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Within the next few minutes, Carly had closed her eyes too, her headphones on.
“If you’re tired, you can sleep,” Wyatt said in a teasing tone.
“Then who’ll watch the road for you?”
“Ha. Right. I do need you awake.”
He squeezed her hand because he was currently holding it. It was a soaring feeling to be holding hands with this man—a man she hadn’t even kissed yet. She hoped that would change, and fairly soon, but for now, she could wait.
The hours passed by surprisingly quickly, and when they pulled up to the hotel Wyatt had booked, Anita should have been tired. But she wasn’t. They ate a simple meal at a nearby restaurant, then split up to their rooms, Wyatt and his grandpa in one room, and Anita and Carly sharing another.
“Are you going to be able to sleep, Sam?” Carly asked Mr. Davis.
It felt a bit odd to hear her daughter call him by his first name, but he kept insisting that they both call him Sam.
“I’ll be sleeping fine,” Sam said. “I just need to be sure to fall asleep first so that Wyatt’s snoring doesn’t keep me awake.”
“Hey, I don’t snore,” he protested. Then he mouthed to Anita, “It’s true.”
She laughed. “In the morning, you can tell us who snored.”
“Huh,” Sam said, then he threw a smile at Carly. “I hope you sleep well. You’ll need to be on your toes tomorrow. History is about to be made.”
Once they were settled in their rooms, Carly turned to face Anita from her bed. “Do you think that Sam would change his past if he could? About Susan?”
“I don’t think so,” she said. “He seems devoted to Norma, and Wyatt has come to the same conclusion. Although I think he was a bit worried for a while.”
Carly stifled a yawn. “What do you think the big misunderstanding was?”
“Oh...” Anita’s mind whirled. “I can’t guess, but I do know that there are a lot of misunderstandings in a couple’s relationship. And if the other person doesn’t voice their concern, then it will never be discussed. Could cause resentment.”
“Which is probably what happened.” Carly turned onto her back and folded her hands behind her head. “I can’t wait to meet Susan. Even though she and Sam are both old now, it’s kind of sweet to think about them being in love in high school.”
Anita smiled at that. “I agree.” She reached over to turn off the lamp. “See you in the morning, sweetie.”
“Good night, Mom.”
IT TURNED OUT THAT ANITA was the one who didn’t sleep much. She lay awake until at least midnight, then seemed to stir every hour.
“Sleep well?” Wyatt asked when she covered her mouth to stifle a second yawn as they walked to the car the following morning.
“Oh, sorry,” she said with a sheepish smile. “I feel like I was awake all night. Have you ever had that happen?”
“Sure,” he said. “Good thing I’m driving.”
“Yeah, and thanks for that. I’ll have to get something caffeinated later on.” Anita decided she liked Wyatt first thing in the morning. He wasn’t overly peppy, or dragging either; he was just himself. Oh, and he looked good in a pair of 501s and a polo shirt.
“Well, if you need a nap after our meeting with Susan, we can take a break.”
“I’ll let you know.”
“I slept like a baby,” Sam announced, his walker’s wheels clattering on the asphalt as they walked. “Like a baby with a full stomach, enjoying happy dreams.”
Carly laughed. “Babies usually wake up crying in the middle of the night. Why is ‘sleeping like a baby’ even a saying?”
“I think it’s because babies can sleep through a lot of noise,” he said. “At least when they’re young. I remember Wyatt’s mother—she could sleep through anything. Unless she didn’t want to. Wyatt, on the other hand, would wake at the smallest of sounds.”
Wyatt helped his grandpa into the car, then shut the door. He turned to Anita. “Don’t believe everything he says.”
