I chuckle, knowing she’s talking about Harrison. “I don’t know about taming, but I’ve gotten him to—occasionally, at least—let me organize his schedule and his office.”
A cunning smile forms on Ruthie’s lips. “Well, that is pretty impressive, but it’s not really what I’m talking about. Let’s just say I’m hearing that our lovable, grumpy guy has been a lot less crabby.” When she sayscrabby,Ruthie pretends her hands are claws and opens and closes them.
While Ruthie was talking, Layla ambled over and climbed onto Tillie’s lap. I watch as her little face squishes up in irritation.
“Ruthie, be nice to Uncle Harry.” There’s no question she means it as a scolding.
Ruthie does a great job plastering on a contrite face. “I’m sorry, Ladybug. I’m just teasing about him.”
Layla takes a second and looks at each of us, making eye contact with everyone.
“Teasing might hurt people’s feelings. Even if the person laughs and pretends it doesn’t. Right, Mommy?”
“Right, sweetie.” Tillie fights back a grin, clearly recognizing the seriousness with which Layla speaks.
“Plus, I already told everyone that only Uncle Harry’s face is grumpy. In here,”—she pats the left side of her chest—“that’s where our hearts are. And Uncle Harry’s heart is soft and lovey. Okay?”
We all nod in assent because it’s clear that it’s not a rhetorical question to Layla. The little pixie expects an acknowledgement.
It’s Georgie who breaks the few seconds of silence that follow Layla’s impassioned mini-speech. “Mic drop,” she whispers.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Delaney
“You ready, Betty?” Harrison grins at me as he clips the ends of his bicycle helmet straps together.
“Betty, huh? Not Bets?” I tease.
“Bets doesn’t rhyme with ‘ready’ like Betty does. So, are you?”
“Am I what?” I’m distracted by his mesmerizing green eyes and dazzling smile. God, he looks happy, and it’s a fantastic look on him.
“Are you ready, Betty?” I roll my eyes and laugh at him.
“Yep, as ready as I’ll ever be, seeing as how I haven’t ridden a bike in fifteen years.” I make light of it, but I have some reservations about whether I’ll be able to ride a bike again without wiping out. I guess there’s only one way to find out.
“You got this. We’ll ride side by side unless other people come along, then I’ll pull in front of you until the path is clear again.”
I nod at him, mount the bike I’m riding, and start pedaling. I’m wobbly at first, but it doesn’t take me long to get the hangof it. Harrison rides behind me for now. I assume he’s doing it to give me time to adjust and gain my balance without him right next to me in my peripheral vision. When I’m convinced I’m doing okay at this, I allow myself to look around, and I take in the beauty of our surroundings. We pass lush meadows filled with pretty purple and yellow wildflowers. When I see red-winged blackbirds and American goldfinches flitting about, I smile, thinking of Mom and her birding. Maybe I’ll try to get some photos to show her when we stop. Stretches of the path take us along the bank of the Cuyahoga River.
Harrison pulls up next to me, and we ride side by side.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
“Absolutely. Having this treasure basically in the backyard of Aron Falls and Meadow Creek is amazing. I’m embarrassed I haven’t been here to explore yet.”
“So, you didn’t come with James, then?”
“Huh?” I pause for a few seconds to figure out the context. Then it hits me. “James the engineer? Why would I have come with him?”
“Uh, don’t you remember he offered to bring you here when we dropped those permits off? You said you hadn’t had a chance to explore the national park yet, and he implied he’d bring you here.”
“Oh, my God, he was not.” A burst of laughter escapes me.
“Agree to disagree,” Harrison says, his tone light.
We travel for maybe thirty seconds more before he speaks again. “Wait, you didn’t answer. It’s a no, right? You didn’t come here with him?”
