Chapter 19

I was halfway across the living space from the kitchen when I heard the splash, followed by two more. The scream had cut through the noise from the music playing from above, but the splashes came from just outside and as I got to the door I was greeted by peals of laughter as Cassidy, Sherry and Terra all surfaced from the water, grinning and splashing each other.

They’d jumped from the top deck. The scream had been innocent. I had to take a deep breath as my head went a little light and the adrenaline that had kicked in shut off.

“Damn, Robbie,” Zenya said, coming up beside me. “Jumpy much?

“I think it was sweet,” Leia said. “He obviously cares about Cassidy.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, shaking my head at myself and sighing. “It’s just been a long day, and we’ve got some stuff going on. I’m a little on edge.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Zenya said with a frown. We’d slipped back into the kitchen area of the houseboat and went back to mixing and making patties. “I didn’t mean to touch a sore subject.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Leia asked.

“No, it’s - I appreciate the offer, but it’s just a thing between me and Cassidy that I’m still trying to wrap my head around.”

“Wait,” Zenya said, slopping down her handful of burger and turning. “You’re feeling extra protective, there’s a thing between you two, and you need to wrap your head around it. Are you gonna be a Daddy?”

Leia’s eyes lit up as she made a big O of her mouth in happy surprise.

“No! No,” I said, stopping whatever bubbling cheer I could see rising in them. That was the last thing I needed getting around the boats and making the next week even more weird. “We aren’t pregnant. It’s something else. I think I’d be a lot happier if it was a bun in the oven, honestly.”

Leia smiled sadly and nudged my arm with her elbow since we both had meat-covered hands. “Well, whatever it is I’m sure you two can figure it out. You seem like a sweet guy.”

“Thanks,” I said, and Leia purposefully changed the subject with Zenya and got the redhead talking about some anime they’d both been watching. Once the patties were finished the three of us scrubbed our hands clean and I brought the first plate out to the barbecue. JC was out in the waters of the lake swimming and laughing with a half dozen of the girls now, so I started loading the hot grill with the burgers.

The glass sliding door of the houseboat was all the way open, so I wasn’t even sure how I noticed her coming as I worked the barbeque, but I glanced over at the perfect time to watch Leia carrying the second plate of patties out to me with a soft smile on her lips. That expression changed to surprise, and panic, as she stepped through the threshold of the door and the toe of her flip flop caught on the track of the sliding door and she stumbled forward.

I don’t know how I did it, but in one motion I reached out and took the plate of burgers in one hand, rotating in place, and with my other hand I caught Leia around the waist and pulled her close, saving her from stumbling right off the back of the porch area and into the lake.

“Oh my gosh!” Leia said, blinking in surprise and clutching to me.

“Are you OK?” I asked. “You almost took a fall there.”

Leia blinked a few times and then stood, straightening herself out and taking a deep breath. “Jeez, I can be clumsy sometimes,” she said and put a hand on my arm. “Thanks for the save there - me and lunch.”