“Hetold me I better be nice to customers and if I wasn’t, he’d put a curse on me that his great-grandmother taught him. He’s only used it once. The guy he used it on had terrible luck for seven years.”
“That’s awful,” I say, even though I know Pierre was only joking.
“I can’t wait to get my final paycheck,” Isla says. “Then, I’m going on a shopping spree.”
“For maternity clothes?” I ask.
She scoffs. “I would never wear maternity clothes.”
Hopefully she doesn’t have to eat those words in eight months.
“Well,” I say. “I have to go. I’m meeting Wilder, Cash and Elowyn at the creek.”
“You guys are so lame.”
Well, at least I’m leaving.
“I’ll see you at home,” I say.
She doesn’t bother saying goodbye. Just returns to her apple fritter.
My sister is something else.
But she’s mine.
I look back at her before pushing open the door.
Wilder is leaning against my car when I reach it.
“Ma’am,” he says, serious and low. “You do realize you’re parked in fire lane, don’t you?”
“Oh no, Officer,” I play along. “I had no idea.”
“I’m going to have to write you a ticket,” he continues as we both smile at each other.
“Is there any way I can get out of it,” I say as my fingers find his chest.
“I have a few ideas,” he laughs as I kiss him.
“You ready to teach Elowyn how to jump out of the tree at the creek?” I ask him as his hands settle on my hips.
“She’s fearless,” he says. “Like you. She’ll be fine.”
“I’m not fearless.”
Wilder grins. “You’re the bravest person I know, Ingrid.”
I doubt it, but I’m not going to argue.
“I can’t believe we’re moving to New York at the end of the summer,” I sigh.
“I can’t believe Cash is going with us,” Wilder chuckles.
“Maybe he’ll find his way back to pediatrics.”
“Or he’ll become a politician,” Wilder muses.
“Or run a hedge fund.”
