Page 66 of Scoop Me Up
I was both embarrassed and flattered by the sentiment, one I’d heard a lot more often lately than ever before. I wasn’t sure what had gotten into the townspeople to make them draw attention to my happiness so often.Well, you do know one thing that’s changed,I thought.Gabe’s in your life now.Honestly, though, Iwashappier.
Once the mayor was gone, I pulled out my phone and texted Gabe for an update on Jennifer. I was getting hungry and I knew Ellie must be, too, so I wanted to make lunch plans sooner than later. Gabe didn’t respond right away, which I assumed meant he was still with Jennifer at urgent care, so I tucked my phone away. A few moments later, the sound of Gabe’s voice called out from the front entrance, making my heart flutter with excitement.
“Sam? Ellie? Anyone here?”
Ellie immediately hopped out of her chair and hurried to Gabe. “Daddy!” She ran into his arms and he scooped her up.
“Hey, Bug. How’s it going here?”
“I’m the Ice Cream Queen,” she said.
“I know,” he said seriously. “I saw your apron.”
“My flavor is Maple Stardust Sprinkle and it has crackle candy in it. It comes from my planet in outer space.”
“That sounds amazing,” he agreed, putting her back on her feet.
“It is. But then I got kidnapped and the other aliens tried to steal my ice cream crown.”
Gabe nodded solemnly, listening as Ellie continued to tell her story. Watching them warmed my heart. He was an excellent dad. Patient, loving, devoted. Everything a kid could want.
I waited until Ellie had run back off before speaking. “How’s Jennifer?”
“Sprained knee. She’ll be fine though. Nothing torn or broken, no need for surgery or anything. She’s on crutches and wearing a brace. I dropped her off a little while ago with some painkillers and anti-inflammatories and instructions to rest.”
Ellie came back out, carrying the stepstool she’d been using to reach things all day, and placed it behind the counter. “Daddy, take a picture. I’m the ice cream seller. Mix, you can be my customer.” I got into place and Gabe snapped a few photos on his phone before Ellie hopped down. “I want to see.”
Gabe showed us both the pictures and once again, my chest constricted. I thought back to what the mayor had said. “Living the Maplewood dream.” Were we? Maybe we were. I just needed to gather the courage to talk to Gabe about it. A little voice in my head said,This could be real. This could be forever. You just have to let it happen.My stomach fluttered with nerves and I swallowed hard.
“I’m going to get Ellie home for lunch,” Gabe said, slicing through my thoughts. He put his hand on my arm and squeezed gently. “I’ll see you later?”
The thought warmed me. “Yeah, of course.”
As they left, my stomach ached with longing. I wanted it to be real. I wanted us to be a family. I wanted to live the Maplewood dream.
Chapter 26
Gabe
I took Ellie to breakfast at Red’s the next morning with the intention of giving Jennifer a break to rest and recover. As we ate our pancakes, Ellie chattered on and on about her day with Sam and how much they’d let her help.
“They taught me how to fill the machine with fruit and cream. That starts the ice cream. And then it mixes and mixes and mixes it. It was so much fun. Can we go again?”
“Of course we can. I think Mix is stuck with us for a little while longer. At least until the end of summer.”
Ellie nodded solemnly and took a bite of pancake. A few moments later, she looked at me with her big eyes. The splash of freckles across her face had grown darker in the summer sun and for a moment, I got a flash of what she would look like when she grew up. “Can Mix be in our family from now on? I like them.”
“Aw, Bug. I know you do. But that’s not really how it works, remember?”
“Mix says all families look different and some families are chosen.”
I hesitated, wanting to choose my words carefully. “That’s true.” My mind raced. How was I going to explain this without telling her anything serious? “Listen. Mix will always be a part of your life. They live right here in Maplewood, just like you. You’ll see them at the ice cream shop and everywhere else. Okay?”
She frowned, clearly not agreeing, but she nodded. “Fine.”
“Hey, do you want to go by the shop today when we finish breakfast? I think they’re finishing the painting today. Maybe we could help.”
“Yes!” She bounced in her seat and I couldn’t help but chuckle.
