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“We found ways to entertain ourselves.” Tori winked at me, and my whole body heated at the thought of our form of entertainment from just a few hours ago.
Emery tilted her head at me. “Did you play games?”
I bit my lip to keep from laughing at their innocence. “Something like that.”
My mom walked into the hallway and gave me and Tori hugs. “These two are little angels. I’d keep them here for a week if I could.”
“Don’t tempt us,” Tori said with a laugh.
“Hey!” Bella glared at her mom. “Not nice.”
Tori hugged her even tighter. “Calm down. I’m just kidding. I obviously missed you like crazy. And guess what? I have a surprise planned for the three of you, so we have to get going.”
Emery’s eyes went wide as she wiggled out of my arms. “A surprise?”
Bella wiggled out of Tori’s arms as well. “What’s the surprise?”
“If I told you it wouldn’t be a surprise, would it?” Tori motioned toward my mom. “Give Meemaw a hug and then we can go.”
Emery and Bella both gave my mom a quick hug then opened the door and ran down the sidewalk. Tori ran out after them, but before I could follow, my mom put a hand on my arm. When I turned around, she had the same smile on her face. “So, how was your date?”
When I was in high school (or even college), if someone had told me my mom would be the type of mom I discussed my dating life with, I would have thought they were crazy. If they told me we would be talking about the girl I was dating, I definitely would have been convinced they had the wrong person. But now, it didn’t even seem strange for my mom to be asking me about this, aside from the fact that I was so surprised over how chill she was about the news that Tori was the one I fell for.
“It was honestly perfect. We went to the playground, and I don’t know. It was so nice to feel like a kid again.”
My mom squeezed my arm as she beamed at me. “I’m so happy to hear that. You deserve the world after everything you’ve been through. It still makes me so sad that I contributed to so many of your hardships when you were growing up. I’d like to think if I knew everything you were going to go through, maybe I would have been there for you sooner.”
Tears burned my eyes as I tried to keep myself from crying. “You were there when it mattered. I wouldn’t have been able to get through these past few years without you and Dad.” I couldn’t hold them back anymore so I wiped my tear-filled eyes with the back of my arm.
My mom reached out and ran her thumb along the few tears that were left on my cheeks. “No tears. This should be a happy time for you. I’m happy for the two of you.”
“Thanks, Mom.” I pointed outside where Tori was chasing Emery and Bella in circles around the car. “I better go help with that.”
“Of course. Have fun with your surprise tonight.” My mom winked then closed the door behind her.
I ran over to the car and swept Emery into my arms. She giggled as she tried to wiggle away from me. With a little bit of struggle, I was able to get her into her car seat that she was soon going to grow out of. Where did my little girl go?
By the time I was done with my battle, Tori had completed her battle as well. Just like she did every time we got in the car since Bella was switched to a booster seat, Emery glared at her friend. “Why do I have a baby seat, and she gets a big kid seat?”
“Because I’m a big kid and you’re a baby.” Bella stuck her tongue out at Emery as Emery continued to glare at her.
Tori smiled at me when she got into the car. “How would you feel about doing something a little wild tonight?”
I looked at the two little girls who were still bickering in the back of the car. “Isn’t anything we try to do with those two wild?”
“Do you trust me?” Tori asked instead of answering my question.
I trusted Tori with my life, but what I didn’t trust was the mischievous smile on her face. “Right now? I’m honestly not sure.”
“You’ll be okay. I promise.” Tori winked at me, and with the way the butterflies fluttered through my stomach, I knew I would follow her anywhere.
“I might regret this, but okay, let’s do it.”
“Perfect. Let me just check one thing.” She tapped a few buttons on her phone then smiled in satisfaction. “There. Reservation made.”
“Reservation? Do I want to know what this reservation is for?”
Tori simply wiggled her eyebrows at me and started the car. “Let’s go home and get packed.”
