Page 79 of Home Town Advantage
She shakes her head. “She can’t do that to you. You have rights. You could take her to court.”
I feel my body stiffen. This is not how I saw this evening going. “That would just hurt Francesca. You think Finn would want that? Francesca getting hurt and being confused? Her being dragged into court?”
Her lips twitch in anger. “What does Finn have to do with this? She’s nothisdaughter. She’syours.”
I take a deep breath before answering. “He loved Maddie. You and Maddie meant the world to him. He asked two things of me.” I hold up two fingers. “They were to look after you and to look after Maddie. I take my promise seriously. It’s not conditional. There’s no expiration date. It was my pledge to him, and I’ll see it through until the day I die,” I mumble, “no matter what it costs me.”
She crosses her arms. “Why did you move her two towns over? I’m sure she would have preferred to live closer to her family. She could have been closer to your parents too.”
I lick my lips. I think I can answer this one honestly. “Because of your family. I told her I’d buy her whatever house she wanted, just not in our hometown. Why should your parents have to see her and Francesca every day and be reminded of what was lost? She’s close enough for easy visits from her family, but not so close that it’s a daily reminder for your parents. It was my one condition. She was reluctant at first but accepted it when she saw the house I bought her.”
She sighs. “Does Curtis even have a job, or do theyalllive off you?”
I shrug. “Don’t know. Curtis Huddle isn’t my business.”
I know that fucking loser doesn’t have a job. They all live off me.
She purposefully bangs her head back on the headrest. “You frustrate me, Vance McCaffrey.”
I reach for her hand again and pull it to my lips for a kiss. “We’re here. Can we please shelve this for a bit and have a little fun?”
Our eyes meet. Her blues and my greens. I try to convey sincerity. “I just want to enjoy our night together. I planned something I think you’ll like. Please. I’ve been looking forward to it all day.” More like all week.
Her shoulders, which were practically in her ears, visibly relax, and she nods. “Okay.”
I pull down a road and see it in her face when she realizes what we’re doing. Her face lights up as she turns to me with excitement in her eyes. “A drive-in movie?”
I can’t help my grin. “Time for you to get the full McCaffed treatment.”
She giggles. “I should never have told you that word. What movie are we seeing?”
“What else?Sixteen Candles.”
Her face softens. “How?”
“I…umm…called the owner. He’s a fan. I offered him some signed items in return for playing the movie I asked for. It took me a minute to find this place. There aren’t exactly a lot of drive-ins still around, at least not near big cities.”
She lifts her shoulders in excitement. “This is amazing. Thank you.”
I park the car backward so we can watch from the bed of my truck. Even though it’s dark out now, I grab a baseball cap from my center console just in case there are any prying eyes when we walk around the truck. Once we’re in the truck bed,we’ll mostly be out of sight. Between my high wheels and the high sides of the truck, no other cars will be able to see us unless they’re standing on their roofs.
I pull down my cap, and she taps the bill. “Nice hat.”
It’s a Beavers hat.
I wink. “I’ve got your jersey too. A few of them. I need you to sign them sometime.”
She leans her head back on the headrest and smiles goofily. “Why the smile?” I ask.
She runs her bottom lip through her teeth. “I wore your jersey to bed every night for years until…Francesca. The thought of you wearing mine does things to me.”
I wiggle my eyebrows. “Glad things are stirring. It will help when I want to McCaff you in a little bit.”
She rolls her eyes and moans in malcontent. “Ugh. You’rereallymaking me regret telling you that.”
I chuckle as I exit the truck and help her into the back bed. Together we lay out all the blankets and pillows I brought and then set up the picnic dinner.
As we sit cross-legged, eating, waiting for the movie to start, she asks, “Do any of your friends know about our history?”
