Flirting with Fire: A Summer Camp Swingers novel

“Two pieces of salmon nigiri, please. Oh, and maybe some eel.”

“You got it. Can I get you all anything else?”

I glanced at Susie. “Maybe some tempura ice cream?”

“Yes, please!”

“Make it two,” I told the server. “One for us to share and one for Emily by herself.”

“Yum!” Emily agreed.

“I wish I could eat like that,” the server said.

Emily might have been small for her age, but she had the maturity of someone much older. She recognized a peace offering when she heard one, and she didn’t tell the woman what a pain it was.

“I’ll put in your order and get you that drink.”

Emily smiled her thanks, and the woman left.

“Sorry, Em,” Susie said. “I know you hate it.”

“Thanks, Boo.”

The server returned with her lemonade and went to check on the sushi. The restaurant was busy, even for a Friday night, but she must’ve put a rush on the order. She delivered it a few minutes later.

“Do you all want your ice cream now?” she asked.

“Yes, please,” Susie said, although Emily shook her head around a mouthful of tuna roll.

“Bring hers when she finishes her sushi,” I said. “Please and thank you.”

“Sure thing. I’ll be right back with yours.”

Susie and I were full from dinner, but we managed to eat about half our dessert while Emily methodically polished off her sushi.

“Here,” Susie said to her, “you can have the rest.” She pushed the bowl toward her. Most of the ice cream had melted, but Emily didn’t care.

“Are you sure?”

“Go ahead,” I told her. “Enjoy.”

She did, and then she ate her own bowl when the server brought it. She eventually sat back, full for a change.

“Better?” I asked.

“Yes, thank you.”

I paid the bill and we left, and my cell phone vibrated in my pocket as we were climbing into the SUV. I pulled it out, glanced at the caller ID, and flipped it open.

“Hello, Sunshine.”

“Hi,” Christy said. “We just made it to the hotel. Where are you?”

“Just leaving Tomo. Have you eaten yet?”

“No,” she said, a little grumpily. “Registration took forever.”

“Do you wanna get something to eat and then call us back?”

“Yes, but no. I forgot to tell you about Madison’s birthday party. It’s tomorrow, from two to four.”

“Got it,” I said neutrally.

“Emily couldn’t decide what she wanted to buy her,” Christy continued, “so you need to take her shopping tomorrow. Please. I already bought queso and chips. Emily knows how to make the dip—”

“Hold on a sec,” I interrupted. “I need to drive. Do you want to talk to her?”

“Perfect.”

I handed the phone to Emily and then backed out of the parking space.

“Hello?” she said. “Oh, hi. Uh-huh… Oh. No, it’s okay. Yeah, we told him. No, we went shopping this afternoon. A bunch of places. I wanted to get her the new Harry Potter book, but it doesn’t come out till tomorrow.” She paused and listened. “Yeah. A bunch of little things at Bath & Body Works.” Another pause, and she brightened.

“Oh, you did? Oh my gosh, that sounds yummy.” She glanced at me. “No, I can do it. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Okay. Thanks, Mom. I love you too. Yeah, okay. Hold on.” She turned and extended the phone to Susie. “She wants to talk to you.”

Susie chattered happily for ten minutes about shopping and dinner. Christy was probably getting hungrier by the minute, but she never stopped her.

Emily eventually turned in her seat. “I forgot to tell her something,” she fibbed to Susie. “Can I talk to her?”

“What? Oh, okay. Hey, Mom? Em wants to talk to you. Okay, I love you too. Bye!” She handed the phone to Emily, who raised it to her ear.

“Hi, sorry about that,” she said. “Yeah. No, she doesn’t understand.”

“Understand what?” Susie squawked from the back.

Emily ignored her and continued, “It’s okay. I do.” She listened and then glanced at me. “Okay, I’ll tell him. I love you too. Bye.” She closed the phone and handed it to me. I deposited it in the center console. “She said she’ll call you later, after they’ve had a chance to eat.”

I nodded.

“She also said she’s sorry she didn’t tell you about the party.”

“It’s my fault,” I said. “I was teasing her this morning about being late.”

“It’s kinda my fault too,” Emily admitted. “Mom asked me last week, but I didn’t know what I wanted to get her. Madison, I mean.”

“I think she’ll like the lotions and body wash.”

“Mom also bought the stuff to make the dip I like.”

“That’s what she said.”

Susie interrupted mulishly, “What don’t I understand?”

“What? Oh, nothing,” Emily said. “I was talking about Madison. Do you wanna help make the dip when we get home?’

“Can I?”

“Sure. Then we can wrap the presents. Will you draw a card for her?”

“Seriously? You really mean it?”

“Of course,” Emily said. “You’re way better than I am.”

She was my guardian princess, protective and kind. I gave her a nod of approval, and her smile melted my heart.

* * *

Christy called the home phone a couple of hours later. They’d eaten dinner and returned to the hotel for the night. Wren was in the shower, and Christy was relaxing before bed.

“So,” I teased, “the girls are in one room and you’re in the other?”

“Yes, Mr. Nosy Parker.”

“Do you think they know their moms are planning to sleep together?”