Chapter 136
Amelia
After returning to my room, I checked my watch for the third time in five minutes. "Sophie, can you grab Ella's sunhat? The white one with the daisies."
"Already packed it." Sophie held up a small tote bag with a triumphant smile. "Along with extra sunscreen, wet wipes, and those apple slices Lucas likes."
Our hotel suite had transformed into command central for Operation Picnic—blankets, snacks, and toys strewn across every surface. Ella, practically vibrating with excitement, bounced from couch to coffee table in her yellow sundress.
"Picnic! Picnic! When are we going?" She twirled, nearly knocking over a vase. "Is Daddy coming too?"
My stomach did that annoying little flip it always did when the kids called Ethan "Daddy." I still wasn't used to it.
"Yes, honey. Daddy will meet us there." I knelt to apply another layer of sunscreen to her already slippery nose. "But remember what I told you about his hand?"
"It's hurt and I have to be careful." She nodded solemnly before immediately resuming her bouncing. "But I can still hug him, right?"
"Gentle hugs only," I reminded her, glancing at Lucas, who sat in the corner quietly packing his backpack.
Unlike his sister, Lucas methodically tucked his book and game console into his bag, his face set in the serious expression that made him look eerily like a miniature version of Ethan.
"Ready, buddy?" I asked.
He nodded once, zipping his bag with decisive finality. "Can I bring my new action figure too?"
"Of course." I checked my phone, seeing a text from Noah confirming everything was set up. "Alright troops, let's move out!"
---
The hotel's outdoor recreation area had been transformed into a private oasis. Lush landscaping surrounded a stone patio with a fire pit, and beyond that, a grassy area with a volleyball net and croquet set. The centerpiece was a large gazebo overlooking a small decorative pond.
Near the stone barbecue pit, Noah stood wearing a ridiculous chef's hat and an apron that read "Kiss the Chef" in bold red letters. Olivia sat on a nearby bench, her red hair gleaming in the afternoon sun as she laughed at something Noah said.
"I want a grilled squid, slightly spicy, thank you, Chef," Olivia ordered playfully, crossing her long legs.
Noah gave an exaggerated bow. "Your order has priority, madam. Everyone else will have to wait."
"How gracious of you," she said, taking a sip of her lemonade.
I was about to announce our arrival when James appeared, strolling toward Noah with the casual confidence of someone who owned the place—which, given his business empire, he probably did somewhere.
"Hey, waiter," James called to Noah. "I'll have a burger, medium rare."
Before Noah could respond, James snatched the chef's hat off his head and sauntered to a lounger, stretching out to soak up the sun. Noah's face flushed with irritation as he kicked the bottom of James's chair.
"Show some respect to the chef," Noah grumbled, flipping a burger with unnecessary force.
James put on sunglasses, looking completely unbothered. "Times have changed. The great Noah Randall, once Manhattan's most notorious playboy, now happily playing house and flipping burgers."
"At least I'm not alone on weekends anymore," Noah shot back with a grin.
"Sophie, look!" Ella tugged at Sophie's hand. "They have a pond with fishies!"
I guided the children toward the barbecue area, Lucas trailing silently behind me, while Ella skipped ahead, circling the grill with undisguised curiosity.
"It smells so good!" she announced, peering at each person in turn. "I want meat!"
Olivia laughed, kneeling to help wipe the already-smeared sunscreen from the children's faces. "What would you guys like to eat?"
Lucas barely looked up from his game console. "Hot dog," he said quietly.
"Me too! Me too!" Ella jumped up and down. "With lots and lots and LOTS of ketchup!"
I approached Noah, who was now wearing a replacement bandana instead of his chef's hat. "What's on the menu, Chef Randall?"
"For you?" Noah's eyes twinkled. "One of everything. Triple portions."
"That's... excessive," I laughed.
"I'm an excessive kind of guy," he said with a wink.
While Noah continued his culinary performance, I led the children toward the gazebo where I spotted Ethan already seated. His right hand was heavily bandaged, and he looked slightly uncomfortable trying to manage a drink with his left.
Lucas's expression immediately cooled when he saw Ethan, offering only a curt nod before finding a seat as far from him as possible. He hunched over his game console, effectively creating a barrier between himself and everyone else.
Ella, however, had the opposite reaction.
"Daddy! Daddy!" she shrieked, running toward Ethan with arms outstretched, clearly intending to launch herself at him.
"Ella, stop!" I called quickly. "Daddy's hand is hurt, remember? You need to be careful."
Ella skidded to a halt, her little face scrunched in concern. Then her expression brightened. "I can take care of Daddy!" She approached Ethan more carefully, gently taking one of his fingers in her small hand. "I'll help you get yummy food."
Something in my chest tightened at the sight of my daughter leading Ethan by his finger, her face a picture of earnest determination. The contrast between my two children couldn't be more stark—one building walls, the other tearing them down.
Noah appeared with an elaborate platter of grilled meats, vegetables, and seafood arranged like a magazine spread.
"This looks like it came from a restaurant," I said, genuinely impressed.
"That's because the hotel chef did most of the prep," Noah admitted in a stage whisper. "I just handled the final grilling."
As we settled into our meal, Sophie mentioned, "Rachel texted me—she's coming back to New York next month."
"Rachel?" Ethan asked, glancing up from his plate.
"Rachel H," I explained. "We met her during the medical conference in Boston. She used to live in New York."
Ethan exchanged a look with James. "Small world, isn't it?"
Sophie nodded enthusiastically. "She's really sweet. I'll introduce you when she's back. You'll all like her, I'm sure."
James, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, suddenly looked up from his phone. He stared at Sophie with an intensity that seemed completely out of place.
"Are you sure she doesn't have something wrong with her?" he asked bluntly.
Sophie blinked, clearly confused. "Um... what?"
I nearly choked on my drink. "I'm sorry?"
The awkward moment was broken when Noah approached with another tray of food, setting it in front of Ethan. I noticed Ethan staring at his plate helplessly, clearly struggling with how to manage the food one-handed.