Yeah. Not happening.
“Can we go to the park?” Daphne asked him before he’d even had his second sip. It didn’t matter how used to waking up early Mark was after a decade in the military—these kids were super early risers with almost inhuman energy levels first thing in the morning. And usually they went straight to Isaiah, who handled breakfast, although Mark was trying to help there.
But this was one of the first times the kid had asked him for something. “The park?”
“Yeah. The girls love the playground at Tidelands. I said we could maybe go today since there’s no school.” Isaiah was loading freezer waffles in the toaster oven, so Mark lined up plates for him. See. He could help. He already knew that Daphne ate half a banana while Zoe wouldn’t touch it, so he put half on her plate and the other half in the blender for the protein shake he’d make once the coffee settled.
“But I want you both to come.” Daphne pouted. “Not just Uncle Ikey.”
“I could use the extra set of hands.” Isaiah slipped a waffle on each plate. “It’s nuts keeping up with both of them and the baby too. You should come.”
His voice was easygoing as always, but his eyes were wary. Mark wasn’t so dense that he couldn’t tell that this was a peace offering of sorts. Isaiah was making more of an effort to keep him involved in kid stuff. The least Mark could do was help him out.
“Sure.” And honestly, Mark was glad for the distraction. He still wasn’t used to all this downtime. Too much time alone with his thoughts made him antsy. The last few days had been full of executor stuff—phone calls made and records requested, but now the weekend loomed large, hours to fill. The park sounded as good an excuse as any to get out of the house.
“And then we’re going to the store, because I am not eating casserole for dinner again.” Isaiah punctuated his words with a big bite of waffle. “I know people are just trying to be nice, but I need a break.”
“I need steak. And something simple. No more mystery sauces for a while.”
“You’re on. Steak. Potatoes. It’s a date.”
Oh no it’s not. Mark took a literal step back, almost running into the blender.
“Dude. Calm yourself. I’m gonna grill. Not put out.” Isaiah laughed.
“Put what?” Daphne asked with a frown as she finished her banana. “Put the trash out?”
“Yup,” he and Isaiah said at the same time.
Sorry, Isaiah mouthed at him, and Mark nodded while kicking himself. He still wasn’t used to little ears everywhere.
“Go get shoes on. And use the restroom,” Isaiah ordered the girls.
Loading Isaiah’s car with everything they’d need for a day out made Mark resolve to put car shopping for himself on the weekend agenda. He needed to be the driver again on so many levels. Not even a week into this gig and he still felt hopelessly behind and didn’t like having to follow other people’s leads on so much. He was used to taking swift, decisive action on his own.
Even little things bugged him, like how Isaiah parked directly under a palm tree in the parking lot. He hadn’t been to Tidelands since he was a kid himself, and the playground equipment all seemed new—large brightly colored molded pieces in aqua, pink, and purple with huge slides and multiple climbing surfaces.
“How about you try taking the big guy for once?” Isaiah asked as they unloaded. “The girls are going to want me to climb up after them, and it’s easier if I’m not wearing him.”
“Haven’t you heard of strollers?” Mark grumbled.
“He freaks out. Like the car seat but worse. I don’t wanna deal with that tantrum.” Isaiah’s curly hair danced in the sunlight as he shook his head. The early spring weather was perfect—breezy but sunny without the heat roasting all the plastic surfaces. “Nope. This is easier. Just bend down for me.”
Mark had worn hundred-pound packs before without issue, had parachutes, oxygen canisters, and medical equipment strapped to him, but Isaiah getting the kid settled freaked him out more than any of that. One wrong move and—
“Relax.” Isaiah had apparently taken up mind reading. “The pack’s made out of the same ripstop fabric the military uses. You should feel right at home.”
Oh yeah. Right at home. The baby was a warm, wiggly weight on his back, unlike any load he’d hefted before.
“Up!” Liam crowed, little fists beating on Mark’s shoulder blades.
“See how happy he is?” Isaiah grinned at him, nimble fingers clicking the belt around Mark’s waist, then going to adjust the chest clip. And his touch should not feel so good. It wasn’t like he was trying to turn Mark on. Mark was the one with issues, the one who couldn’t stop thinking about those hands on him with a lot less of an audience...
Pull it together. Walking carefully, he followed Isaiah and the girls across the parking lot, pleasantly surprised when the baby stayed put, exactly how Isaiah had promised. The girls took off as soon as they reached the sand. Palm trees dotted the playground, and in the distance, there was a great view of the Coronado Bridge and boats going under it.
“I’m going in. Cover me, Chief.” Isaiah really did have the best laugh, warm and rich with a hint of spice like molasses. And Mark couldn’t help but grin as Isaiah raced after the girls, easily getting to the top of the largest play structure to do the twisty slide with the kids.
“You guys have the cutest kids.” A woman wearing a tie-dyed dress with a baby in a stroller—see, sensible people did own those—came up to him, walking alongside another, taller woman. A kid around Daphne’s age trailed after them.
“Uh. Thanks.”
“I’m Lydia and this is Jane.” The woman made introductions instead of moving along, so Mark did the polite thing and shook hands. “We just moved to the island.”
“Welcome.” Mark needed Isaiah to come back over. He wasn’t nearly talkative enough for this, especially this early in the day.
“Do you live on the island?” Lydia asked as the other woman prodded the little girl to go play near the climbing toys where Isaiah was now encouraging the girls to pretend to be pirates.
“Yeah. Lifelong except for training and deployment.”
“You’re military? Oh that’s wonderful. I know they’re becoming much more accepting now. It must be hard on your partner though, all that time alone with the kids. Or is it husband?” She looked down at Mark’s hand with a critical eye.
“Oh. Uh...” Crap. How to get out of this mess? “We’re not... That is, I’m not...”
“Not a couple.” Isaiah finally loped over, full of easy smiles, not seeming to care in the least that they’d been mistaken for a couple. Isaiah made the round of introductions and did the polite thing of exclaiming over the baby in the stroller. He was far better at small talk than Mark. “I’m super glad to meet you. Daphne needs more friends her own age. We should do a playdate, and I can fill you in on places you guys might like to check out.”
“That would be lovely.” Lydia had a warm smile for Isaiah, clearly as charmed by him as the rest of the world. “And too bad you’re not a couple. I was having the most fun trying to figure out which of you was the bio dad.”
“Lydia.” Jane had the tone of someone long used to Lydia’s lack of filter. “Not everyone cares to share everything like you.”
“Sorry.” Lydia laughed. “I just got excited for a minute.”
“No worries.” Isaiah continued to be the picture of good humor, making faces at Liam over Mark’s shoulder while talking to the women. “I’ll get you info on Daphne’s preschool. They seem fairly welcoming, and there are other diverse families there.”
Mark spotted Zoe balanced atop one of the slide ladders. His heart gave a lurch. “Zoe! Be careful!”
“She’s fine. But I’ll go spot her if it makes you feel better.” Isaiah headed over to the slide area.
“Uncle Mark?” Daphne had wandered bac
k over. “You and Uncle Ikey gonna have your steak date later? And put out the trash?” She said the last bit with grave importance, and Mark wished the sand surrounding the play structures would swallow him up.
“Uh...” God, he was so articulate this morning. “Not a date.”
Lydia and Jane both laughed like they saw right through him. Meanwhile, Isaiah was helping Zoe down the big slide. He was so good with the kids that his joy at being around them was infectious, watching him a pleasure. It did strange things to Mark’s insides, and he couldn’t help the smile that insisted on happening. For a second—and only one second—he let himself imagine what it would be like if Lydia had been right, if they were a couple, if all that joy and energy was Mark’s. Terrifying. Wonderful. Never happening.
“We better get Chelsea and head on to lunch. Enjoy the not-a-date.” Lydia gave him a little wink.
It was not a date. Mark had been on those, and they usually made him feel like his clothes were three sizes too small, all buttoned up and uncomfortable. Hanging out with Isaiah was nothing like that. Sure he drove Mark nuts, but he was also fun, making Mark relax in a way he did with few others, and that had been the case ever since their first meeting. And despite himself, despite everything that had happened, he found himself looking forward to the rest of the day. And that was something he hadn’t thought possible.
Damn it. Liking Isaiah was just too easy. He needed to be careful.
* * *
“You hungry?” Isaiah popped his head into the den—a room he usually avoided. It was where Cal had worked from home after hours and where his and Danielle’s computers were, and it seemed more personal and intimate than the rest of the house. Of course, he also wasn’t in any hurry to touch the master suite. Some things were still too hard. But Mark had disappeared up here after they returned home, citing the need to continue going through bills and paperwork.
“Yeah.” Mark looked up from a stack of papers. Seeing him sitting in Cal’s chair was just weird. “You need my help?”
“I was thinking you could watch the kids in the backyard while I get the grill ready. And tell me what you want me to do to the potatoes?” Grocery shopping with the kids and a cranky SEAL was an adventure Isaiah wasn’t eager to repeat. It was a wonder they’d made it out of there with the meat and potatoes they came for.
“Let’s do foil packs with the potatoes,” Mark suggested on their way downstairs. “That way it can all be done on the grill.”
“I haven’t done those since Aunt Cecily made me try scouts. Said all the camping would be good for me. Lies.” He laughed, shifting Liam to his other hip.
“Hey now, I loved when our nanny signed me up for camp. It was fun.”
“Says the guy who probably sleeps on rocks a good portion of the year. I love road trips, but give me a real bed.” Mentioning bed made his brain immediately jump to Mark in a bed, all spread out, big body just waiting for Isaiah and...
Think about something else. Now was not the time for fantasies he should have put away six years ago.
He stuck Liam in his high chair. Mark got out the foil while Isaiah diced the potatoes, and he tried not to think about what a good team they made. That was every bit as dangerous as thinking about Mark in a bed. He did not need to go getting any romantic ideas about this arrangement.
When everything was ready, they headed out to the backyard with the girls. They got Liam set in the baby swing on the patio while the girls raced around. They were using the brick patio borders as balance beams. He really needed to get them some more toys back here.
He was pleasantly surprised that Mark, Chief I’m-Gonna-Drive, was willing to let him handle the fire. He set the grill to preheat, then came back over to where Mark was sitting.
“Man, I could use a beer. You?” he asked. Mark had added a six pack to their cart at the store. It was going to be a long time before Isaiah could look at hard liquor again, but grilling just seemed to need something cold alongside it.
“Sure. I’ll watch them.” Mark stretched his long legs out on the bench. He was as relaxed as Isaiah had seen him since he’d arrived, and he wanted to memorize Mark just like this. Hair falling in his face, rumpled T-shirt and jeans, and a smile that could break even the most hardened of hearts. Careful. Not yours. Reluctantly, though, he headed back inside.
Isaiah was just grabbing the beers when he heard a scream from outside. Leaving them in the fridge, he raced to the patio. Mark was standing over Daphne on the lawn, Zoe hovering too while Daphne howled.
Daphne’s leg was bloody and Isaiah had to take a few deep breaths before he knelt down to inspect it.
“Oh man, Daph, you really did a number on yourself.” He scooped her up and carried her toward the house. Mark stayed frozen on the lawn, face distant, like he was a million miles away. Isaiah had totally expected him to take charge of the situation.
“Mark?” he called as he reached the patio. No response. “Wizard. I need some help here.”
That did it, and Mark shook his head, like he was coming back to himself. His face was still too pale, but he rushed over, long strides eating up the distance between them. “I was watching. I swear I was.”
“I know you were. This stuff just happens with kids. But I need you to do your medic thing and tell me if we’re talking stitches here?” Isaiah was already close to making the call for the ER, but he needed Mark back functioning. The blood was all over Isaiah at this point, but he really didn’t care.
Mark knelt down, movements efficient as he felt Daphne’s leg. “No break. Just the cut, but it’s deep. We need to get pressure on the wound. F—heck. I need my kit. Hate not having it here. Definitely needs stitching.”
“Stitches? They gonna sew on me?” Daphne started up a fresh set of wails.
“You won’t feel it,” Isaiah promised. “Right, Uncle Mark?”
“Right.” Mark’s voice was clipped. The more he talked, the more Mark’s confidence and training seemed to return, which was reassuring. Isaiah guessed that all the jokes he’d heard about doctors not being able to treat their family members without freaking out were true.
“Get Zoe,” Isaiah ordered, carrying Daphne to the kitchen where he made a pad out of paper towels and pressed it to the cut as Mark had directed.
Mark came in carrying Zoe and Liam both. “I turned off the grill.”
“Good. Do you want me to take her or should we all go?”
“All. I want everyone.” Daphne was full-on melting down, huge tears spilling down her face. “I want Nanny Tonya. I want Mommy.”
Oh hell. That was all they needed—a fresh explosion of grief.
“We’ll all come,” Isaiah decided, another fast decision.
“Okay,” Mark nodded, still pale but moving with the sort of authority Isaiah always associated with military guys. He put Liam in the high chair and set Zoe down before coming over to Isaiah and Daphne, checking the pad, muttering to himself about not having his kit again. Isaiah had no doubt that Mark in Wizard mode like this could carry all four of them on his back to the nearest ER if needed. Heck, he could probably do neater stitches than the doctor would.
“Let me grab the diaper bag. What else do we need?” Isaiah asked, thinking aloud while he kept pressure on Daphne’s leg. “Phone. Charger. Tablet for distracting the kids. ID.”
“I just saw the insurance card in my paper sorting earlier. I should grab that.” Mark headed for the stairs, taking them two at a time. After he returned, he helped Isaiah tape on some gauze pads they found in the downstairs bathroom, making it easier to get Daphne into the car.
“Hospital here or should I go to Children’s?” Children’s was farther, but it might be better at stitching up kids than the small hospital on the island.
“Here.” Mark was turned around in the passenger seat, keeping pressure on Daphne’s leg while Isaiah drove. “Less driving the better. It�
��s not a head wound, thank God, so the scar’s less of an issue. The ER should be able to handle it.”
Isaiah found a parking space near the emergency doors pretty easily. “See, Daph? We got you here quick. They’ll get you all stitched up. And then you can have whatever you want as a treat after.”
“Ice cream?” she asked in a small voice.
“Yup. Any flavor.” He lifted her out, letting Mark carry the other two, Liam in the car seat and Zoe on his hip.
The scrubs-clad woman at the check-in desk looked like she’d already had a long Saturday, hair escaping a messy ponytail and a bored expression on her face. Isaiah explained about Daphne’s injury and Mark handed over the insurance card.
“Now are you the dad?” She spoke directly to Mark, like Isaiah wasn’t even there. “We usually only let parents go back. Not siblings and others.” She gestured at Isaiah and the other two kids.
“I need Uncle Ikey.” Daphne started up a fresh set of wails.
“Her parents are deceased,” Mark said, far calmer than Isaiah could have managed.
“And you have guardianship?”
“Not yet,” Isaiah said quickly. “It was recent and we’re still waiting on a hearing.” Damn it. He needed those guardianship papers like now.
“All right.” The woman sighed. “This is too complicated for me. I’m going to have a hospital social worker come around once you’re set in a triage room, see if we can get it straightened out. But for now, why don’t you pick one—”
“Both!” Daphne increased in volume.
“Okay, okay. Both. This way please.” She led them down a short call to a curtained cubicle. “You’re lucky we’re slow tonight. Doctor should be with you shortly, and I’ll get a call into our social worker too.”
That last bit sounded ominous. Isaiah didn’t need any interference in his family. This was exactly why he needed the guardianship set up ASAP and why he needed Mark on board with that plan. Nothing else mattered except keeping the kids safe.
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