Page 55 of Wild Abandon

“I told you, I like the band.”

“Yes. The band is very, very good-looking.” She winks, and I fall back into my seat in exasperation.

When we get to the house, from the driveway, Naomi calls for Jeremy to bring the chandelier into the house. When Jeremy comes out, he is confused by the stranger on his pavement.

“This is Crystal’s friend Nate. He’s staying for the barbecue.”

“We’re having a barbecue?” Jeremy asks. Then, he’s nudged in the side by his wife.

“Yes, yes, we are indeed having a very large”—she nudges him again—“small get-together.”

He is shrinking back from his wife before she can nudge him again. He looks at Nate for a way out. “Did I hear something needs to come inside the house?”

Nate is standing by the grill of his car, his arms folded in front of him, his feet apart. “Yeah. Over here.” He walks Jeremy to the back of the truck.

Jeremy takes the frame inside the house with Naomi behind him. Nate and I walk to Naomi’s car to get the bags in her trunk.

“I apologize in advance for anything they say or do for the next hour,” I’m talking into the air as I open the rear door.

“Are you kicking me out after an hour?” Nate looks perplexed. “If you don’t want me inside—”

“No!” I say and then reel myself back. “I just assumed you didn’t want to come in. That you were just saying yes to be nice.”

Nate leans against the bumper and turns his body into mine. “Where have you been all week?”

I pull my bottom lip in and then realize I’m making that face he hates. “Around.”

“You taking your dates somewhere else?” His words are nonchalant, but when I look into his eyes, they’re boring into me, interrogating.

“I haven’t been on any.”

“Well, I can help you pick your next date if you want,” he offers.

“That would be nice,” I lie.

There is an uncomfortable silence between us. I push a stray curl away from my face.

Nate loops his thumb in his belt loop. “Crystal, I—”

“Who are you?”

Nate looks down at the big voice coming from a very little person. Scarlet’s head is arched all the way back, getting a good look at Nate.

“I’m Nate.” He looks back to me, wondering who this kid is.

“So, you’re Nate.” Scarlet taps her finger against her chin and casts her beady little eyes at him. “What are your intentions with Crystal?”

“Scarlet!” I reprimand.

“Crystal spent the night at your house.” Her finger points up at Nate in an accusatory fashion.

“Yes, she did?” Nate says in question, wondering if it’s an appropriate conversation to be having with a child.

I nod to let him know that Scarlet is no ordinary child.

“Listen, Nathaniel—may I call you Nathaniel?” Scarlet asks. Then, she carries on without Nate’s answer, “Crystal might be well beyond her dating prime, but I’d like to assure you that she is no floozy.”

Beyond my dating prime? “I’m only thirty!”