Tequila And Tingles: Turtle Pine, Book 2 by Keri Ford Page A

got Kent settled in the bulky seat, and the moment Jason pushed, Kent let out an excited squeal.
    “Swings are his favorite,” Katie said as she got her swing going faster.
    “What’s your favorite?”
    “Slides. Kent’s afraid of them.”
    “He’s a little guy. I bet those tall slides are scary for him.”
    “That’s what Momma says.”
    Jason couldn’t blame the kid too much. He hated heights. Just watching diving competitions was enough to send his stomach for a loop. Katie kept swinging and Kent kept cheering, so he kept pushing. The silence was getting awkward. At least for him. Maybe they didn’t notice.
    He thought back through his sister’s ideas. “What’s your favorite TV show?”
    “I like the one with the really big robots.”
    “Fox Hound,” Kent yelled.
    “ The Fox and the Hound ,” Katie was quick to correct. She slowed her swinging. As she returned forward, she tucked her arms in and let go of the swing. He started to tell her no, but before he could get it out, she flew off the seat and landed on the ground. His gut pinched in a knot and released as she landed on her feet. “I’m going to slide.”
    He leaned around the chains. “Do you want to go slide?”
    “No! Swings!”
    So swing they did. He didn’t forget Meredith had told him kids were easily jealous of one another, so maybe if he just stuck right here with Kent, Katie would come back. The breeze was steady. Kent laughed. Katie, a few playground sets over, squealed as she went down the slide, ran to the ladder and slid back down. He shook his head. He couldn’t remember just playing like this. Not unless it was recess at school. Every moment he remembered of his free time had been spent in the pool. That couldn’t exactly be considered free time either, since he’d been swimming laps, perfecting strokes and racing his own time with steady determination to beat himself over and over again, like Katie probably hoped the next slide trip would be faster.
    Not that he regretted any of that. Every lap had led to every race eventually taking him to standing on that Olympic podium three years ago. A dream come true he wouldn’t trade for anything. But being here and seeing what regular kids did was pretty nice.
    “You’re concentrating awfully hard to just be pushing a swing.”
    He blinked and turned to find Beth had come up behind him. “Lost in thought, I guess. What’s your favorite playground activity?”
    She eased onto the swing Katie had jumped off moments ago. “I like them all.” She made a face. “Except the monkey bars. I’ve never liked those.”
    “Couldn’t make it across?”
    She shook her head and set her swing into motion. “I don’t have the grip for them and let go before I ever get halfway through.”
    Katie ran across the playground toward them with big smile splitting her face. “Butterfly, Momma!”
    Jason looked for a bug, but Katie wasn’t pointing and Beth wasn’t asking where. Katie climbed in her mother’s lap and Beth settled her so that the girl straddled her. Each with a grip on the swing, Beth set them off with a kick. As Beth leaned back to plunge them, Katie sat forward. Then they swung past, hitting the high arch. Katie was now so far back she could no doubt see the whole playground upside down. A squeal came out of her as the swing reached its peak and flew backward and they came again. Back and forth they went, alternating leaning directions.
    He gave Kent a few more pushes, and as he did, the boy’s head tilted to the side. His shoulders slumped. The firm grip he’d once kept on the chains loosened until his hand made tiny loops around them.
    Katie giggled as she and Beth slowed. “Kent fell asleep.”
    They untangled themselves from each other and Beth stood. “I don’t think he’s quite there.”
    Jason stilled the swings. “I hope not. I heard his favorite kind of cookies are no-bake and I brought some for him.”
    Katie’s eyes widened as she stared up, looking