“Okay. Not quite what I had in mind, but it’s a start.” She giggled, completely unsure if he was being serious or not.
“Ask, and I’ll tell,” he replied, pulling her hand to his mouth and kissing it softly.
“Is this kind of like you show me yours, and I’ll show you mine?”
“Well, I’ve already shown you mine and seen yours … but sure, why not. We’ll go with that.”
Allie found herself laughing at Marc’s antics. He kept the conversation light which she greatly appreciated.
“Smartass.” She laughed.
“Absolutely. If you take life too seriously, it will come back to bite you in the ass, and you’ll be miserable. So, I’ve learned to laugh off as much as I can. It’s probably not healthy, and a shrink would more than likely think I’m insane, but it’s all good. It works for me.”
“I see that. I like it. I’ve been around too many people lately who just leave me feeling drained after a conversation or any type of interaction at all. I can’t deal with all the whining and complaining. It drives me nuts.”
“Right. I’m not good with it either. That’s why I always try to keep things fun. Sometimes you just have to laugh.”
“Right. So, now that we’re back to camp. Tell me about you while we get dinner going.” Allie added several pieces of wood to the fire and stoked the coals. She wrapped a couple of potatoes in foil and placed them on a pile of hot coals.
“You mean you want to know more than my favorite color and sign?” He smirked.
“Exactly.” Allie truly enjoyed their lighthearted banter. It was like nothing she’d ever experienced with a guy. Normally, conversations were awkward and stilted … not with Marc. Conversations with him were fun and easy … almost natural.
“Well, I’m a firefighter. I have three older brothers and a younger sister. My parents are great, enjoying their retirement.”
“Nice. I always wanted a big family, but my mother didn’t. So, I’m an only child.” Allie tried not to let her sadness about her family crop up in her voice. She’d gotten used to being lonely when she was young. Her parents worked high-paying, stress-filled jobs and rarely had time for her. A parade of endless nannies and staff filled her house, raising and taking care of her, and though she had legally been an adult for more than a decade, her parents still kept her on a tight leash.
“What about you? What do you do?” Marc asked.
“I’m a high school teacher.”
“Wow. You must have the patience of a saint to deal with all that estrogen and testosterone every day.”
“No kidding, but I love my kids. All of them. Some are a handful, but only because they’re going through things at home. My heart goes out to all of them, and if I can help them in any way … well … that’s why I became a teacher.”
“So it’s safe to say you really like kids?”
“It is. I would love a large family of my own one day.” Allie couldn’t wait to have the life she’d always wanted … the family of her dreams filled with lots of kids and a husband who adored her.
“At least we’re on the same page when it comes to having a large family.”
“That’s a good start since we’re mates and all.” Allie grabbed four steaks from the cooler and seasoned them before tossing them on the rack above the fire. The smell of the meat sizzling made her stomach growl and her mouth water. She’d wished for the tenth time today that she would’ve eaten breakfast before she left the house.
“Those are some nice-looking cuts of meat. Smells so good.”
“I was just thinking the same thing.” Allie flipped the steaks over. Flames danced up around them. “Rare or medium rare?”
“Rare.”
“Perfect. Makes my job easier, and they taste so much better that way. Can you grab the tray off the table?”
“Sure.”
Allie plucked the potatoes from the fire and placed them on the tray that Marc held. Next, she pulled the steaks from the fire.
“You can set them on the picnic table,” Allie said, grabbing a bag from a plastic tote in the bed of her truck. She opened the bin and pulled out a small stack of paper plates and silverware. She set them on the table and padded over to the cooler to grab the butter and a couple of bottles of water.
“This looks amazing,” Marc said.