Page 59 of Napkins and Other Distractions
“Oh gosh, she’d love it. And I think you’d love where we’re going today,” he says, a small glint in his brown eyes.
“But I haven’t showered. I need to change, and … ”
“Go home. We’ll pick you up in forty-five minutes.”
Kent eases Sweetums onto the blanket and stands. Taking my hand in his, he kisses my knuckles. His whiskers prickle my skin, sending a warm shiver up my arm. This isn’t what I had in mind for my day, but Kent has a way of making it hard to refuse.
“Are you sure?”
Kent leans in, his lips brush my neck, and he whispers in my ear, “Absolutely.”
CHAPTER 20
Kent
“Poppy!” Lia shouts from her father’s arms. Louis opens the door with my granddaughter in one arm and a giant meat baster in the other.
When I cock my head and stare at the utensil, he lifts it and says, “Roast beef. No way mine will be dry.”
I extend my arms, and Lia transfers from her father to me, clutching my neck and burying her face in my beard. She moves her tiny mouth toward my ear, whispering, “Where are we going, Poppy?” Her breath smacks of fruity cereal and toothpaste.
“Yes, where are you going, Poppy?” Gillian asks, her turn to parrot Lia. She stands behind Louis, her hands moving near his waist as she ties his apron. As she pulls the dark blue fabric taut, the words come into focus—May I suggest the sausage?I contain my groan and step inside.
“It’s a surprise.”
Gillian’s eyes widen, and she replies, “Oh really?”
“Let’s grab your coat, Lia,” I say, snatching her gear piled by the door.
“Have fun with Poppy!” Louis calls from the kitchen.
“Almost ready,” I say, pulling a pink hat over Lia’s head. “Listen, we’re going to pick up Vincent and … ” Lia eyes me as her mother zips her jacket, and knowing the way she loves to chat, I refrain from telling Gillian where we’re headed. “We’ll be back by dinner. I’ll call you when we get there.”
“Vincent.” Gillian hands me a backpack of supplies I might need for a day with my four-year-old granddaughter. “Give him my best.” She arranges her lips into a knowing smile.
“We will,” I reply, slinging the bag over my shoulder and taking Lia’s hand.
“Where are we going?” Lia asks as she buckles herself into the car seat that lives in my backseat for her.
“You’re such a big girl,” I say, attempting to distract her while I wait for her to finish.
“I am a big girl.”Click. The final strap locks into place, and I give everything a quick tug to check it’s secure. “But where are wegoing, Poppy?”
“Someplace special. I can’t tell you until we arrive because I want it to be a surprise.”
“For Vincent?”
“Yes.”
“But I won’t tell him.”
I love Lia to the moon and back, but she cannot keep a secret to save her life. It’s one thing I adore about her. I always know what my birthday presents are, because to keep them a secret, Gillian would have to buy and wrap them without Lia … and she doesn’t have time for that.
“Well, I want it to be a surprise for you, too,” I offer.
“Can I have a hint?”
“Sure, sweetheart. The place we’re going is close to Boston. So, it’s going to be a bit of a drive.”
