“Uncle Bennett likes strawberry milk, though,” Asa said.
I winked. “Go get me some of that, then.”
He did, and five minutes later, I had an arm full of bags and excited kid.
“I’ll bring him back inside if Nico doesn’t,” I said over my shoulder.
Delanie gave me a wave and helped the next customer that’d followed me inside.
Then, with Asa clinging to my head while perched on my shoulders, and me holding two dozen donuts, five jugs of milk, and some kolaches, I made my way outside.
Asa shrieked in laughter when I pretended to drop him, causing Bennett, Nico, and Calloway to turn my way.
Nico grinned at me—or more likely Asa—and broke away.
When he was close enough, Asa dove into his grandfather’s arms.
Nico hugged him close and fell back into step beside us, walking back to where Calloway and Bennett were still standing.
I handed Bennett a box of donuts, half the kolaches and his strawberry milk.
“If you don’t like the strawberry milk, it’s Asa’s fault. He said you did.” I poked the kid in the side.
He bared his teeth at me in a feral grin that was really fuckin’ impressive. “It is his favorite.”
“He’s right,” Bennett said as he eyed the donuts in the box. “But I’m on a diet. I really shouldn’t be eating these.”
“Why are you on a diet?” Calloway asked as she snuck one of the cream ones out of her dad’s box.
“That’s Bavarian,” I said before she bit into it. “The ones in here are yours.”
She set the box on top of her car’s roof and pulled one out, grinning when she saw the flowers.
“I like these,” she said. “Delanie did good.”
She had.
The girl was a freakin’ god when it came to decorating a donut.
“Aunt Dillan is gonna do grad-didutation hats tomorrow,” Asa declared. “She said that she has an order for eight hundred donuts tomorrow.”
Nico snorted. “Graduation.”
“That’s what I said,” Asa said. “What are you doing here, Papa?”
As Asa said that, he cupped his ‘Papa’s’ cheeks with both hands and forced Nico to look him in the eye.
“I’m going to take you to your doctor appointment today,” he said. “Your mama said that your tummy was acting up. And your daddy got called in to work.”
Asa wrinkled up his nose. “Daddy’s pissed, isn’t he?”
Nico’s eyes sparkled. “Daddy wasn’t happy, no. But I’m here. Then we’ll go see Grammy at work when we’re done. Sound good?”
Asa fist-pumped the air. “Do I have to go back to school after?”
“No,” Nico said. “You’ve already missed half of it by now.”
I didn’t bother to point out that it was only nine in the morning. He didn’t miss half of it. He would miss about half of it if he went back right after his doctor appointment.
“Sweet.” He turned in Nico’s arms and narrowed his eyes at Bennett. “Can I press your siren button?”
“As cute as this little baby is, I have to go,” Calloway said as she licked her lips. “I’m supposed to be in Dallas in two hours for something.”
Bennett narrowed his eyes. “Something what?”
Calloway shoved the box of donuts at me and held out her hand for her keys. “Give ‘em.”
I ignored her, walked to her driver’s side, and said, “Get in.”
Calloway stood there and growled.
Instead of listening to her, I started her car, shoved the seat back as far as it could go, and then closed the door.
Then, for good measure, I locked the door.
Calloway stood there for a good two minutes before she realized I wasn’t getting out.
While she was standing there, I helped myself to two more donuts and two kolaches before downing my chocolate milk.
Finally, I saw movement, grinning when I watched her stomp like a rabid badger around the car and yank open the door.
I rolled the window down and said, “Y’all have a good one.”
Bennett saluted me with a donut, and I waved at Asa. “Take care of the old man, Asa.”
Nico flipped me off.
Grinning, I rolled up the window and put the car into drive.
“Now, which part of Dallas are we going to?” I asked. “And can we stop at Buc-ee’s?”
***
“Holy shit,” Calloway said as she saw the gas station. “Oh my god.”
“It’s big, right?” I said. “I’ve wanted to stop here since they opened it. Though the only time I’ve been past it, someone’s been with me that refuses to stop.”
“Meaning your sister,” Calloway snorted. “You know how she hates crowds.”
That was true. My sister, Beckham, really hated crowds. Hated it to the point where she had panic attacks, hated it. Needless to say, Buc-ee’s was out of the question for her. At least, she thought it was out of the question. Likely, it wasn’t bad at all, she just refused to give it a chance because of her refusal to enter into a situation that might cause one.
“I just… it’s so big,” she whispered.