“Okay.”
“How do you feel about animals?” Ash asked.
“Animals?” Ker was confused. “You mean like cats and dogs? I like them both, but I’m probably more of a dog person.”
“What about elephants or horses, or say cougars and owls?”
“That’s an interesting assortment, but yeah, I like all kinds of animals, I guess.” As Ker thought about it, he had an idea. “Wait,is there a zoo here? Are we going to a zoo?” Excitement colored his words.
“Yeah, we are,” Ash said. “Specifically, the Buttonwood Park Zoo. I’m guessing you’ve not been here before.”
“No, I haven’t. Now that I think about it, I have heard about it, though. Have you been before?”
“Yeah. I remember coming here as a kid once or twice, but then I came back a couple of years ago and was really impressed by how much it’s changed. They’ve turned it into a really nice place.”
Ash turned into the parking lot and found a spot. “You don’t think this is silly, do you? I mean, I know it’s mostly for kids and families, but I like animals and thought this would be a nice place to visit.”
“I don’t think it’s silly at all. I’m really looking forward to seeing it all with you.”
They had walked around for close to two hours, visiting the different enclosures and habitats for the various animals. Ker even managed to snap a few photos of Ash being silly, like trying to climb into the field where the American bison were roaming.
As they made their way back toward the exit and parking lot, Ash asked, “So what was your favorite?”
“Hmmm, the elephant, I think. They always seem so majestic and intelligent. Although the red panda was pretty cute too.”
“Yeah, I like the red panda too,” Ash agreed. “Not to change the subject, but are you hungry?”
“I could eat. I know we had a little of the ziti before we left A Helping Hand, but that was a few hours ago now.”
“Well, then, I’m glad I planned ahead,” Ash said as they reached his vehicle. He opened the rear hatch and pulled out a large, insulated bag and a smaller tote with a folded blanket sticking out. They walked to a small grassy area just beyond some basketball courts, and Ash put down the insulated bag and spread out the blanket. “I thought a picnic might be nice since the weather was cooperating.”
“What if it had been colder today?” Ker asked.
“I figured I would drive down to the beach, which is about ten minutes away, and we could eat in the car while we watched the waves.”
“Wow, you really did plan this all out!” Ker was impressed. “And the water would have been nice too. I love the sound of the waves.”
“We can certainly swing by the beach on our way outta town,” Ash told him. “Now sit and eat.”
Ker helped Ash pull out a few different containers of food from the bag. “Tell me you didn’t make all this before coming to the community kitchen this morning. I mean, I know you have mad kitchen skills, but this is a lot.”
“Don’t worry, I didn’t. I simply called my brother Mitch and told him what I wanted. It’s really convenient to have a family member who owns a gourmet food shop. I was able to pick it all up this morning on my way to Plymouth.”
“Wow, thatisconvenient.”
“So let’s see, we have an Italian grinder, chicken salad on a torpedo roll, some potato salad and coleslaw, a couple of bottles of water, and some lemon bars for dessert,” Ash said, pointing out the various items. Handing Ker a plate and some plastic cutlery, he asked, “Which sandwich would you like?”
Ker thought for a minute and then said, “I like them both, so I can’t decide. I think we probably need to share.”
“Perfect!” Ash exclaimed. “I was secretly hoping you’d say that.”
They made small talk while they ate, watching some guys toss a Frisbee around and seeing a couple walking a dog off in the distance. The day had turned out so much better than Ker could have imagined.
Before they packed up to leave, Ker leaned over and kissed Ash gently on the lips. “Thanks for a wonderful day.”
“You’re welcome,” Ash replied with a smile, “but it’s not over yet.”
CHAPTER
