Piper shook her head to clear it and pointed at him. “You’re not supposed to be doing this sort of thing.”

“Because of the diabetes?” Cam asked with a frown.

Emmitt sighed. “No. Because of my leg. I’m not supposed to be on it for any length of time due to the neuropathy.”

“Jesus, Dad,” Cam said. “What if you fell into the lake? You could’ve drowned.”

Emmitt rolled his eyes and wiped his dirty hands on the bottom of his T-shirt, which, for the record, read: I MIGHT BE OLD, BUT I GOT TO SEE ALL THE COOL BANDS. “I was practically born in the water,” he said. “I could swim if I was dead.”

“Which could happen if you don’t start taking better care of yourself,” Cam said. He took what looked like a screw gun out of Emmitt’s hand. “I’ve got this, okay?”

“Come on, Emmitt, let me check you over,” Piper said.

Emmitt made a universally male sound that said she was a pain in his ass. “You know I love you, but damn, woman, you’re bossy as hell. Anyone ever tell you that?”

She couldn’t help but take a quick glance at Cam—who’d also made note of her bossiness. He was rubbing his jaw, fighting either a smile or a grimace of agreement.

“This boat’s gotta be fixed now,” Emmitt said. “The marina’s closed midweek until spring, but I need to get the equipment ready for this weekend. It’s going to be warm. People are gonna come out in droves.”

“I’ve got it,” Cam said.

Emmitt hesitated. “Uh . . .”

“What?”

“Remember that summer we were in North Carolina and you sank my canoe?”

“Of course I remember,” Cam said, his patience seeming a little strained. “We were on our one and only vacation together, before you and Mom split. I was a thirteen-year-old pain in your ass. Which you mentioned about a hundred times in the space of an hour. It was the last summer I ever got to spend with you.”

Emmitt’s face fell with genuine regret. “Camden—”

“No.” Cam held up his hand. “I got it. I was a handful, to say the least. But I grew up, Dad. And I can fix any boat. Hell, I could build one from scratch. Let me handle this for you.”

Emmitt was looking like he had big regrets and something to say, so Piper started to turn and walk off to give them some privacy, but Cam said, “It’s okay. Just check him over, I’ve got this.”