“I do now.”
Oh, well. Maybe I meant the temperature.
It’s ninety degrees out here.
The heat makes me say stupid things.
Whatever.
Chapter 8
Drive By
Somehow, the car made it all the way to his uncle’s driveway before the dash lights started blinking like a Clark family Christmas display and shut down. Daniel opens my door and walks me over to meet everyone as his uncles and aunt come out to the covered porch to greet us.
Aunt Judy is his late grandfather’s youngest sister—his dad’s aunt. I’ve heard him mention her before, and I know they’re close.
She meets us with a sweet, confident smile, and her fabulous red hair bounces in curls at her shoulders. I get the sense that these men respect her like the queen she is. I like her instantly. Her husband, Dale, is a big man with a white Santa beard. He practically tackles us walking up the driveway.
We’re immediately smooshed together in a greeting that would rival one of Sam’s bone-crushing hugs.
“Boy, why haven’t you ever brought your pretty girl around here before? How long you been hidin’ this little princess?” Dale’s gruff voice is playful, but the line of questioning is a little awkward.
Daniel steps back with his fingers still casually hooked between mine. “Hey, Uncle Dale, this is Lucy. Unfortunately, the princess isn’t mine. I had to bribe her with an alternator and battery to get her out here.” He shrugs, correcting his uncle’s assumption with humor. “And this is my Uncle Pete. He’s Dale’s brother … so technically we aren’t related at all. You know how it is.”
I do know how it is. Everyone's an aunt or uncle. Related or not.
A scraggly man in overalls ambles up behind Uncle Dale and blurts, “What kind of nonsense are you spoutin’?”
Uncle Pete looks and sounds like he came directly from an episode ofDuck Dynastyand pins Daniel with conspicuous skepticism. “How’d you get a pretty lady to come way out here with you and hold your hand if she’s not yours? Do you need me to teach you some skills?” He turns his attention to me. “Does he smell bad or not treat ya good, Miss Lucy in the Sky?”
I self-consciously let go of Daniel’s hand, but Uncle Pete wins me over with the Beatles reference.
I respond with a nervous laugh. “No, sir, he’s pretty perfect, but we’re just friends.”
“He’s perfect and you’rejust friends?” Dale repeats, sounding suspicious.
“Uncle Dale, she’s engaged. I haven’t been able to talk her out of it.” I wince at his words.
Dale starts laughing like that’s ridiculous. “Princess, are you married?” he asks me.
Assuming I’m now a princess, I answer, “No, sir.”
“Then she’s single, boy. Handle your business,” Pete chimes back in.
“That’s enough, you two!” Aunt Judy scolds the brothers for their harassment.
“Lucy, give Dale your keys, and you and JD come inside and have some lunch. We’ll get these ornery men busy on your car. Maybe they’ll mind their business and stay out of trouble,” she says protectively.
“Ain’t likely we can stay outta trouble too long, Judy,” Pete hollers back as we step inside the cool house and Aunt Judy shoos the men off to work.
“Boy, come here and let me hug you on your birthday! I’m so glad you both came!” she says.
We follow the sweet lady, and I wonder if I heard her right. Did she call Daniel JD? Maybe I misunderstood. Maybe she said DC—as in Daniel Crawford, like we all do. This day’s been a lot to take in, so I let it go. It’ll come up again if it matters.
I know I shouldn’t, given all the talk and tension today, but I can’t help staying glued to Daniel’s side. I’m not what you would call painfully shy, but it takes me a minute to get comfortable with new people, especially more than one. And all the hugging and immediate interrogation of why we aren’t a couple is a lot. It seems to be the topic of the day, and I can’t get away from it.
I need time to think this over.
