DONOVAN (Book Three)

THIRTEEN

I'm not too fond of this arrangement, not at all.

"Come on, CJ," Thea tug me. "It's just for an hour."

"But why make me sit with that gorilla?" I exclaim, pointing at Don, who has put on a life jacket given by the staff provided to ride on the jet skis.

Thea giggled at the nickname I gave to Don. "Don't ruin the mood. Leo wanted to ride with Seth."

I turn my head and see my son sitting in front of Seth as they take their jet ski. I can't believe my son wanted to go with someone other than his mother. I feel betrayed and neglected by my son.

"But he should ride with me," I whine. "I'm his mother. What if Seth gets too overly excited and Leo falls off."

"It's fine. Leo wanted to ride with the big boys. Seth will take care of him."

I pout.

That is not what I'm worried about. Kids love Seth because he, among his brothers, has the heart of a child.

"Let's go and stop looking so gloomy. You remind me of Effie." The joke as it made me snarl at her. "Just go."

She shoves me towards Don as my face hits on his back.

Don turns his head, and I look away with a warm feeling on my face.

"Here," he hands me a life jacket.

"Thanks." I put on the life jacket once he gave it to me.

"Okay, so who's driving and who's riding?" Ask one of the employees working here.

"She's riding," Don replied, and somehow he meant that as a dirty joke; it made the guy catch on and chuckle.

Asshole.

"Okay, so if you, sir, go first and then the lady."

We did as he instructed us and had Don sit on the jet ski first, and the employer helped me sit behind Don. He told me to sit closer to Don and wrap my arms around his waist. I hesitated about this situation and gave in. Sneaking around Don's waist and lock my fingers together. My heart is beating so fast that I regret doing this.

"Alright, has everyone settled," said the man; I think his name was Joe. "Remember, you must stay within this area and not beyond the orange flag. Okay, everybody, have fun."

Engines from the jet skis roar as each group leaves the port and rides into the open lake. Don and I were the last ones to get to the middle of the lake. I held on to him and watched my cousins, the Wolfe brothers, and friends all having fun. I see Leo raising his hands with a big smile on his face. He is having so much fun.

I let out a reassuring smile.

"You okay back there?" Ask Don.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm okay."

"First time on a jet ski?"

I nod. "Yeah."

"I have a lot of experience when my brothers and I were still living in Hawaii."

We stay quiet throughout the ride. Don is driving lowly, not wanting to risk like his brothers. His older and younger brothers are competing with each other with speed, and the girls will either have fun or have a heart attack if they are childish. Ares, with Jordan, joins the fun. Four contenders are at the starting points, and each brother and Ares looks deadly serious.

"What are these numbskulls doing?" Ask Seth how he and Leo approach us by setting his jet ski next to us.

"Mommy, I'm having so much fun."