Page 69 of Lucky Sucker

Wren slowly undressed out of his coat in the passenger seat while I loaded his suitcase into the trunk. We had two weeks of bliss ahead of us, together, without assignments due, or the pressure to attend practice. We could sleep in and decompress, I knew that meant Wren’s little side was going to be very happy.

“I made a playlist,” he announced as I climbed into the driver’s seat.

“Perfect,” I said, giving him a kiss. “You know, your only other job was to look cute, and you’ve succeeded.”

“Your other job was to buy snacks,” he said.

From the footwell of the back seats, I pulled out a large paper sack. “You think I’d forget? Of course, I bought so many snacks, I think they thought I was preparing for the end times in the store.”

“Oh, wow.” He looked into the bag, nearly diving full head first. “Fruit laces, chocolate, oh, hot chocolate powder, marshmallows, oh my god, this is so much stuff. So much candy too.” He pulled out a candy bracelet, slipping it over his wrist. “I love these.”

“I thought you might.” I gave his cold face a little rub. “There’s some soda and water on the seats in the back as well. But don’t drink too much, it’s only a forty-minute drive, and I don’t think it’s gonna be safe to stop on these roads.”

He nodded. “You already texted to tell me to pee beforehand, so I made sure to pee. And it’s a good job you did as well because I would’ve forgot.”

“I should be up for Daddy of the year award,” I joked. I’d only really known about this lifestyle for a couple of months, and I wasn’t nearly as prepared for it as I wanted to be. I had a lot to learn, and a lot more that I wanted to do with him before I won any such award.

“You’d have my vote, so that’s as good as winning.”

I took his hand and gave the back of it a kiss before placing my mouth at the candy bracelet and biting off one of the candies. “Mhm, these are good.”

“They do other ones too, like, forthe downstairsparts,” he giggled.

“They might be in there as well.” They weren’t, but I’d add it to the list of things Wren might want to do and play with. “Is your seat warm enough? You’re still cold.”

He wiggled his bum on the seat. “It could be warmer.”

“Say less, baby, I’ve got you sorted. And tell me if it’s too warm.”

“Ooo.”

“I’m just warming my snack up.” I winked at him. My snack.

29. WREN

We arrived at our destination. Pineberry Falls. It was between the mountain range. Rainbow flags were outside buildings, and every window frame and planter box was decorated with colorful lights. We drove slow into town as I stared out of the window, taking in every single sight the town had to offer. Large balls of snow pulled together to form little snow families of varying sizes and some were even dressed in scarves and hats. No carrots for noses, but twigs and sticks.

“This is somewhere I could live forever,” I let out in a whisper, my face nearly flush to the cold car window. My breath fogging up my view.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

“It’s incredible. Where are we staying?”I could’ve looked at the GPS, but the view outside of the window was far more appealing.

“A bed and breakfast just up the road,” he said. “The Pineberry Brook Inn.”

“I thought it was called Pineberry Falls.”

“Well, you should ask them when we get there.”

The idea of traveling and seeing places like this was a dream for me, but anxieties had always stopped me. Daddy’s presence gave me the confidence to express my wants and needs in life. Seeing the sights, meeting new people, and getting to experience things I might not have, even if they were only forty minutes away.

We passed what I assumed was a town square. Stalls were out, also decorated with the colorful string lights. People crowded around the stalls with large plumes of steam combating the snow in the air. Soups, hot chocolates, and food. I was salivating, even after devouring two candy bracelets and a bar of chocolate.

Arriving at the destination, I just stared out of the window at the large cottage type building. I felt like I’d been transported through time. It looked like something straight out of an old picture book where frog people lived.

“Welcome,” a voice greeted Luke as he was first out of the car.A bald man with a thick black beard walked out to meet us, and even though it was snowing, he wasn’t dressed for it.

I pulled my coat back around my arms and fastened it in place before I left the car. My instinct was to cuddle up beside Luke and hold his hand for reassurance.

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