I gave her hair a ruffle. “Thanks, Mi. Now, let’s find a spot for that drawing.” I turned to the already crowded refrigerator. I’d gotten some magnets at the store, but soon, I would have to find another space for them. Maybe in the office.

“How about there?” Mia pointed to a small uncovered spot on the left side.

“Looks perfect to me.” I picked up the paper from the counter and stuck it to the surface.

Will straightened from where he leaned against the counter. “What are we working on today? Besides the rainbow wall decorations, I mean.”

The kid loved to give me shit. But the one-liners gave me a weird sense of pride—something about him feeling comfortable enough to give me a hard time. “It’s gonna be boring, but it’s something I need two sets of hands for.”

Caelyn’s interest was piqued. “I can stick around and be a third set. The girls can play in the yard while I help, if you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind at all. But you sure you don’t have anything you need to be doing?”

“I’m sure.” She looked to the girls. “You okay hanging out here?”

Mia beamed. “I love it here. The yard has way more room for tumbling.”

Caelyn sobered. “Nothing too crazy. You don’t have a spotter or mats.”

“I won’t. Promise.”

“What about you, Ava?” Caelyn asked.

“I don’t mind.” She paused for a moment, looking at the window. “It’s peaceful here.”

“Looks like you’ve got yourself an extra set of hands, Lockwood.”

I grinned. “Well, let’s put them to good use.” I led our crew out the back door. The girls headed for the yard, Mia immediately throwing herself into cartwheels and more complex tricks that I didn’t know the names of. Ava made a beeline for the bench that had been a favorite of my mother’s. She pulled a book out of a bag I hadn’t noticed she was carrying.

A flicker of worry lanced through me. “Will they be all right here? We’ll just be in the shop over there, and the gate’s locked.”

Caelyn started towards the shop. “They’ll be fine. Ava won’t move from that spot now that her book’s open. And Mia could keep herself busy flipping back and forth for hours.”

Will chuckled. “I’m kind of surprised she doesn’t do back handsprings in her sleep.”

I took a quick peek over my shoulder and, sure enough, Mia was springing from one move to the next. “How the hell does her body twist like that?”

Caelyn snorted. “I have no idea. I sure as heck didn’t get that tumbling gene.”

I frowned, worry gripping me again. “She’s not going to hurt herself, right?”