“Maybe you should check the Rice Krispies Treats box,” Theo says under his breath, and Charlie shoots him a death glare that makes me fight a laugh.
“Charlie, you have to wear them,” Holly says. “You remember your headaches? You’ll keep getting them if you don’t wear them.”
“I haven’t had a headache all week,” Charlie says.
“Because you’ve been wearing your glasses,” Holly says patiently. “If you want to go to Poppy’s, you have to wear them. That’s the rule.”
She huffs, folding her tiny arms across her chest. “Fine. Then I won’t go.”
Holly tilts his head. “Are you sure about that?”
She stares him down for a long moment. I gotta hand it to her. The kid has grit. Finally, she turns and stomps into thehouse, returning a minute later with her glasses back on her face.
“Good girl,” Holly says. “So what would you say if Uncle Carter and Uncle Theo drive you over to Poppy’s for me?”
“You can’t come?” Charlie asks.
“I have to stay home so the plumber can fix our hot water.”
“Finally!” Charlie says, and Holly grins.
“Will you be okay going with these two?”
She looks up at me and pushes her glasses up on her nose. “Will you stay for our picnic?” she asks me. “Poppy is bringing the juice boxes, and I’m bringing the snack. We’ll have extra.”
Holly grimaces over Charlie’s head, like he’s realizing he just signed me up for a lot more than giving Charlie a ride, but I shake my head.
“I’m always down for a picnic,” I say.
She nods. “Okay. Then it’s okay if you drive me.”
“Thanks, man,” Holly says as he pulls Charlie’s booster seat out of his car. “I owe you one.”
“Why do the kids always like you best?” Theo asks from the passenger seat as I back out of Holly’s driveway.
“Kids?” I ask.
“At youth clinics.” He tilts his head toward the back seat. “Charlie. Even that kid on the airplane.”
“Because I talk to kids about them,” I say. “You talk about you.”
He rears back the slightest bit, like he wasn’t quite expecting a serious answer. “Dude. That was brutal. Insightful. But brutal.”
“Uncle Carter, do you like horses?” Charlie asks from the backseat.
“Who doesn’t like horses?” I say, and then she talks for the rest of the ride to Anna’s.
I listen with one ear, but I’m mostly thinking of Sarah. It’s been four days since I kissed her goodbye in New York, but she didn’t get back to Georgia until late yesterday, so I haven’t seen her yet. We’ve texted a few times, but we haven’t made any plans to see each other, leaving me wondering what the protocol will be between now and the wedding.
Since we aren’t really in a relationship, we could go days, even a week or more, without needing to see each other, not unless we have some public event to attend. But that feels weird when we’re getting ready to live together. Shouldn’t we at least be spending some time in each other’s company? Getting to know one another?
Then again, my motives aren’t exactly pure. I really just want to see her.
I’ll follow the rules. I’ll respect every boundary she puts in place.
But I can’t stop myself from wanting to be around her. It’s too late for that.
When we pull into the driveway at Anna and Miles’s house, Poppy and Olive are in the front yard using sidewalk chalk to decorate the front walkway. Anna is sitting on the porch, but I don’t see Sarah anywhere. Her car is here—I can see it parked by the pool house—so I’m hoping that means she’s somewhere close by.
