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“Alright! So we get married, and then we have to either buy your parents’ house or move out. What do you want?”
“You’d buy that place?”
“I love living there. It’s convenient to everything, it’s close to work, and there are no neighbors. Ask your father what he wants for it. I’ll get my house up on the market. I have no desire to ever go there again.”
“My dream has been to live in Rancho Santa Fe so my kids could go to the school.”
“Well, we’ll stay there, then. We can sell my place and buy something else. Any other dreams I should know about?”
“Let me think? Nope, you are the answer to all my dreams and fantasies. As a matter of fact, as soon as we’re done with our tour here, I want to go home and reenact some of those fantasies.”
“If I yell, will they stop the tram?”
“Ha! No, please don’t do that. I’ll lose my volunteer job.”
“We don’t want that. Okay, I’ll change the topic. Are you ready for the pine tree?” Charlie asked. “We can stop at one of those Christmas tree vendors on our way back home.”
“I’m ready! Oh no, I haven’t done any shopping for gifts. We’d better do that, too.”
The tram came to a stop after their tour was over.
“I hate to shop,” Charlie said.
“Well, that sucks because I hate to shop, too. Someone has to want to do the shopping in a relationship.”
“That’s no longer true with online shopping. I can sit at a computer all day long and order everything.”
“Ha! So we’ll have Amazon boxes piled up on the porch every day.”
They walked to the car hand in hand, and Charlie knew there was one item that wouldn’t be bought online. It was already in his coat pocket, waiting. Opening the passenger door, he leaned inside and kissed Lila, taking her by surprise.
“Have you always been this loving?” she asked when he’d gotten in the car.
“No. My ex would say I was a cold fish,” he said, chuckling. “I probably was to her. She was even jealous of the attention I gave to our kids.”
“You’re the opposite with me. I said it before. I’m really lucky to have met you.”
“I’m the lucky one. I’d probably be alone for the rest of my life if you hadn’t come along. My family will tell you that I’m not exactly a social butterfly.”
As he pulled out of the parking lot, his phone beeped. Digging in his pocket, he pulled it out for her to see what it was.
“A text from Roberta. Do you want me to read it?”
“Sure.”
“‘Come for dinner. Everyone’s here. It will give Lila a chance to meet the rest of the family.’”
Frowning, Charlie didn’t know if he was in the mood for everyone. “What do you think?”
“It sounds like fun,” she said. “I think.”
“Ha! Right. If Big Mike is cooking, you’re in for a treat. Go ahead and text back we’re on our way.”
He wound his way through the neighborhood that led up the mountainside to Big Mike’s house.
“Wow, another surprise,” Lila gasped. “How do firefighters end up in such palatial digs?”
“This was my parents’ house,” Charlie said. “Roberta and Big Mike took care of my mother and father until their deaths, so they deserved to stay here. I certainly didn’t want it, and brothers John and Steven couldn’t wait to move out. If they’re here tonight, just beware of a thousand questions.”
