him. It’ll be a little tricky with it being our busy season, but things will ease up in August when he goes to school.”
“I wasn’t referring to just your business, Robin. Don’t get me wrong. I