Page 83 of Always Knew It Was You

Carly merely smiles as I continue.

“And as for the second thing, your parents aren’t the first pair of opportunistic vultures I’ve met. Trust me when I say I know very well how to handle them.” Of course, it would be easier to handle if Carly would agree to simply detach herself from them, but I don’t see that happening anytime soon.

“You paid for their medical bills,” she says quietly.

“Yes, but that’s only to save you from having to do it,” I say. “I don’t know why it was on you in the first place, seeing as how there were three other adults in the room.”

Carly shakes her head. “My mom hasn’t worked since I was in high school. She kept getting fired from her jobs for either stealing or starting fights with her boss and eventually no one in town would hire her again. Dad collects disability from a back injury he had and he’s still getting some retirement but it’s not enough. Uncle Allan is on parole for assaulting someone and that limits his income too and his wife’s a holistic pet masseuse, so she doesn’t really get much in terms of financial compensation.”

Jesus. No wonder Carly worked so hard. They all relied on her. A bunch of losers and users all of them.

But I don’t want to say anything that offends Carly, so I simply say, “I see. In any case, I’ll figure out how to handle your family.”

Carly opens her mouth like she wants to argue some more against me coming. But then I interrupt her by asking, “On a separate but related topic, what areyouwearing for this picnic? I brought all the dresses from LA for you to choose from.”

She groans. “Nope. Can’t wear any of that. You should sell them and get your money back.”

“I can’t sell them, they’re tailored to your specific,exquisitely rarebody type.” I waggle my eyebrows making her snort and roll her eyes. “And even if I could, I’m not going to because I bought them for you. I only want to see those dresses on you.”

I think I see her gaze soften slightly, but she still maintains, “I can’t wear such things in Laketown.”

“Who says? Every town needs a beauty queen, and I have yet to see one as beautiful as you.”

She chuckles again. “You are just on a roll today with the compliments.”

“Yeah.” I grin and then bend over, to brush my lips against her. “But you make it so easy.”

The town picnic is both exactly what I thought it would be and not at all what I expected.

It’s held out on the lawn of a small, brown building with a modest cross on top of it. Tents are set up over green grass, each holding different delicacies whose scents mingle in the air. My mouth waters as the smell of warm chocolate chip cookies and brownies assail me, and I’m happy to find that we’re moving in that direction. I also spot a few tents holding arts and crafts, and even motor parts, which is strange to have at a picnic.

Apparently, this church “picnic” event is held to raise money for the church fund and so they accept sales of pretty much everything. Also, everything’s a little overpriced, for Laketown that is, although it would be considered underpriced anywhere else. The smells of fair food, giggles of children running around, cool wind on the fresh grass, and petals falling around us added a homey ambiance to the picnic.

The lawn is far from crowded. Only about thirty or so people were milling about and from the way they called out, they all knew each other. All that’s to be expected.

What I don’t expect is to enjoy myself as much as I do.

It’s partially because of the dress. Carly and I find a compromise, which really means I manage to bully her into wearing one of the dresses we got in LA. It’s a simple Givenchy A-line mid-length dress in mustard yellow with an off-shoulder sleeve. Hermes sandals and a matching yellow Hermes scarf tie the whole look together, accentuating her delicate feet and graceful neck.

Carly looks like the goddess of the sun wearing it, and every time I look at her, I just have to smile.

But she’s still a little anxious and when we’re close to our destination booth, she pauses, “I feel like people are staring at me.

“Of course they are,” I tell her. “You look gorgeous.” Most of the people we passed by threw admiring glances at her. Someone even tells her when Carly goes over to the cookie stand. Even the man in a lounge chair behind the counter we’re heading to squints his one good eye at her, and says, “That’s a real pretty dress, Carls.”

“Thanks, Mark.” She blushes and continues walking. “Do you need any help?”

“Nah. I got it. But you can hang around if you want to.” Mark immediately eyes me. “This your fella?”

“No, he’s just a friend.”

I cock an eyebrow. Oh, that’s what we were going to play it? Just friends?

She sends me a pleading look and I smirk.

Alright then. We can be just friends for now.

“I’m Micah. Carly’sfriend.” I offer the other man a handshake.

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