“It’s a surprise.” He smirked and reached for the penny hiding in the dash. “I don’t even know yet.”
“Then how do we know where to go?”
Grasping the penny, he held it up. “This. Have you ever heard of a penny date?”
She clapped her hands, and her eyes opened wide. “I saw that on the internet a few months ago and loved it. Is that really what we’re doing?”
He nodded and pointed his thumb to the rear seat. “We’ll have a picnic dinner wherever we end up.”
“In the cold?”
“If need be.” He wagged his brows. “I’ll keep you warm.”
“Hmm.” A lazy smile tugged at her lips. “I like the sound of that.”
“Before we leave, you have to pick a number from one to twenty.”
She tapped a finger against the corner of her lips. “Twenty.”
“You know the rules, don’t you?”
“Why do you think I said twenty?” Mischief danced in her eyes. “More time together.”
“Twenty turns it is.” His heart grew two sizes. “I like this side of you.”
“What side?”
“Bold. Flirtatious.”
“Now that I don’t have to hide how I feel, I’m free to let it out.” She flipped the coin, and it landed on heads.
He took a right out of the driveway. “Freedom is good.”
“I’d have to agree.”
Bittersweet joy surrounded him. “We wasted a lot of years not being honest with each other.”
“All we can do is learn from our mistakes and pray we don’t make them again.” Her reassuring smile lit the dark car. They came to a stop sign, and she handed him the penny. “You flip this time.”
He flicked his thumb, and it landed on heads again. “At this rate, we’ll make a circle.”
“Don’t you mean a square?” She giggled at her own joke.
“Only you.” Amused, he shook his head and made the turn. “Eighteen more to go.”
“This is fun. I wonder how someone initially thought of this?”
“They probably got bored with going out to eat all the time and never finding good movies playing at the theater.” He’d rather watch her but had to keep his eyes on the road, especially at this time of year and in the evening when deer showed up often. “Or lived in a small town with few options.”
“Or,” she drew out the word, “maybe the person was a romantic with a whimsical side who enjoyed exploring with the person they loved.”
“Whatever the reason, I’m enjoying this. It’s different.”
“Me too.” She opened her purse and took out her phone. “I want pictures to remember this by.”
“I doubt you’ll capture much. It’s too dark out.” They came to another stop, and the flash blinded him temporarily. “You’re lucky we weren’t moving.”
“I wouldn’t have taken a picture if we were moving.” She stared at the screen. “And you’re wrong. I captured what matters.”
