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The carousel paused. Addie scrambled off her mule and handed the ride operator more tickets once she perched on the rabbit, a hare in flight. She preened their way as parents moved kids on and off the brightly lit musical ride.
Jacob gently squeezed Josie’s hand again. When she looked up, he wasn’t watching Addie.
He was watching her.
Her eyes. Her face. Her mouth. His gaze lingered there, and as the ride swept Addie away, he leaned down and touched his lips to hers, a feather-light kiss, just enough to make her wish for another. And then another, yet.
She started to protest, but when he kissed her the second time, she didn’t want to protest. She wanted to melt, and maybe she did melt, just a little.
He pulled back and smiled. “I couldn’t stop wondering, Josie. And couldn’t stop thinking about it.” He waved as Addie went by, then winked at Josie.
“And now?”
“I still won’t be able to stop thinking about it,” he mused, still smiling. “But for very different reasons.”
“Jacob…”
“I know. I know why it can’t possibly work because my job’s about to take me to the other end of the country.”
He didn’t know all the reasons. He didn’t know the most important one of all, the one that would make him see her quite differently.
She wanted to tell him. She wanted to clear the air, once and for all. A bright summer’s day was a perfect opening for that, but when she opened her mouth, he shushed her with one finger. “We don’t have to talk it to death right now, do we? Unless you have a major objection, let’s just enjoy the day. And then later we can fret over all the things grown-ups fret about. Right now, let’s just have fun with her. All right?”
She should press, because she knew the secret she held, but she acquiesced.
He was right. There would be fussing and fuming soon enough. For today, things were practically perfect, and she was going to allow herself to enjoy the moment. When regret came later, as she knew it would, she’d have this day to look back on and no one could ever take that away from her.
* * *
“I can’t wait to tell Memaw and Pawpaw about my great adventures!” Addie wriggled in the back seat as Jacob pulled the car into the employee parking behind the hotel. “Do you think Memaw is feeling better?”
“She texted me that she was, but that she was going to bed early tonight and she’ll hear about your day tomorrow.”
“Do I have to go to school tomorrow, Dad? For real?”
He stood firm deliberately. Ginger had finagled her way around their parents with such finesse, it became impossible to stop when she grew older. He wasn’t going to tip Addie in a similar direction. “Yup. And the next day. And then you’re done for summer, so let’s not argue about it.”
“But—”
“Adeline Rose.”
“Humph.” She slumped back into her seat, arms crossed. “We’re not doing anything in school, so I don’t know why I should go when Memaw and Pawpaw want to spend time with me.”
“Fortunately, your grandparents also put great value on a solid education.”
“It’s hard to let go of a fun day, isn’t it?” Josie’s soft-spoken empathy lightened the moment.
Addie bobbed her head. “I just want it to keep going forever.”
“But you know what would happen if it did?” Josie asked in the same quiet tone.
Addie shook her head.
“You’d get bored. Special never seems as special once it becomes everyday ordinary, and you’d wish for something else.”
Addie frowned, unconvinced. “I don’t think that would happen.”
“Well, what’s your favorite food at Christmas?”
“Pawpaw’s apple pancakes!”
“And do you think they’d taste as special at Christmas if you had them every single day?”
Addie’s frown softened. “Like maybe I’d get tired of them?”
“Like that, yes.”
“I don’t know if I would,” Addie told her, then tried and failed to stifle a monster-size yawn. “But maybe it wouldn’t be so wonderful if you get it all the time.”
“A lesson learned.”
