a much older brother. He was forty-five and happily married in Seattle, with two fur babies. It was hard living on opposite coasts and only getting together on Thanksgiving or Christmas, depending on schedules.
“I did, and I might have brought something extra just for you.” Molly let go when Banner did.
“Literally starving, Banner?” Archer asked, ruffling his sister’s hair.
“Yup.” She smiled, braces gleaming in the sunlight. “Gunnar made a bet with Asher that you two wouldn’t show. Spencer and Miller went off with some friends. Girl friends. But Momma says we should be thankful their commanding officers gave them permission to spend time with us. She also said we couldn’t eat until y’all got here.” Banner grimaced. “I bet Momma’s going to make us wait for them and their dumb girlfriends. I don’t feel thankful at all.”
Molly gave Archer a look. “I think we should advocate for eating now.”
“Agreed. My brothers are like locusts,” Archer said with a familiar grin that made her give him one in return.
Banner took them by one hand each and all but dragged them under the canopy the Kincaids had set up as their lakeside headquarters. “Can we eat now?”
Mrs. Kincaid, an attractive woman in her late fifties, smiled. “As long as you let Molly go first.” She smiled at Molly. “Thank you for coming.”
“You’re welcome.” Molly dug into her bag, making sure the two containers of sliced cake and preacher cookies were right side up. Although it didn’t really matter for the cookies. “Where should I put dessert?”
Mr. Kincaid patted the spot on the table in front of him. “Right here.”
Molly giggled.
“You’re supposed to be watching your sugar intake, honey.”
“Doesn’t count on holidays,” Mr. Kincaid countered.
“I’m not in this.” Molly sidestepped both of them and set her bag on the table that was already heavy with food so that she could unpack her contributions. “Everything looks amazing.”
“Thanks, dear.”
“You’re welcome,” Molly replied.
“She can say ‘thank you,’ but I can’t?” Archer said, and Molly glared at him, popping open the large containers and sliding the tops under them.
“It wasn’t weird for her to say it.” His mouth twitched, and she narrowed her gaze at him. Aggravating man. “I suggest you find your brothers and take your sister swimming.”
“Yesssssss,” Banner crowed, then grabbed Archer by the arm and smiling up at him. Molly knew Banner loved Archer… she also knew that smile wasn’t quite so innocent. “Bro, I’ve been waiting literally forever to go swimming. And you’re stronger than everyone else, so you’ll toss me the highest.”
Bingo.
“How long does hyperbole last with your kind nowadays?” Archer asked. “Also, why do you keep calling me bro?”
“I call everyone bro,” Banner said with a shrug. “Are we swimming or not because I made a bet with Gunnar that you would take me. I’m trying to save up money for AirPods, so I don’t want to lose.”
“You’re not old enough for a phone, much less Airpods.”
“Am too.” Banner crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m almost thirteen. Thirteen is the birthday when you get a phone.”
“As long as Archer says it’s safe,” Mrs. Kincaid chimed in. “He knows more about these things than we do.”
“That’s not fair. Archer knows all the bad things about everyone, so he’s biased. Right, Molly?” Banner fisted her hands on her narrow hips. “Tell him, Molly, what you said. Tell him it’s okay.”
All eyes went to her.
“Um…” She grabbed a cookie and shoved it in her mouth, nearly choking on it as she pointed to her full cheeks. “Sorry.”
Suddenly, Archer grabbed his sister and tossed her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. “Let’s go swimming, so you win the bet.”
Banner cheered. She pushed up on her brother’s back and winked at Molly as if to say this is what I wanted all along.
Mrs. Kincaid came to stand by Molly while Mr. Kincaid chuckled from where he still sat at the picnic table. “I’m so glad you were able to get him out here. It’s good to see him playing with Banner. She adores him, you know.”
“He makes it easy.” Wait. No. “What I mean is that he’s a lot of fun and a loyal friend who’s never let me down, and I know he’s a loyal, fun brother as well.”
Mrs. Kincaid touched her shoulder. “Then, you’re easy to adore too.”
Chapter 2
Molly liked to count seasons instead of months during the year. It was an odd quirk to be sure, but it also helped her with the marketing plan for her business. As the