Page 31 of Romantic

“It’s fine,” Pepper pipes up. “Dad swears around me all the time.” This is not true. I occasionally slip up—though when I do, Pepper makes a huge deal of it. “And everyone swears at school.” I’m certain this is true. And probably why I still watch my language around Pepper; I want to pretend she’s younger than she is.

“I hate pampas grass,” I say with more vehemence than the plant merits.

“Me too,” says Annie.

“Woah, such strong feelings about a plant.” says Jack with a laugh. “I get it, we hate pampas grass.”

“It’s an invasive species,” Annie explains. “It crowds out all the native plants. Particularly the wildflowers.”

“Oh! Now I get it. My girl is crazy about flowers,” Jack says to me confidentially. I’m reaching my limit. This “pampas grass” who showed up a month ago acts like he’s the expert on all things Annie. I glance again at his Hokas on my dash. And somehow, I keep my mouth shut.

“Jack, is your foot on the dash?” Annie asks, sounding a bit like a schoolmarm.

“Oh sorry! My bad!” he says good humoredly, taking his foot down. This might be what I hate most about the guy—he’s always in a good mood. Or at least he seems to be. And the cheerier he acts, the grumpier I feel.

When I unload my pack at the trailhead, Jack chuckles “I thought this was a short hike.

“It is,” I answer. “But I always pack extra, just in case.”

“Extra what?”

“Water, a jacket, some snacks, a first aid kit, head lamp, an ankle brace for sprained ankles.” I look at Annie. “And a lighter.”

“Isn’t that overkill for a one-and-a-half-mile hike?”

“It is. But I don’t mind carrying the extra weight, and it gives me peace of mind. Hikers get lost all the time.”

“Annie’s right, you’re uptight.” My eyes go to Annie, and she looks mortified. Jack didn’t make that up. Annie called me uptight? It stings a little. But she’s not wrong.

“Yeah, well, if your wife dies on a hiking trip, we’ll see how uptight you might be.” I march ahead, not bothering to see Jack’s reaction. Pepper hurries up beside me.

“Dad! That was amazing,” she gushes in hushed tones.

“How did he look?” I ask, smiling just a little.

“Dumbstruck. And Annie has started chewing him out.”

“You know Pep, I didn’t like it when you invited Jack on this hike. Now I’m beginning to see that you’re brilliant.”

“You’re just realizing this?”

“I’m continually amazed by it.”

“Sorry,” Annie runs up to me. “Jack didn’t know.”

“Pampas grass can’t help but be pampas grass.”

“Don’t call him that. You’re not being fair to him.” I know she’s right. I’m just annoyed by his very existence.

He joins us, a sheepish look on his face. “Hey man, I’m sorry. I didn’t know about your wife.”

“How could you have?”

“Annie could have told me,” he says with slight accusation.

“I don’t think Annie knew.”

“I did,” Annie says, sounding embarrassed. “I read some old articles about it last summer. I hope that was okay. I was curious.” I don’t know what I think about Annie searching for articles about Daphne’s death.