I ignore her and reach into the inside pocket of my jacket. I pull out a small folding knife and toss it toward Ryan.
He catches it.
Ryan looks down at the knife, then back up at me.
“Seriously?”
“Seriously,” I say.
Elise points at me. “You can't send a fifteen year old with a knife on my date.”
“He’s sixteen,” I correct calmly.
“That doesn't make it better.”
Ryan flips the knife open and closed once, testing the hinge.
“Honestly,” he says with a shrug, “I was bored anyway.”
Elise drags a hand down her face.
“This family is unbelievable.”
She reaches for the door again and yanks it open.
“If you embarrass me, I will throw you out of the moving car,” she tells Ryan.
Ryan stands and slips the knife into his pocket.
“I’ll sit far enough away that your boyfriend won’t notice me.”
“You’ve got two hours, Elise. Don’t make me send Beau after you.”
“That’s not funny,” Elise groans. “He’d actually enjoy it.”
She rushes over and kisses her niece’s cheek, grabs her purse. Ryan follows as they run out the door.
As the door shuts behind them, I let out a breath and bounce Mila gently against my shoulder.
Brooke exhales slowly beside me.
Mila pats my chest with both hands and babbles something that sounds suspiciously like a laugh.
I look down at her and shake my head.
“Your auntie is absolutely going to give me a heart attack one day.”
Brooke smiles.
“You say that now,” she says while leaning in to kiss Mila’s cheek. “Just wait until this one starts dating.”
I look down at my daughter.
Then I look back at Brooke.
“No,” I say firmly. “That is not happening.”
She gives me a look that says she isn’t even going to argue with me about that tonight.
