Page 44 of Wildflowers and Wide Receivers

“I’m almost embarrassed to admit this,” he says, glancing at me, while rubbing the back of his neck.

A smile stretches across my face. “Oh, now you have to tell us.”

He looks back at Vivi. “Your dad liked country music, and it kind of rubbed off on me.”

I bark out a laugh. “That’s your dark secret? That you love country music?”

“Listen, Bostononians don’t listen to country music.”

“That’s not true at all! People everywhere listen to country music. Boo, I was expecting something juicy,” I taunt him.

Vivi giggles.

“I wouldn’t say it’s well received in the locker room either.”

“Boo,” I say again, chastising him. “Lame.”

“Whatever, yours was opera.”

I stick my hand out again and sing the note.

This time Vivi laughs out loud.

“Well, now you have to tell us something that you love,” he says, sitting back in his chair and smirking.

What is something that I love?

“Hmm, you already know that I love bones, if I had to pick something else, it might be baking.”

Vivi’s face lights up. “I love baking, too!”

“I have a bit of a sweet tooth and think it’s fun to bake cakes, cupcakes, cookies, pies, you name it.”

“I love cupcakes and cookies.”

“That’s because you’re a smart girl,” I tell her.

“Uncle Jonah doesn’t like them.” She smirks, totally pleased with herself for outing him.

I turn to face him directly. “How is that even possible?”

He holds up his arm, pushes up his sleeve, and bends his arm to ninety degrees, popping up his bicep. “Rock solid,” he says, and I just shake my head at him. When Vivi lets out an exaggerated sigh, I take it this is not the first time she’s seen him do this.

“What are your plans for the rest of the week?” I ask, changing the subject.

“Looks like tomorrow we’re going wildflower hunting. We’ll go for a bike ride. We’ll take the golf cart for some ice cream. On Monday, we’re going to the aquarium. One day, we’ll wander through the boutiques, and I’ll let her do some shopping, and we might go to a movie.”

“So all the good beach stuff.” I nod at Vivi, and she nods back.

“That’s right,” Jonah says. “Nothing but the good stuff for my girl here.”

“Well, I’m glad I get to be here for some of it,” I tell them.

“Me too,” Vivi says, wrapping her arms around mine and leans into me for a quick hug.

Tears prick my eyes, and I turn and give her a full hug instead.

Chapter 18