Tweetsie Railroad. It’s a Wild West theme park. You know how crazy Nik is about trains.
Sounds like fun. What time?
Is 15 min too soon?
Good thing they finished their jobs. We’ll be ready.
At the office, it’d proved a little more difficult than Rafe had expected to keep things strictly professional, at least on his part. He’d found that the more time he spent with Ahri, the more time hewantedto spend with her.
He’d risen early and installed the car seats he kept for the kids. The trip would be an innocuous opportunity to be with Ahri in a completely platonic way, all while giving his brother and sister a treat.
Rafe pulled up to the house and, as usual, Nik came running out. From his open window, Rafe heard Ahri call out his mother’s warning. His little brother stopped as though tied to an invisible rope that had reached its end. As soon as Rafe put the car in Park, Nik came flying off the porch.
“Trains.” The little boy threw himself into Rafe’s arms as soon as he was out of the car. “I wanna see trains.”
“That’s what we’re doing. Didn’t Ahri tell you?” He tickled the boy until he squealed.
“Can we pet the animals?” Lessa asked from the doorway, her hair pulled back in a French braid.
“Are there animals there?” Ahri asked, locking the front door.
“They have a petting zoo.” Rafe found himself staring at her. She wasn’t a flirty kind of girl and had a wholesome persona. But then she had those surprising eyes with their sexy tilt that he found so alluring.
“I want to pet a pig.” Nik tugged on Rafe’s ear.
“We’ll do whatever Rafe says is okay.” Ahri came down the steps, holding Lessa’s hand. “I’ve never even heard of this place.”
“I’ve gone all the time, ever since I was little,” Lessa said proudly.
Rafe bit back a grin, exchanging a glance with Ahri, who was doing the same.
“Yes, I imagine a big girl who’s starting first grade in a few months has seen a lot.” She said to Rafe, “Your mother left their car seats.”
“I have my own.” He opened the door, and Nik scrambled in.
“That’s convenient.” She went to the other side with Lessa and helped with her seatbelt.
“Do you like trains, Ahri?” Nik asked.
“I haven’t had a lot to do with them, though I rode one once at Disneyland.” It’d been the only time her family had been able to afford to go to the theme park, and they’d had to save for two years to do it.
“Don’t you mean DisneyWorld?” Lessa asked.
“No, I haven’t been to Disney World. I grew up closer to California, so Disneyland is where we went.”
“Is that why you talk funny?” Lessa asked.
“That’s kind of rude,” Rafe said.
“Why? Shedoestalk funny.”
“I thought you all talked funny,” Ahri said.
“See.” Lessa’s expression turned superior. “It’s y’all, not you all.”
“I guess I’ll have to work on my Southern accent,” Ahri said, the corners of her mouth twitching.
“That’d be wise. ThisisGod’s country, after all.” Rafe winked.
