“Was she blind?” Laura asked, with a playful smile.
Ethan cocked his head to the side. “You know what? I didn't think about that, but now I'm kind of wondering.”
“Hey, Ethan,” Dallas said. “You've got a little sunscreen on your nose.”
Ethan pretended like he hadn't noticed, reaching his hand up to touch the blob of sunscreen. “I do? Oh jeez, how silly of me. I'm such a klutz.”
All four of them started laughing. Laura locked the door, and they all headed to Ethan's car in the driveway. Craig was in the front seat of the SUV, and as soon as he saw the group, he hopped out and walked swiftly toward Laura.
“Good morning, Laura,” he said. “Here, let me get that bag. It looks heavy.”
“Thanks, Craig,” she said, handing him the gym bag.
Craig grunted as he lifted it over his shoulder. “Jeez, what's in here? You packing bricks or something.”
“I didn't know where we were going, so I packed everything I could think of,” Laura said, giggling. “I might have overdone it, though.”
Craig tossed the bag into the back of the SUV and then opened the rear door for them.
“Alright, I can fit adults in the back row. Car seats go in the middle row,” he said. “If anybody wants to sit up from with me and listen to good music, feel free.”
“Not it,” Ethan said. “Craig stinks.”
“Eww, not it,” Dallas said. “And I ride in a booster seat. Not a car seat.”
“Not it!” Ivy chimed in.
Laura laughed. “Fine, I guess I'll sit up front. We don't want stinky Craig getting lonely.”
“Hey, now, just because I'm a big oaf, doesn't mean I don't have feelings,” Craig said, flashing a wink. “Just joking. I actually do kind of stink.”
He made his way to the driver's seat and sat down.
“Sit in the back row with me,” Ethan whispered dramatically to Laura. “It's a bit of a trip, and I'll get lonely back there all by myself.”
“You sure Craig will make it alone?” she asked, with a pretend concerned face.
“I think he'll live,” Ethan said, flashing a wink. “Is your car unlocked? I'll grab the kid seats.”
She pulled her keys out of her purse and hit the button to unlock her car. Ethan ran over and removed the car seats and balanced one on each arm as he walked back to the SUV.
“I can get those,” Laura said, hurrying over to help.
“No, I got it,” he said. “Take a seat in the back and relax.”
She shrugged, then crawled into the car, sliding toward the back row. Meanwhile, Dallas and Ivy stood outside, watching Ethan wrestle with the car seats.
“So wait, this buckle goes where?” he asked. “No, this can't be right.”
Laura sat silent for a moment, just enjoying the show. Finally, though, she realized she had better help him. Because after five minutes, he wasn't any closer to getting the seats in than when he had first started.
“You sure you don't want me to do it?” she asked. “I've done it a million times.”
Ethan let out a defeated sigh, then nodded. “Yeah, you'd better. I'm getting nowhere.”
“I think it's cute that you tried, though,” she said, squeezing his arm as she scooted up front to install the seats.
“You'd think I'd be good at it,” Ethan said, shaking his head. “Considering I run a car company and all.”