“Really? She didn’t say anything to me about it. I wonder why she suddenly decided to have one?”
“I think she said something about Mrs. Mancini having a craving for it.”
“Oh, that makes sense then.” Why did she seem so preoccupied? She couldn’t have heard what mom said, how could she you idiot? I’m sure mom wouldn’t have called her, not to repeat what she’d said to me so something else must be bothering her.
“Wanna go for a spin in the Ranger?” That seemed to perk her up and she jumped up from the bed to follow me out the door. My tomboy is a car fanatic. We found her dad in his office with Mancini and they both looked up when we walked in.
Mr. Lyon’s eyes went straight to our joined hands but this time I didn’t even attempt to pull away. Maybe he should start getting use to seeing us like this. Besides, she was the one holding my hand.
“Daddy, Todd’s going to let me drive his Ranger, we won’t go far so can I?”
“Sure, just check and see if your mom needs anything else from the store.” His eyes left hers and met mine. “I don’t have to tell you to take care of my daughter.”
“Yes sir, with my life sir.” I ignored Mancini’s eye roll and took my girl from the room. Her mom shooed us out of the house after assuring us that her husband and Mr. Mancini had already picked up everything she needed.
“So where do you want to go? You wanna drive down to the lake?” It’s one of the things she said she’s always wanted to do, go down to the lake that ran through our town into the next. It was the weekend hangout for the older kids and families with children when I lived here.
“Sounds good, daddy didn’t give us a time to get back this time and it’s barely past noon.” I strapped her in and didn’t have to show her how to use the key in the high-end luxury vehicle since that’s all that sits in her family’s garage.
She looked cute as hell with her short ass in my white on white custom Ranger and the truth is I’d chosen it with her in mind. My speed demon peeled out of the driveway again and reached for my hand as we turned the corner.
“You sure you can drive with one hand like that princess?”
“Of course, daddy’s been teaching me all sorts of defensive driving, he just won’t let me drive faster than twenty-five, he said that’ll come later.”
I found my shades in the glove compartment and slipped them on her face. “Cute!” We laughed and joked all the way to the lake where I was surprised to see just how many people were there that early in the day. I was secretly hoping for some alone time with my girl.
I went around back for the picnic basket her mom had pushed into my hand before suggesting we go for a ride. If her dad had said no I’m sure Mrs. Lyon would’ve found a way to make it happen. She seemed like a woman on a mission.
All day I’ve been getting the feeling that she, and Mrs. Mancini were up to something, every time I walked into a room when those two were together they’d stop talking and give me these smiles that I imagine make their husbands bend over backward to please them.
“A picnic?”
“Nothing major, we have to leave room for BBQ.” I’d already checked and there was just some fruit and cheese with a pitcher of lemonade in there with a blanket.
I carried the basket in one hand and held her hand in the other as we walked in the opposite direction away from the crowd. I found us a nice spot beneath some trees in the shade from the hot May sun and spread the blanket for her to sit.
“I should’ve brought my swimsuit.”
“No you shouldn’t have.” There were way too many males hanging around. She gave me a look but I wasn’t dumb enough to tell her what I was thinking. “I’m not sure how clean that water is for swimming.” My ass!
She’d complained to me more than once about the fact that her dad wouldn’t even let her wear shorts outside. I’ll remember to thank him for that at a future date. The girl is gorgeous enough that she doesn’t need to give the male population anymore incentive to come sniffing around her.
She was already getting looks in the jeans and tee she had on, but I guess that’s to be expected. I don’t know what she sees when she looks in the mirror that makes her doubt that I’d want her, but my baby has grown into one hell of a beauty. Not, that she wasn’t always beautiful but the older she gets the more amazing her features become. Not a drop of makeup and she’s still stunning.