Page 65 of Beau Pair
Gordon
Ipark the car and we come out with the bag of goodies Beau prepared for all of us earlier. It was so intoxicating watching him make sandwiches, salads, cut up fruit for Elsie, and make fresh juice for everyone.
It seems looking after people is his second nature, his first being a talented artist and creator.
He’s the kind of guy I’ve been looking for my entire life. And I found him. And he, against all odds—which granted, most of them are my own insecurities—wants me back.
“Finally. What took you so long?” Zoe asks the minute she sees us, and Elsie, who’s sitting between Dolly’s legs, runs over to me, giving me a hug.
Or at least, that’s what I think, until she bypasses me and crashes into Beau, almost toppling him over.
“Bo-bo,” she shrieks, and jumps up and down on the spot.
“Hey!” I yell. “What about Daddy?”
Elsie conveniently ignores me. Zoe and Dolly break up into a laughing fit, and Beau has to put the bag he’s carrying down, so he can pick up my daughter.
“Did you miss me, little monster?” he asks her, and gives her a nose kiss that makes her giggle.
“Bo-bo. Lov’ you,” she says, and gives him an open mouth kiss on the cheek that decidedly melts my heart.
“Wow! Now I really feel left out,” I tell them, and Beau laughs. “When did she learn that?” I turn to Dolly who smiles from ear to ear.
“She’s been saying it since yesterday. Like non-stop. Don’t worry. She’ll tell you too. She even told the guy at the grocery store she loves him.”
Zoe laughs next to Dolly.
“That wassocute, though,” she says.
“Come here,” Beau tells me with a hand stretched out toward me, and we both take steps closer to each other until he hugs me too, and Elsie finally takes notice of me.
“Dadda,” she shrieks. “Lov’ you.” She giggles as soon as she says it.
“You know, somehow, little trouble, I don’t think you mean it.” I laugh and poke under her armpits, which makes her giggle louder.
“Come on. We’re starving!” Zoe whines. “Have you got the food?”
Beau passes Elsie over to me and walks over to the girls sitting on the grass of Pine Grove, the picnic area in the park, and puts the bag down.
“I do. I do. I’ve got everything,” he says, and starts by unbuckling the leather straps around the rug to spread it out over the ground.
It’s not your typical gingham pattern you’d expect for a picnic, but then again, Beau doesn’t do anything typical. It’s bright-colored rainbow stripes, something which Elsie doesn’t fail to take notice of as she jumps out of my arms and onto the rug to roll around in it.
“I’ve got PB&J, plain peanut butter, apples, bananas, and some amazing pastries from For Heaven’s Cake,” Beau says, and looks at everyone.
I take a seat and tease Elsie as she rolls away from me and back into my arms.
“I’ll have PB&J,” I say.
“Seconded,” Dolly adds, and lifts her hand in the air.
“Don’t you have anyfoodfood?” Zoe asks, and Beau grimaces.
“I do. But it’s too early for lunch. Impatient much?” he says as he hands everyone a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
“What’s new with you? And please keep it PG,” I ask, taking a bite and giving one to Elsie who just splits it open and licks the inside. I don’t know what else I expected.
“When do we not?” Dolly laughs.
