Chapter 39

Jonas tugged my sleeve, his eyes hopeful. "Daddy... can I come on the trip?"

Lorraine smiled at Jonas. "Can I join you?" Her gentle approach with children was remarkable.

Jonas looked at me nervously, biting his lip before nodding. His uncertainty tugged at my heart. I ruffled his hair. "Well, let's all go together." I couldn't give him a complete family, but I'd try my best.

"But the tickets..." I'd only bought two.

Lorraine giggled, slightly embarrassed. "I already bought mine! I was planning to go anyway, even if you hadn't invited me."

Jonas chimed in, holding Lorraine's hand, "We wouldn't leave you behind, Ms. Sommerton!" Lorraine beamed.

"No, we wouldn't," I agreed, smiling awkwardly. For a moment, I felt like a lovestruck teenager.

The next day, Lorraine helped pack. "I'll handle that," I said quickly, embarrassed by my awkwardness.

"I said I'd help..." she trailed off, blushing crimson as she held a pack of underwear.

"You've helped plenty. Why don't you check on Jonas?" I offered, relieved when she gratefully accepted the excuse and hurried off.

I hadn't told anyone about Lorraine yet, considering us just friends. But on the plane, we ran into Yvonne.

"Cole, you're also on this flight?" she exclaimed. She seemed to know we were going.

I looked at Jonas, who looked guilty. "I'm sorry, Daddy," he whispered, avoiding my eyes. "Xavier asked, and I accidentally told him."

Xavier swaggered up. "What's wrong? Don't act like you own the beach!"

"You can go wherever you want," I replied, my patience thinning. His arrogance always grated on me.

"Whatever, you can't tell me what to do!" Xavier snapped.

Yvonne looked uncomfortably between them. Jonas, increasingly thoughtful and polite, contrasted sharply with Xavier's arrogance, a reflection of their mothers.

Yvonne stammered, "Cole, I actually hadn't planned on going to the beach..."

Chapter 40