Must Love Flowers(60)

“Hey, what’s up?” she asked, surprised to hear from him.

“I’ve got the afternoon off, and a friend loaned me his sailboat. How about we head out to Lake Washington? It’s a perfect day and the wind is good. You game?”

Instant regret filled her. “Oh Nick, I can’t.”

A shocked silence followed. “How come?”

She didn’t need to explain herself, but for the sake of peace did. “I already have other plans.”

“Plans? Can you change them? I mean, this is the first afternoon I’ve had off in weeks, and I’d hoped we could get together. I realize it’s last-minute and all. One of the contractors didn’t pass inspection and we can’t continue work until he makes it right, which shouldn’t take long.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t. Any other time I’d like nothing more, but I can’t disappoint Caleb and—”

“Who’s Caleb?” The question came at her like a bullet.

He was jealous and he didn’t bother to hide it. They weren’t exclusive, and he seemed to be reading more into their relationship than was warranted.

“Nick,” she said, keeping her voice even. “I’m sorry to disappoint you. I’ve already made plans for the day, and I won’t change them. To ask me out of the blue like this and be annoyed when I say no is unfair. I hope you have a good time.”

Caleb and Victoria came out of the school and looked around for Maggie.

“I have to go.”

“Maggie, wait—”

“I’m sorry, Nick, my date is here.” She probably should explain who Caleb was, but decided against it. It would do him good to think he had competition, even if it was selfish of her.

Maggie climbed out of the car and met the two children. They looked up at her, both wide-eyed with excitement. They’d been eagerly waiting for the reward she’d promised.

“Are you going to tell us what our treat is now?” Victoria asked. “Caleb said you were taking us for ice cream. Is that it?”

“Nope,” Maggie said, and shook her head. “It’s better than that.”

“What can be better than ice cream?” Caleb asked, grinning and showing off his missing two front teeth.

“I think I know what it is,” Victoria claimed. “We’re going to the zoo.”

Maggie had a hard time keeping the secret. “Good guess, but that’s not it.” She gathered them in the car, buckled them into the backseat, and headed south on the freeway toward the Enchanted Parkway and Wild Waves.

“Where are we going?” Caleb asked, looking out the car window.

“You’ll see.”

“Is it far?” Victoria asked, stretching her neck to view the scenery around her.

Maggie took the exit for the park. It wasn’t long before both children saw the sign for Wild Waves.

“Is it the water park?” Caleb shouted, unable to hide his enthusiasm.

“I told you it would be better than ice cream,” Victoria touted.

By the time Maggie pulled into the parking lot, both children were bouncing up and down with excitement. She gathered their swim gear and her own from the trunk of her car, along with the picnic basket. They walked what felt like a mile through the huge parking lot to the entrance.

After changing into their swimsuits, Maggie and the two children charged into the water, not stopping until they were nearly fully immersed. Both Maggie and Victoria gasped at the first rush of water, shocked by the temperature. It was cooler than what Maggie had imagined, although her body quickly adjusted.

The day was perfect, with temperatures close to eighty along with a warm wind. She hated to refuse Nick and would have enjoyed her first sailboat ride. But this time with these children was by far more important. Maggie was convinced both Caleb and Victoria would remember this day for a very long time.

The two kids giggled and repeatedly raced back and forth, jumping into the waves. Their laughter caught on the wind, their joy spilling over. They couldn’t get enough of leaping into the waves, it seemed.

It wasn’t long before Caleb wanted to go down the water slide. Victoria held back, unsure until she saw Caleb glide down and make a big splash in the water. He came up sputtering and tossed his arms triumphantly into the air.

“Come with me,” Victoria pleaded, pulling on Maggie’s arm.

“Me?”

“Please? Go down the slide with me.”

Maggie couldn’t refuse the little girl, who’d worked so hard. When they reached the top of the slide, Victoria demanded that Maggie go first. She felt a bit ridiculous, as this was the smallest slide and she was the only adult. Refusing to be self-conscious, she slipped down the water-slick slide, laughing all the way. She reached the bottom with a plop and went completely underwater, surfacing with a mouthful, choking and laughing at the same time.

Victoria followed and landed in Maggie’s arms, hugging her close as she cried. “I did it! I did it!”

“You sure did,” Maggie told her.

The three of them returned to where they’d parked their towel and lunch. “Are you two hungry yet?”

Both adamantly nodded. Maggie opened the basket and brought out the sandwiches. She saw the disappointment in their eyes as they viewed the peanut butter and jelly. The hamburger stand must be close by, because the scent of cheeseburgers lingered in the air.