She nodded, not really meeting his eye.
He cleared his throat, wondering what was going on, but not wanting to upset Gael.
“Great,” he said brightly. “Let’s head out.”
He opened up the back seat for Gael and then opened Jenny’s door for her, feeling relieved that she hadn’t hurried and gotten in herself.
But she didn’t take his offered hand climbing in, and she still didn’t look him in the eye.
He tried not to let himself panic. Yesterday was a long day, and they had been traveling the day before. Maybe it was just an early morning and she was a little tired. She could have called and cancelled if she really didn’t want to go with him.
“Okay, it’s not far,” he announced as he got in.
The radio came on with the engine. The localstation played Christmas music from November through New Year’s Day, so Gael’s holiday mood could be extended another week. Currently, Mariah Carey was belting out “All I Want for Christmas” and Gael started humming along right away.
Erik glanced over at Jenny, who looked like she was trying not to smile.
When their eyes met, she let her lips curve up a little, and he felt a wave of relief so powerful that he wanted to laugh.
Whatever’s going on, she’s not mad at me.
He drove carefully down the driveway again and back out to the main road to get to the farm.
As soon as the song was over, the deejay began talking about the weather and Gael leaned forward between their seats.
“Okay, guys,” he said, his voice filled with excitement. “We should probably use this car ride to get prepared.”
“What do you mean?” Erik asked him. Gael was a city kid. Maybe he had big ideas of what you did on a farm.
“When people ask you guys stuff, you need answers,” Gael said patiently. “Like about your relationship.”
“Oh, I think we did just fine mainly telling the truth,” Jenny said.
“You almost blew it telling Fallon we were from Boston,” Gael countered.
He wasn’t wrong. Erik was surprised the boy had noticed that. He was a sharp one.
“How did he first ask you on a date?” Gael continued. “Do your families get along?”
“Um,” Jenny said, nervously.
“What’s her favorite color?” Gael asked Erik. “Where’s your favorite place to go on a date?”
“Smart,” Erik said, nodding to the boy in the rearview mirror. “Weshouldget our stories straight. I could have been in real trouble just over her name.”
“I’m already kind of in trouble,” Jenny said. “I’m not really on social media. I just had to have an account for work. Apparently, someone posted a photo of us. And now I’m ignoring messages with questions from everyone I’ve ever met.”
“I’m so sorry,” Erik said, realizing this was the reason she had been out of sorts.
“I should have thought about it,” she said, shrugging.
“I’m not really online much either,” Erik said. “But the Center has accounts.”
“Neither of you uses social media?” Gael piped up from the back seat. “That’s likereallyweird for grownups.”
“I don’t really see a reason for it,” Jenny said shrugging. “I keep up with my friends over text.”
“Same,” Erik said, smiling.
