“Seriously, Easton. You do know these people, right?” she asks, worrying her bottom lip.
Leaning in, I press a kiss to her cheek then whisper in her ear, “Yes, I know these people. No way would I risk losing you when I finally have your attention.” Pulling away, I load the blankets, basket, cooler, and bag of supplies onto the golf cart. “Hop on,” I tell her. She doesn’t hesitate, and the smile on her face tells me she’s excited for what’s to come.
I drive us down to the pond and stop just at the edge of the dock. Quickly, we unload, and I begin to make a spot for us. Once I have the blankets spread out, the basket and the cooler all set up, we settle in for lunch.
“This is really nice,” she says, popping a grape in her mouth.
“It’s quiet here, and I wasn’t sure if Paisley was coming. I thought she could run and play. I also brought two blankets in case she wanted to nap.”
“She’s opposed to those these days. Even when she does take them, they’re short.” A blush touches her cheeks. “Sorry.”
“For what?” I ask, reaching out and tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
“I’m sure you don’t want to hear me babble on about my daughter’s napping habits.”
“Is she a part of you?”
She looks over at me, her expression confused. “She’s the best part of me.”
“Then I want to hear you talk about her. She’s your life, Larissa. I get that. All I’m asking is a chance to be a part of that as well.”
She’s quiet for several long minutes staring off in the distance. “You don’t make it easy on a girl, do you?”
“Nothing worth having comes easy,” I say.
“What’s in the bag?” she asks, changing the subject.
“This is me trying to be prepared.” Reaching for the bag, I unzip it and pull out the Frisbee. “You can’t come to a place like this with wide-open spaces without a Frisbee.”
“I think it’s a law,” she teases.
Delving into the bag once more, I pull out the small pink glove. “Found this,” I say, handing it to her.
She takes the glove and turns it over in her hands. “You remembered.” She looks up at me, and her smile is blinding.
“Of course I did. Princess P wanted a pink glove, but they didn’t have one in her size.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Don’t say anything. Just listen.” Setting the bag aside, I reach for her hand, holding it in mine. I softly trace her knuckles with my thumb and wait for her to look at me. When she does, I let the words tumble free. “I like you, Larissa. I’m not playing games. I know you’re a single mom and that Paisley is, as she should be, the most important person in your world. I just want the chance to be a part of that world. To spend time with you, and her. To get to know you and see if this electricity I feel every time I’m with you is what I imagine it to be.”
She closes her eyes and nods. I don’t say anything else, giving her time to process what I’m saying. When her eyes open, they say so much. She wants to trust me, but she’s guarded. I don’t care how long it takes, I’ll earn that trust from her. From both of them. I can feel her fear, her reluctance pouring off her. Is it that she’s still mourning the loss of her husband? Is it the fact that my life is in the spotlight? Maybe she’s fearful of losing yet another important person in her life? Whatever those fears may be, I want to demolish them. I want her to smile like she was just moments ago. I want her laughter. I want to watch her be the incredible mother I already know she is. Whatever she’s hiding behind those walls, I want to be the man to knock them down.
“What else is in the bag?” she asks after clearing her throat.
Not letting go of her hand, I reach again for the bag with my other. I pull out two more gloves and a couple of balls. “We couldn’t give her the pink glove she’s always wanted and not use it.” I wink.
“You thought of everything.” She smiles. It’s softer than those I received earlier, but I’ll take it. Never would I turn down one of her beautiful smiles.
“Maybe I always wanted to be a boy scout,” I say, and her smile grows. “Let’s eat.” I remove the fresh fruit, pretzels, and sandwiches from the picnic basket. “We have turkey clubs, a plain turkey, and a plain cheese. I wasn’t sure what Paisley would eat, but I know she loves her cheese.”
“That she does. That was very thoughtful of you, Easton. Thank you for going out of your way, just on the idea that she might be with us today.”