Page 49 of Wrong Car, Wright Guy
“I’ll be right back,” he says. “You two ladies can talk girly stuff while I’m gone.” He presses a kiss to the top of Camille’s head as he steps on the brake to keep her chair still while he heads over to the ice cream vendor, pausing to give me a quick kiss too.
When I look back to Camille, she’s grinning with delight. “Are you gonna marry my brother?”
“I don’t know yet. But I like him a lot.”
“I think you should marry him. And then I can be your flower girl and you can dress in a pretty white dress and I can have a pink one. And I can have flowers in my hair. And you can too.”
“Sounds like you know a lot about weddings.”
“Sometimes my Barbie doll marries my Ken doll. But sometimes she likes Action Man or Wolverine better.”
“You like dolls?”
“Yeah. And TV. And painting.”
“What do you paint?”
“Flowers. Can you bring me a new Barbie next time you come? I want one with hair like mine.” She lifts a hand and tangles it in her wavy auburn bob.
“If that’s OK with Tanner, I’m more than happy to get you a Barbie doll with red hair. Does that mean you like me and want to see me again?” I smile and she nods.
“Yes. Because I like outside, and I like ice cream, and I like it when he’s happy.”
“Tanner? Isn’t he happy most of the time?”
“He smiles because he likes me, because I’m very funny and beautiful and because I’m his big sister. But he isn’t happy. He’s happy today.”
“Two chocolate ice creams.” Tanner returns with our order and hands them out, squatting down so he can help Camille eat hers. “What’d I miss?”
“Girl talk, Tanner,” I say.
“Yeah!” Camille says, her mouth pressed against her ice cream. “No boy talk.”
“Oh, I see how it is. Pushed out by my two favorite girls just because I’m a boy. No fair, girls. No fair.” He pretend pouts and both Camille and I laugh.
“Camille was just telling me about her Barbie dolls,” I say, giving her a wink. Her eyes light up.
“Yeah. And Ruby said she’ll bring me one with hair like mine.”
“Oh, she did, did she?” Tanner’s eyebrows lift. “So, it’s bribes you’re taking now? Is that what it takes to win Camille’s approval?”
“No, Tanner,” she says. “No bribes. I like Ruby just becauseyoulike Ruby. The Barbie is for fun.”
“OK. I can do fun.” He hands me the ice cream cone and gives me a wink before he unlocks Camille’s wheels and twirls her around in her chair. “Is that fun?”
Camille nods emphatically, laughing so hard that she snorts. Which makes me laugh so hard thatIsnort. And pretty soon, we’re all in fits of giggles.
“Come and visit me next time too, Ruby,” Camille says once we’re back to eating our ice creams. “Tanner is lots of fun with you around.”
“Ruby makes me a better man,” Tanner says, sharing an intimate smile with me. And I swoon a little harder, finding that with each passing moment, I fall in love with Tanner Wright even more.
Twenty
Ruby
“Oh my god, stop. You’re going to make me late.” I laugh as Tanner undoes my blouse just as I finish buttoning it up—for the third time.
“I can’t help myself. I prefer it when you’re naked.” He slides his hands around my waist and dips his head into the curve of my neck, kissing me against my pulse point until he moves to my mouth and demands entry. This is precisely why I don't apply my lipstick until we’re in the car most days.
