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“Nope. He specifically told me to invite you. When I mentioned Priscilla and Reese he said to bring them, too.”
“It sounds lovely, Curt, but I already have plans for Saturday,” Priscilla answered before Taylor could accept or decline. “But you and Reese go ahead. I’ll be fine alone for a few days.”
“Just family?” Taylor still sounded undecided.
He nodded. Trent hadn’t given him a detailed guest list, but if Trent expected people he didn’t consider family he would’ve told him. “It’ll be fun.”
“Okay. We’ll come. I’ll see if I can leave work a little early on Friday so we can leave right after school.”
“Will there be any kids?” Reese asked. She’d been silent on the matter so far, but her expression told him she’d heard and processed every word.
“Not your age. My cousin’s son is only a year old.”
“It sounds boring. Do I have to go?” Reese looked at her aunt. “Can I stay here with Mimi?”
Since he’d moved in, Taylor and Reese had become important to him. He wanted both to meet some of his family. “We’ll have fun. My house is right on the beach. We can try to go swimming. Maybe build a sandcastle.”
Reese didn’t look convinced.
“If Reese really wants to stay home, I’ll ask Leigh to come watch her while I go out,” Priscilla said. “But going to Newport sounds like more fun than staying here with me.”
Curt wasn’t ready to concede the battle yet. “Pirate’s Cove, the best ice cream and mini golf place anywhere, is in Newport. I’ll make sure we go.” He pulled out the big incentives. After all, what kid turned down mini golf and ice cream? “They’ve got batting cages and go-carts, too. I think you’ll love it.”
Reese scrunched up her mouth while she considered his offer. “Promise?”
“Promise.”
Next to him Taylor listened, an amused smile on her face.
“Okay. I’ll come. But I’m bringing Peanut.”
Neither Taylor nor Priscilla said no, so he guessed Peanut wasn’t anything living. Just in case Peanut turned out to be a pet mouse or snake she never mentioned before, he said. “Who’s Peanut?”
“My tiger. I’ll go get him, so you can meet him.” Reese left the table, more than half her dinner still on the plate. It didn’t take her long to return, a stuffed orange tiger in her hands. “This is Peanut. Auntie Taylor got him for me my first Christmas.” She held the stuffed animal toward him. “You can hold him.”
Judging by the animal’s condition, it was one well-loved toy. “Looks like he’s your favorite.” He accepted the toy, looked him over, and handed him back.
“Reese sleeps with him every night,” Taylor said.
“Auntie Taylor won’t let me take him to school.” She took her seat and tucked the stuffed animal up next to her. “Can he come mini golfing, Curt?”
He’d once had a beloved stuffed animal. A brown dog he’d named Spot, though he didn’t know why. The toy had been solid brown. He’d slept with it every night until he’d been a little older than Reese. If the thing had ever been lost or destroyed, he would have been devastated. Taking Reese’s Peanut along to Pirate’s Cove seemed like an ideal way for it to go missing.
“Sorry, Pirate’s Cove doesn’t let in tigers. Peanut will have to stay at my house. Maybe you could bring a friend for him to stay with, so he doesn’t get lonely.” Peanut couldn’t be the only stuffed animal the little girl had.
Taylor squeezed his leg again and mouthed, “Thank you.” Turning to Reese she said, “Curt’s suggestion is a good one.”
“Okay. I’m going to start packing.” Reese slipped from her chair again.
“You’ve got plenty of time. You don’t need to start now,” Taylor said, stopping her niece in her tracks.
“But—”
“I need your help with dessert. I can’t eat a whole chocolate chip pie alone,” Curt said, hoping to distract the girl.
“We have chocolate chip pie?” Reese sat back down. “Can I have whipped cream on mine?”
***
