I hurried back to the office and jumped in the shower, then headed to the kitchen, my hair still wet. It was bustling as always, but Sunny was with Cindy, who was handing her a list. Cindy’s eyes crinkled at she looked at me.
“There’s my boy.” She smiled, handing me the keys. “Sunny has a list. There are four stops. The most important one is the butcher. Save it until last. He’ll pack it in the coolers Gerry put in the back since our van isn’t refrigerated. Everything else is ordered and waiting for you.”
“Okay.”
“Drive safe, and I need you back by four.”
I glanced at the clock. It was only ten. “We’ll be back in plenty of time.”
“Walton’s Grill has great burgers. Have lunch before you come back. Look around. It’s a pretty little town.” She paused with a wink. “Great place to get lost in.”
I couldn’t help stepping forward and pressing a kiss to her plump cheek. She treated me the way Sunny’s mom did—with affection and love. She did the same to everyone at the camp, but for me, it meant more.
“Thanks, Cindy. You’re the best.”
“Get on with you,” she chuckled and pushed me away. “Fill the tank up at Larson’s. They keep a tab for us, and he knows you’re heading there today.”
“Okay.”
The drive in was fun. It was a bonus having Sunny with me, talking and laughing. Both of us free and happy. She was shier than normal at first, but once I teased her a little, she relaxed.
“Do you know what tomorrow is?” I asked.
“Um, Saturday?”
I chuckled. “Yep. And five months to the day since I first kissed you.”
Her smile told me she knew exactly what the date was that I referred to.
“Yeah.”
“And we both are off after seven and free until lunch Sunday. No bells to interrupt us.” As long as you signed out the night before your morning off, you were excused from the bed check, although you had to be back on the grounds by one, unless you had permission. I glanced at her, then back to the road. “My room?”
She glanced out the window, her cheeks flushed. She reached for my hand. “Yeah.”
I grinned the rest of the way into town.
In town, we went through the list, filling the van. I checked our progress and smiled. “Just the butcher left. Why don’t we walk a bit and have lunch?”
Sunny grinned, looking around. “I’d like that.”
It was an amazing feeling to walk with her, being able to hold her hand or sling my arm over her shoulders. We wandered and looked. I bought a couple new T-shirts since I seemed to be destroying the ones I had, and Sunny ducked into a woman’s store for a while, telling me to stay outside. I peeked in and saw her by a rack of lingerie, then scuttled to the bench she’d left me on.
I didn’t want to ruin her surprise, but I knew I was gonna like it. I looked down the street and stood, strolling to the window that caught my eye. I studied the display, then looked over my shoulder to make sure she wasn’t back outside yet, and ducked into the small shop.
I emerged five minutes later, my own surprise hidden in my pocket. As I approached the bench, Sunny came out of the shop, tucking a small pink bag into her purse.
I pretended not to notice. We could both keep our secrets for now.
I held out my hand. “Lunch?”
She rose up on her toes and kissed me. Caught in the moment of happiness, I lifted her in my arms, so her feet dangled in mid-air, and kissed her back. Hard, deep, just the way I knew she liked it now. It was a kiss filled with joy and elation. One caught in sunlight and life, and born of knowing the girl I held was the girl I would love for the rest of my life. The thought settled into my head, no shock or surprise occurring, only an ease within my chest.
Sunny would be my life. Where she was would be my home. And I planned on telling her tomorrow.
I put her on her feet with a grin. “Ready for lunch?”
A black car went by, the windows tinted. It was slow in moving past us, and the sight of it made my stomach clench, but I didn’t recognize the driver, and there would be no reason for my father to be in this town. He worked in the opposite direction, and it was rare he went anywhere during the week except the office. His underlings did the legwork. He made the decisions and the money. I shook off the dread that rolled over me. I was being paranoid. I wasn’t used to being happy or carefree. It was simply a coincidence, and lots of people drove dark sedans like that one. I refused to let the ghost of him damper this day.