"Because you're all dressed up and I'm not going to let you step in a puddle or catch your skirt on the door. Argue all you want but I'll lock you in here if I have to."
She snapped the visor back into place. After a pause that made me wonder whether she'd fling herself out of the truck right now, just to piss me off, she said, "All right. I'll let you help me.Thistime."
"This time," I echoed.
"Mmhmm."
I climbed out and came around, more than a little surprised to find her in the passenger seat rather than smirking at me from the blacktop. I opened the door and settled one arm around her waist, the other behind her knees, and scooped her out of the truck.
"I will never get used to this," she said, a giggle bursting over her pale pink lips. "I just can't."
"That's okay," I murmured to her neck. "Just get used to it for right now."
I set her down, holding on a moment longer than necessary. She smelled as lovely as always but the familiarity of that scent caught me off guard. How long had it been since that scent was new to me? And how long since it had become an everyday part of my life?
"Oh, it's chilly here," she said, hugging her arms close to her body.
"Yeah, let's get you inside." I grabbed my tuxedo jacket from the truck and steered Jasper toward the main entrance. "If you want to leave early, just give me the signal."
"What's the signal?"
"Trust me. I'll know. Your face reads like a book."
She glanced up at me when I tucked her hand into the crook of my elbow and led her up the steps. "I guess I've lost my poker face. It used to be legendary."
"You still have it. I can just see past it."
She started to respond but we found ourselves sandwiched between Rob and Magnolia and Ash and Zelda.
"Ah, I see we're operating on triplet time tonight," Rob said. "Could the three of you circle up and decide on a departure time? I've been awake for two days."
Magnolia shot him a broad smile, saying, "Play stupid games, win stupid prizes."
Rob said to us, "I had to go to London."
"For a day," Magnolia said with a laugh. "Not even a day. Four hours. A meeting."
He bobbed his head. "Yeah. That's true. But I closed the deal which means I shouldn't have any other deals to worry about this year and the babies can come any time they want."
"Not any time," she replied.
"You know what I mean," he said. "And now that's handled, I'm going to fall asleep on your shoulder during dinner, wife."
"It's a good thing you're pretty, Russo," she said to him.
"Don't we look gorgeous," Zelda sang as she hooked elbows with Magnolia and Jasper. She eyed Jasper's dress with appreciation. "You were right about not needing any of the dresses we made you try on. This is just breathtaking."
"It really is," Magnolia agreed.
"Thank you," Jasper said.
Ash glanced at the great stone hearth complete with a roaring fire and club chairs stationed in front of it. "Do you think we could skip out on the part where we remind all of Mom and Dad's friends where we live, what we do, and whether we've kept in contact with their kids and just hang out here instead? Or—"
"There you are," my mother called, huffing and clucking as she marched over.
"Probably not," Ash muttered.
"Why are you standing around out here like a bunch of loiterers?" She waved us away from the entry and led us down a thickly carpeted hall. "There we go, yes, you too, Robert. Have some tequila, it will wake you up."
