Page 89 of The Sandbar saga

She could tell him that Callie already knew how to swim short distances and float to her back when she tired, but it was important for Race to learn about his daughter in his own time.

"Hold out your arm." Race tried to push the half-inflated band onto her wrist.

Katie bit her bottom lip. It came as no surprise that Callie pushed it away from her.

After several unsuccessful minutes, Race looked at Katie. "Do I carry her in the water if she doesn't want to wear them?"

"Swim." Callie leaned forward, almost plopping in the water, but Race caught her and held her against his chest.

Her daughter's struggles to go free became real. Feeling sorry for Race, Katie walked to the edge of the pool and kneeled on the concrete.

"Hand her here." She held out her arms.

Race hefted Callie out of the pool. Katie set her daughter on her feet and forced her to look at her.

"Remember, around pools, we don't act like a baby. You have to be a big girl." She raised her brows, giving her a stern look. "Instead of pushing and saying no, you tell your dad what you want."

Callie mumbled, "Swim."

"Don't tell me. Tell your dad." She turned Callie around to face Race.

"I want to swim," said Callie. "Please."

Ah, kids. At least she remembered her manners.

Katie turned to Race. "Our daughter has taken swimming lessons for most of her life. She knows how to swim but can never swim alone. You still have to be in the water with her, but you'll quickly see, she's half fish."

Callie giggled and opened and closed her mouth like a fish gulping air.

"She can swim?" Race frowned. "You're sure?"

She smiled at her daughter. "Go ahead. Get in the pool."

The impact of Callie jumping sprayed water up in the air. Katie stood, backing away from the edge. Taking a seat in the nearest chair, she watched Callie and Race.

She enjoyed the pure panic from Race. Caught between grabbing Callie and watching her, Race fought the force of the water and the wild arm movements of his daughter.

In her experience, Race had always stayed calm and collected. A master at controlling his emotions, he had never let her meltdowns rattle him.

He was totally freaking out, and Katie loved every minute of it.

"Okay, Callie. Callie. Wait. Hold on. Stop. Come here." Race held their daughter above water and looked at Katie. "That wasn't funny."

She raised her brows. Even though she'd been there every step of Callie's life and had gone through the same fear of her daughter drowning and understood his worry, she thoroughly enjoyed making him squirm.

"Let me go." Callie wiggled. "I'm swimming."

As Race and their daughter worked out a suitable happy-medium, Katie took the time to see Race in a new way.

He'd always been her hero. There was nothing he could do wrong. She'd put him on a level where she tried to imitate his behavior, to please him. Then, to be the best mom she could to Callie.

He knew how to cope with life, recover from failure, and be strong.

So strong.

What she'd failed to understand five years ago was that he was human. He felt, hurt, struggled, and had his faults. He wasn't perfect.

She couldn't remember the exact moment she realized that fact. It could've been in the middle of the night when she was trying to take care of a colicky baby or when she almost gave up and came back to Astoria to ask for his help.