“Get any courting.There was no wining and dining.We skipped a bunch of steps because of how we met.I want a little romance, Archer,” I said, laying the asparagus onto a cookie sheet.“I don’t want to just fall into a life like we’ve already been together for years, you know?Romance me, just a bit.”
“Romance, huh?”he asked, finally taking his cowboy hat off and setting it aside.“What are you doing this weekend?”
“Knitting potholders.What do you think I’m doing?Nothing.”
“Go away with me for the weekend.”
“We can’t go away for the weekend,” I protested.“We’ve got Lenni.And Mildred.”
“Brooks and Poet already agreed to watch her anytime we need,” he said.“Poet wants to take Lenni shopping for her flower girl dress anyway.They can crash here with Lottie if they want.It works for everyone.”
“Did you ask Lenni how she feels about this?”I demanded.
“We’ll ask her at dinner, but I’m sure she’d be fine with it,” he said with a grin.“Come on, you said you wanted romance.Let me romance you.”
I snorted.“You just want to be able to have sex in the hotel room.Admit it.”
“I admit it.Fully.”
I pretended to think about it for a moment and then asked, “Where are you thinking of taking me?”
“Libby, Montana.”
“What’s there?”
“There’s a wood carving festival going on.I think it’ll be fun.We can pretend to be a real couple.”
“Wearea real couple.”I rolled my eyes.
“Ah so you finally admit it.Good.”
“Archie.”
“So that’s a yes?”
“That’s a yes.”
“There’s my girl,” my dad said as his face filled the cell phone screen.
I smiled.“Hi, Dad.”
My mom settled in the seat next to my father, her face appearing.“What are you up to?”
“Laundry,” I stated.“I feel like it never ends.”
“It doesn’t,” Mom said.“Even with you out of the house there’s always a mountain of it.”
“That’s because neither of you like doing it,” I pointed out with a laugh.“And then you have to rock-paper-scissors to see who throws in the next load.”
“We’ve got a system,” Dad said.“It’s worked for twenty-eight years, no reason to change it now.”
I sighed, warmth curling through me.“Happy anniversary.”
“Thank you, honey,” Mom said.“The flowers you sent are beautiful.”
She panned the phone behind her to show off the gorgeous tulip display on the kitchen counter.
“Really brightens up the winter dregs,” Dad said with a rueful shake of his head.“I don’t remember winter being this ...”
