an entrance?
He could hear Rachael laughing as he soared through the air, shouted, “Incoming!” and splashed down beside both kids.
MJ surfaced to find the girl and boy sputtering and coughing, trying to stay afloat in the waves he’d caused. “You guys okay?” he asked. “Need help?”
They both shook their heads, eyeing him warily.
“I’m your cousin,” he said. Might as well jump right into that too. “MJ.”
“We don’t have a cousin, MJ,” the little girl said. Jesus, she had his dimples.
“You do now,” he said. “What’s your name?”
“We don’t talk to strangers,” the little boy said, paddling away toward the wall.
MJ followed. “I just told you, I’m your cousin. MJ. So I’m not a stranger. What’s your name?”
“He won’t tell you,” the girl said right behind MJ, scaring the hell out of him.
“Do you always sneak up on people?” MJ laughed. “What’s your name then?”
“Holly. This is Sam.”
“You weren’t supposed to tell!” Sam screamed.
These two were going to give him a headache in about two more seconds.
“MJ! You’re here!” Heidi ran to the pool, knelt and hugged him. Her long, black hair was tied up on top of her head. Everyone in his family looked so much alike—just like the Old Man. “Rachael said you guys got in a couple hours ago. It’s so good to see you. We need to catch up.”
“Did you introduce yourselves to your cousin, MJ?” she asked her kids who were busy trying to dunk each other underwater.
“We met,” he said, hoisting himself up onto the side to sit. Roger was making his way over, holding a drink above his head.
Rachael had taken the lounge chair next to Heidi’s and was pretending she wasn’t watching the touching reunion. He almost laughed. She might as well come over with them, it wasn’t like she’d interrupt a big private family moment. Hell, he was blood to these people, but didn’t feel like a family member at all.
MJ raised his hand and motioned for her to come over. She pretended not to see him, but he knew she had.
“MJ,” Roger said, propping his elbows on the side next to MJ, “good to see you. How’s your grandfather doing?”
“Same evil bastard as always.” He kicked his feet, splashing Holly and Sam. They squealed and swam away, shoving each other.
Roger gave him a sideways glance. “He does what’s best for you.”
MJ turned and looked back over both shoulders with exaggerated movements. “I don’t see him anywhere, so you don’t have to worry about kissing his ass.”
Roger chuckled and took a sip of his drink. “You are just like him.”
MJ knew who he meant. His dad.
“That’s enough from both of you,” Heidi said, sitting and slipping her legs between them to dangle over the side into the pool. “We have enough family drama to deal with without you two creating more.”
“Nothing here to deal with.” Roger took another sip and waded away from the wall, back toward the bar.
“Sorry,” Heidi muttered, “he can be…”
“Merrick will be here soon,” MJ said. He scooted his feet out of the water and stood. “I know that’s what you were implying.”
Roger quickly recovered his shocked expression.
“Yeah,” MJ said, “he came to the Rocha Estate. We met. Everything’s fine, so you can stop gloating that you have something you’re holding over me. You don’t. Not anymore.”
Roger gave him a calculating smile. “No? I wouldn’t be so sure of that. One meeting with Merrick Rocha doesn’t reveal all of his secrets.”
“Whatever. I’m not playing games with you.” MJ ran his fingers through his wet hair and strode over to where Rachael was laying, tanning, with her eyes closed. She’d gathered his shirt, hat and phone and set them on the chair beside her. “Thanks for grabbing my stuff.” He stuck his hat on backward and threw himself down on the lounge chair.
“You’re welcome. Looks like you’re a hit with Sam and Holly.”
He snorted a laugh. “Yeah. They love me.”
“They’re kids. They’ll warm up to you fast.”
He wasn’t too sure about that, but wasn’t worried about it either. He’d probably never see them again after this week.
MJ dried his hands with his T-shirt and tapped his phone’s screen to see if he’d missed any calls.
His chest constricted. Nothing. Not one call, and Christ, Maddie had to be pissed. Why hadn’t she called to argue with him more and call him an asshole?
Then the internal battle began. He wanted to call her. Maybe he shouldn’t have pushed so much. Maybe he should’ve just left the ring and let her go.
Wasn’t