The Lemon Sisters (Wildstone #3)(36)

“I love ants on a log!” Mason declared.

Maddox barked.

“So does Mad Dog,” Mason translated.

Even Princess Millie gave it a go, while Brooke hunted for more food to bring. She found carrots and the last of the fresh broccoli. “Trees,” she told the kids when they groaned. Tofu became “rocks.”

“Crafty,” Garrett said.

“That’s me,” she said. “Master of craftiness. Everyone to the car.”

Garrett put his hand on Brooke’s lower back to get her attention. “Want me to drive?”

“Uncle Garrett, you can’t touch a girl unless you ask first,” Millie said. “My teacher says.”

“You’re absolutely correct,” Garrett said, and turned to Brooke, a small twitch on his lips, his tone benign enough, but she heard the sarcasm. “Is it okay if I touch you?”

“Sure. If it’s okay that I touch you back,” she said, because the next time she touched him, it would be to sock him one.

He smiled knowingly.

“I’ll drive,” she said. “I’ve got the car seats.”

They hadn’t even gotten out of the driveway before Mason had to make a pit stop. When he was finished and buckled back in, they actually made it to the end of the street before Maddox had to go.

“You, too, Millie,” Brooke said, as she freed Mason from his seat belt.

Nothing from Millie.

Brooke sighed. “Princess Millie. You, too.”

“But I don’t have to go.”

“But by my count, you’ll have to go in about two minutes,” Brooke said, and that’s when she looked up.

Maddox was in the middle of the grass on the front lawn, wearing absolutely nothing, peeing on a tree.

Brooke just leaned forward and banged her head on the dashboard. And then again to make it an even number.

Garrett laughed. “Come on, you’d do it if you could.”

Probably true.

WHEN THEY FINALLY got on the road, they drove through town and made a pit stop at POP Smoothies. It was a twofold mission. One, the kids were bouncing in their seats with excitement over the idea of each getting a kid-sized smoothie of their choice. And two, Mindy had texted Brooke to ask her to spy and make sure the shop looked like it was being managed properly.

Brooke had no idea what “properly” was. She’d worked here with Mindy from age sixteen to eighteen, and during those years, their boss had been their dad. He’d been a tough taskmaster. They’d had to keep the place immaculately clean to suit him.

Shortly after Brooke left Wildstone, her dad had begun opening more shops all over the state. He was no longer active in the day-to-day operations. He’d hired smart managers, like Mindy, who’d taken on the Wildstone shop, hoping to eventually buy it.

That had never been Brooke’s dream. She needed more variety. And freedom. But as she walked into the quaint, welcoming, and admittedly adorable shop, the bright colors and delicious scents immediately bombarded Brooke with good memories.

The walls were a cheery yellow. The oak tables with sunshine-yellow stools were clean, and pretty strings of lights and fun music invited one to stay awhile. At the counter were displays of the fresh fruits and veggies available for smoothies, as well as an entire area dedicated to Baked Goods by Mindy. At the moment, that area was empty, but everything else was full and bustling and looking pretty amazing.

Behind the counter sat a thirtysomething woman: tall, dark, and beautiful, her midnight-black hair piled on top of her head, her equally dark eyes smiling. “Brooke Lemon,” she said. “You look just like your sister.”

And she looked like a real-life Warrior Princess. “You must be Xena.”

“I am.” She came around from behind the counter and hugged the kids, each of whom seemed to adore her. They shouted out their smoothie orders.

Xena wasn’t at all flustered; she simply got to work. When she’d finished with the kids’ smoothies, she winked at Garrett. “The usual, I presume, handsome?”

“You know it,” Garrett said with a warm smile, like they knew each other pretty well. “Thanks.”

“A Pumpkin Smash, coming right up.”

Brooke looked at Garrett.

“Pumpkin and cinnamon,” he explained. “It’s like a pumpkin pie.”

“It’s seasonal, but we make it special for Garrett,” Xena said.

Of course they did. Brooke ordered the mystery special of the day and watched Xena create the smoothies and then effortlessly clean up afterward. She had to admit, the woman was a better employee than she’d ever been. And when she took a sip of her mystery special, she nearly moaned. “Delicious.”

“Strawberry, banana, and oats.” Xena waved off Garrett’s money. “I don’t charge the boss or her kids,” she said. “Give Mindy my love.”

Brooke glanced up, surprised.

“She sent you, right?” Xena asked. “I love and adore her, but we both know she’s a control nut.”

“If it helps, I plan to tell her you’re amazing,” Brooke said.

Xena smiled. “Oh, honey, she already knows that.”

Garrett tucked some bills into the tip jar, and they left. Fifteen minutes later, they pulled into the beach parking lot. A food truck was just setting up at the base of the bluffs, sitting back about a hundred yards from the shoreline. Other than that, their only company was a handful of surfers. The tide was coming in, shrinking the beach.