“If you want to get technical, it’s my phone. I pay for it. You and your brother and even your mother are all on my plan. I allow you to use it. But you’re not going to be using it for the rest of the weekend because you need some think time.”
Bella made no move to pull it from her shorts pocket. The battle of the wills had begun in earnest. Sunny’s tummy was getting more and more unhappy with her.
“Every minute you delay adds another day you’ll be without it,” Travis said. “So, what’s it going to be?”
That ended the battle. Bella glared at him as she pulled the phone from her pocket and slapped it into his hand. “I hate you!”
“Of course, you do. Lucky for you, though, I love you and I’m not going to let you turn into a brat. No matter how much your mother tries to screw you up,” he added under his breath as she vacated the tent.
“I hate her, too!” The angry words crashed through the tent canvas. “I hope she does get bit by a snake and dies.”
Travis swore and whipped up the flap, ready to go after his daughter.
“Don’t. Please,” Sunny begged. “It won’t help.”
He collapsed on the sleeping bag and raked a hand through his hair. “She’s driving me right around the bend.”
“I know,” Sunny said. Now she was going to cry and be sick at the same time.
He studied her. “You okay?”
She shook her head.
“What do you need?”
“Crackers,” she managed before she flew out of the tent and upchucked. Yep, there was nothing like a camping trip to bring about family unity.
21
Sophie’s dad had wanted to have her for the day on the Fourth of July so she could be with his family for a backyard barbecue. He’d picked her up the day before, and promised to get her back by the afternoon so she could watch fireworks with Arianna and Mia. Alden had invited them all to a party that evening at his parents’ house on Kitsap Lake. Arianna worried that it might tire her mother out, but Mia had insisted she’d be fine.
“I don’t want to miss a minute of fun if I can help it. Besides, I’d like to meet Alden’s mother.”
“You gonna do a sales pitch for me?” Arianna teased.
“Maybe,” Mia teased back.
Shewasteasing, wasn’t she? “But not really,” Arianna said, to be sure.
“Give me some credit here,” Mia said.
It was the best answer Arianna was going to get. Anyway, her mom had class. She’d never do anything to embarrass her daughter. Arianna was more in danger of embarrassing herself by getting caught looking at Alden all googly-eyed and drooly.No drooling, she lectured herself.
Still, when he came over, looking so darned cute in board shorts and a black T-shirt that showed off a lovely set of pecs, it was hard not to drool.
“I’ve got the truck all cleaned and Buster’s sedated and ready to hide in the folks’ basement. You ladies ready to go?”
“We are,” Arianna said. But... “Sophie’s not back yet.”
Darn that Wyatt. He was supposed have brought her back at four o’clock. Arianna had called at three thirty to see if he was on his way and he’d told her he would be in a couple of minutes. Wyatt-speak for when he was good and ready.
It was so inconsiderate to be late. And so... Wyatt. Was it any wonder she was always losing her temper with him?
“Maybe you should call him again,” Mia suggested.
She hated to call him again and make a scene in front of Alden. There would be one, of course, because Wyatt would be bound to say something to push her buttons, like accusing her of nagging him.
Arianna rubbed her forehead, frowned.Just do it. And try to stay calm and sound rational in front of Alden. Better yet, don’t let him hear you at all.
