ignoring the fine
print that Wyatt had to see her again, whether he wanted to
or not, since he owed her three football lessons
“Take care of him.”
Darcie wasn’t sure what to say to that, but
luckily, Wyatt shouted her name from the car, so she told Jenny
with a grin, “If I don’t kill him first.” Then she hurried to join
him.
He held the passenger door open and herded
her into her seat while waving to the throng that had gathered on
the porch. Then he came around to his side, got into the car, and
burned rubber getting them away from the house.
“Unbelievable,” he muttered.
“Which part?”
He sent her a doleful look. “What did my
aunt say to you? There at the end?”
“Oh, you know. The usual. She thought you
paid me to come with you. Until I told that adorable story. So
you’re welcome.”
To her relief, he chuckled. “Yeah, that was
a helluva save. How did you come up with it?”
“Pardon?” She took a moment to recline her
seat, then admitted, “It was true, Wyatt. Just don’t let it go to
your head.”
After a moment of silence he admitted, “You
were cool with Uncle Tony. With all of them, actually. So
thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
Keeping his eyes on the road, he drove
toward home, again in silence, and she wondered if he thought this
fake date had ended.
What a burn.
“So?” she asked with a sniff. “Is the
debrief officially over?”
“Huh?”
“Don’t you want to know what your other
relatives said about you?”
“Not really.”
“Fine.”
They drove for a few more minutes, and then
as they reached the freeway he said teasingly, “Go ahead.”
“Hmm?”
“You’re dying to tell me what they said,
right?”
Darcie bit back a smile. “I’m thinking about
your niece Gail. She thinks she bores you.”
He seemed honestly shocked. “She said
that?”
Darcie nodded. “She said you can relate to
Danny and Joe because of sports. But not to her.”
“What did you say?”
“I told her you aren’t bored. You’re
terrified. Like we all are. Because she’s a teenage girl, the most
feared species on the planet.”
Visibly relaxing, he said, “That’s actually
true. I have no idea what to say to her. Or Annie for that
matter.”
“Next time, just ask them about school. Then
sit back and listen. They’ll have a litany of gripes, believe
me.”
He seemed impressed, but didn’t say anything
more.
So Darcie tried again. “Did she tell you she
gave half of the money from her birthday check to an animal rescue
shelter?”
He turned to look at her, clearly surprised
again. “No, she didn’t mention it. That’s impressive.”
“I agree. She volunteers there
apparently.”
Without missing a beat, he asked, “Is there
something I should be doing?”
“No,” she admitted with a sheepish smile.
“You’re doing fine.” To her surprise, she believed it. His family
clearly loved the five-minute drills, the gift cards, and the
clueless-uncle routine. And even if he had brought a paid
date to an anniversary party? They’d get a kick out of that
too.
More silence ensued, which was fine with
her, since she needed to process the last three hours. So much
love, which could be expected when multiple generations gathered.
But so much loss too. Judgments and jealousies, all minor, all
endearing.
And that kiss.
Whatever else this guy did wrong, he
definitely did that right.
Then he said in a casual tone, “Talk to me
about these football lessons. Any reason we can’t do them by
phone?”
Surprised, then hurt, and then angry with
herself for being wounded so easily, she insisted, “I need to see
your face. To see if you’re being sarcastic or just teasing. I
can’t do that over the phone.”
When he winced, she thought he might
actually apologize. But instead he demanded, “Do you think my
family feels that way? That I’m sarcastic?”
“No. You’re very respectful with them.”
“Good.”
She pretended to glare. “So it’s okay
print that Wyatt had to see her again, whether he wanted to
or not, since he owed her three football lessons
“Take care of him.”
Darcie wasn’t sure what to say to that, but
luckily, Wyatt shouted her name from the car, so she told Jenny
with a grin, “If I don’t kill him first.” Then she hurried to join
him.
He held the passenger door open and herded
her into her seat while waving to the throng that had gathered on
the porch. Then he came around to his side, got into the car, and
burned rubber getting them away from the house.
“Unbelievable,” he muttered.
“Which part?”
He sent her a doleful look. “What did my
aunt say to you? There at the end?”
“Oh, you know. The usual. She thought you
paid me to come with you. Until I told that adorable story. So
you’re welcome.”
To her relief, he chuckled. “Yeah, that was
a helluva save. How did you come up with it?”
“Pardon?” She took a moment to recline her
seat, then admitted, “It was true, Wyatt. Just don’t let it go to
your head.”
After a moment of silence he admitted, “You
were cool with Uncle Tony. With all of them, actually. So
thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
Keeping his eyes on the road, he drove
toward home, again in silence, and she wondered if he thought this
fake date had ended.
What a burn.
“So?” she asked with a sniff. “Is the
debrief officially over?”
“Huh?”
“Don’t you want to know what your other
relatives said about you?”
“Not really.”
“Fine.”
They drove for a few more minutes, and then
as they reached the freeway he said teasingly, “Go ahead.”
“Hmm?”
“You’re dying to tell me what they said,
right?”
Darcie bit back a smile. “I’m thinking about
your niece Gail. She thinks she bores you.”
He seemed honestly shocked. “She said
that?”
Darcie nodded. “She said you can relate to
Danny and Joe because of sports. But not to her.”
“What did you say?”
“I told her you aren’t bored. You’re
terrified. Like we all are. Because she’s a teenage girl, the most
feared species on the planet.”
Visibly relaxing, he said, “That’s actually
true. I have no idea what to say to her. Or Annie for that
matter.”
“Next time, just ask them about school. Then
sit back and listen. They’ll have a litany of gripes, believe
me.”
He seemed impressed, but didn’t say anything
more.
So Darcie tried again. “Did she tell you she
gave half of the money from her birthday check to an animal rescue
shelter?”
He turned to look at her, clearly surprised
again. “No, she didn’t mention it. That’s impressive.”
“I agree. She volunteers there
apparently.”
Without missing a beat, he asked, “Is there
something I should be doing?”
“No,” she admitted with a sheepish smile.
“You’re doing fine.” To her surprise, she believed it. His family
clearly loved the five-minute drills, the gift cards, and the
clueless-uncle routine. And even if he had brought a paid
date to an anniversary party? They’d get a kick out of that
too.
More silence ensued, which was fine with
her, since she needed to process the last three hours. So much
love, which could be expected when multiple generations gathered.
But so much loss too. Judgments and jealousies, all minor, all
endearing.
And that kiss.
Whatever else this guy did wrong, he
definitely did that right.
Then he said in a casual tone, “Talk to me
about these football lessons. Any reason we can’t do them by
phone?”
Surprised, then hurt, and then angry with
herself for being wounded so easily, she insisted, “I need to see
your face. To see if you’re being sarcastic or just teasing. I
can’t do that over the phone.”
When he winced, she thought he might
actually apologize. But instead he demanded, “Do you think my
family feels that way? That I’m sarcastic?”
“No. You’re very respectful with them.”
“Good.”
She pretended to glare. “So it’s okay
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