Page 35 of Here With Me

Sadie rubbed a circle on Lottie’s back. “But you can play with him here, okay? Just not next to the fire.”

Lottie nodded and slowly walked back to the house where Vangie sat on the porch, probably with a kitten in her arms.

Every little girl needed a pet. David stepped closer and dropped his voice. “She can have a kitten.”

Sadie’s eyes opened wide. “We can’t ask for a kitten.”

“You’re not. I’m offering. They’ve been inside and raised as pets. I’d like to find them homes before I head back to Costa Rica. If you want one, you can have one. They’re old enough to be away from their mom now. Olivia and Nate are taking Cinco. Vangie and Becca have claimed Uno and Dos. Lottie is holding Cuatro. He can go home with you tonight.”

“Numbers? Really, David?”

He shrugged. “Easy to remember.”

Sadie looked back at the fire, her face unreadable. “Lottie would love a kitten. She’s always wanted one, but Jeremy was allergic.”

“Then this would be a win-win.”

Sadie bit her bottom lip. Finally, she nodded. “Okay. If you’re sure the kitten really needs a home. But I need supplies before I can take one home.”

The smile that Sadie gave him stole his breath, and his marshmallow dropped a little too close to the flames, its side catching fire. He yanked it up and blew it out. A perfect marshmallow ruined.

“So…next weekend?” David’s heart thundered in his ears. But Sadie didn’t respond.

Instead, she pulled her roasting stick out of the fire. David followed her to the table with the makings for s’mores. Still Sadie said nothing. He shouldn’t have asked. They were finally civil, and he’d ruined it with an invitation to dinner.

David fixed his s’more even though he had no intention of eating the burnt marshmallow. It gave him a little extra time with Sadie.

“I’ll go.” Her breathy response sent a thrill through him.

David’s chest relaxed. “Really? Oh, that’s great. I’ll pick you up at five on Saturday. We’ll have to drive to Grand Rapids.”

Sadie nodded and sat down in an open chair between Leah and Libby, carefully nibbling a bite of her s’more.

Nate walked up next to him, chuckling. David handed him the burnt creation. “Don’t let it go to waste.”

Marshmallow dripped form Nate’s mouth as he took a big bite. “Of course not. She said yes.”

It wasn’t a question. “How can you tell?”

“Her smile. It’s a little wider.”

Sadie relaxed next to his sister, looking content. There was no difference. There couldn’t be. She was the one adamant that they could only be friends. She wasn’t going with him as a date, but as a solid favor. He’d made that clear.

seven

This was not a date.

A solid favor—that’s what David had called this little outing, and Sadie refused to think of it as anything else. Especially considering the silent, hour-long car ride. At least it had given her time to make sure Lottie was okay with Doris.

Outside the restaurant, the lights of the bridge were just coming on. The view through the windows was breathtaking, and the walk to the car promised to be filled with twinkle lights and romance as long as the rain held off. Inside, there were candles, soft string music piped over the speakers, and David’s warm arm brushed hers every time he moved. There were four other people at the table.

Four other people pulling them in separate conversations.

“Sadie, dear,” Charlotte, Lance’s wife, drawled in her sweet southern accent. She set the menu down and rested her chin on her hand. “Tell us how you met our David.”

Sadie glanced at David, his strong jaw tense. Stress lines wrinkled his forehead as he talked with Marco, who sat at the head of the table. “We met in high school.”

The waitress set water in front of Sadie, and she took a sip.

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