He nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, ma’am! And Mr. Whit said if I hurried up and got dressed and brushed my teeth, we could go get pancakes!”
“Well, you’d better get going,” I said, but he was already running to his bedroom before I’d even finished my sentence.
I chuckled and turned to the open door to where Whit stood. “What can I say? He loves pancakes.”
He strolled in and pulled me into his arms then shrugged. “Seemed like a good option considering our disastrous attempt at making pancakes.” Then he dipped his head to brush a kiss to my lips. When the kiss ended and he drew back, his eyes took on a hungry look. “You look amazing.”
I flushed and hastily stepped away from him when a rapid patter of footsteps alerted me to Henry’s return. Henry paused when he entered the room and glanced between the two of us. But then his smile grew, and he hurried to me and grabbed my hand and then Whit’s and dragged us toward the door.
“C’mon, guys,” he said. “We can’t keep Addie waiting!”
I laughed at his grown-up turn of phrase and glanced over to see Whit grinning, looking truly relaxed and happy.
Addie was practically bouncing with excitement when we exited the elevator, earning a mild rebuke from June to mind her manners. June then sent a questioning look at Whit who completely ignored it.
“Y’all have a good time,” she called as Whit and I hurried to keep up with Henry and Addie. “We’ll see you later!”
“Can we, please, Mama?” Henry asked, pointing toward the ice cream shop as we drove back toward Dawes House that afternoon.
“Are you serious?” I laughed. “Henry, how can you still be hungry after breakfastandlunchandthe fudge Mr. Whit bought you and Addie?”
“Maybe he has a hollow leg,” Addie added matter-of-factly, pushing back her curls with both hands. “Mamaw says we must have a hollow leg because she doesn’t know where else we put all our food.”
I chuckled, turning around in my seat to look at the two of them. “You might be right,” I told her, grinning. “Are you wanting ice cream, too, Addie? I don’t want you guys to get upset tummies. Your mamaw won’t be happy with me if you get sick from too much junk.”
Addie shook her head. “I won’t get sick. I just eat peppermint and ginger when I have a tummy ache. Mamaw grows it in her kitchen.”
I glanced at Whit, realizing I’d never actually been inside June and Earl’s apartment. “Really?”
He nodded. “She has a third bedroom that doubles as a greenhouse, but most of the herbs she grows in the kitchen.”
I don’t know why that made me uneasy, but I shoved it to the back of my mind to think about later. “I guess it’s okay to get ice cream, if Mr. Whit is okay with it.”
“Coming right up!” he announced, making a U-turn and heading back toward the ice cream shop.
When we’d all finished off our ice cream, we loaded the kids back into the car. I wasn’t surprised to see them fast asleep in their booster seats within minutes of being back on the road. Apparently, Whit had noticed it at the same time because he reached over to take my hand and brought it to his lips.
“Thank you for this,” he said, his voice low, warm.
“I should be thanking you,” I told him, lacing my fingers loosely with his. “You didn’t have to get them every souvenir they asked for, you know. It really is okay to tell them no, especially as welivehere.”
He shrugged and smiled. “I enjoyed it. I haven’t spent much time with Addie. I realize now what I’ve been missing out on.”
I thought that was a curious comment to make, especially considering the tension between him and June, but he admittedly hadn’t been around Dawes House much before Mr. Monty died, it seemed. So maybe he just had never had a chance to be around the little girl.
I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, enjoying the warmth of the sun on my face. “Thankyou, Whit.”
His thumb smoothed over my skin. “Should I just drive around for a while? Let the kids nap?”
I nodded, happy to just be together.
We drove around Savannah and then to Tybee Island, thankfully heading back to Dawes House before Henry and Addie realized we were near the beach. That would have to be an adventure for another day.
“What’s brought that smile to your stunningly beautiful face?” Whit asked.
I laughed. “Stunningly beautiful? Wow, you’re going to be great for my ego.” I turned in my seat so that I was facing him. “I was just thinking that we’d have to come back to the beach sometime with Henry and Addie. I’m sure they’d love it.”
He smiled. “I think they would. And I love that you’re making future plans for us.”
