Page 22 of The Summer Arrangement
“Seriously? Why didn’t you call?”
An impish expression flits across his features, and he looks to his hands for the briefest of moments. “I uh…” He darts his eyes to his daughter and back to me before adding, “Guess… I… didn’t want you to think I didn’t trust you. It’s hard enough being away from her, but I knew you needed to form your own bond together and didn’t want to interrupt.”
“That’s…” Ridiculous… sweet? I love that he thought of me, but this summer isn’t about me, it’s about Milli.
What the hell do I even say?
“Well… that just won’t do. You said your hours are going to get crazier as it gets closer to the festival. If you’re free during the day, you’re welcome to join us on any excursion I might have planned.”
“Good to know…” He nods, then squeezes an eye shut. “But sometimes I won’t have a lot of notice if a meeting is canceled and who knows where you’ll be in town.”
“Are you such an old man that you forget technology exists?”
The hard lines of his jaw drop open in shock. “Wha…”
But I cut him off, and it’s my turn to smirk. “Uh, there’s an app for this…Grandpa.”
“He’s mydaddy, not a Papa, Iz!” Milli admonishes me, and we both burst out laughing.
“You’re right, Mills. I may beold, but I’m certainly notthatold. I think I may have heard a thing or two about a tracking app.”
This only makes me laugh harder.
When I finally get myself under control, I reach for my phone, quickly open my locked screen, and tap out a text with a link to share my location.
“There. Now you’ll never have to wonder where we are,” I state matter-of-factly. “I can’t believe I didn’t think of it earlier. I should’ve offered it this morning.”
Our eyes lock, and he holds my gaze for the longest of moments.
His eyes darken, and my body heats.
And just like that, the tension between us is back.
His darts his tongue out to wet his lips as a slow grin forms.
“Thanks. Now, I’ll never have the excuse of not knowing where you are.”
Oh, boy, this man is dangerous.
Later that week, I couldn’t believe my eyes as we passed a garage sale on our morning walk. There in the corner of the yard was a practically new balance bike, built specifically for toddlers Milli’s size, for only ten bucks. I wouldn’t be Nana’s granddaughter if I didn’t stop.
As luck would have it, upon further inspection, there sitting on a table right next to the red balance bike is a brand-new helmet. Not only is the helmet in perfect condition, but it still has the tag on it. Clearly, it hasn’t been used and is perfect for Milli. My pulse speeds up as I look the bike over with care. No scratches or paint chips. I’m not even sure this bike was used either.
Last summer, I nannied for a little girl about Milli’s age. I know firsthand how amazing a balance bike can be for teaching someone her age to ride. Without the hassle of learning how topedal, Emma quickly learned how to balance and soar down The Promenade. By the end of summer, she was riding a regular bike with no training wheels, thanks to the balance bike her parents started her on.
Channeling my inner Nana, I walk to the lady in charge of the garage sale and do what she taught me to do—barter. Acting as if I’m not interested in the purchase, I casually ask, “If I buy the bike, will you throw in the helmet for the same price?”
Holding my breath, I watch as the woman, not much older than my mom, looks carefully from me to Milli and back. Of course, she’s already watched me have Milli try out both the bike and helmet for size, so I’m fully prepared to pay full price for both items. They’re fairly priced, but it wouldn’t be a yard sale if I didn’t attempt to haggle.
When the lady asks Milli, “Have you ever ridden a bike before?” I’m not sure where she’s going with it.
Milli shakes her head, and the woman’s stoic face morphs into a smile.
“Well…” the woman sighs. “It looks like you’re the proud owner of both now.”
To me, she adds, “I just bought that helmet, but my grandbaby’s head is far too big for that thing, so his loss is your gain. Besides, it’s the last day for our sale. You’ll get far more use out of them than our storage shed. Oh, while we’re at it, why don’t I throw in these knee and elbow pads I bought the same day, too. I’d hate for her little legs to get banged up.”
Quickly, I pull out my cash and thank her for her generosity.
