Page 77 of The One I Want
“Well, that maybe could happen,” he says. “But that’s a long time away, buddy. Why do you ask?”
Hank shrugs. “Because you said it was like Uncle Oliver having girlfriends, and I know he asks them that. But they say no and they leave. I just don't want Betsy to say no, so if you’re going to ask her, I want to make sure you’re doing it right.”
We all bust up laughing. I snort. Wes has actual tears. Magnolia falls off the couch from laughter, but she’s just laughing because she doesn’t know why everyone else is laughing and she doesn’t want to be left out. Emerson is laughing so hard she runs to the bathroom. I’ve never seen her laugh like that.
I can’t believe I was worried about how this would go. From the second I met this family, I immediately felt a connection. Like I had finally found where I was supposed to be.
Who knew I’d also find someone who I’d want to be with.
“So,” I say as the laughter dies down. “What do we want to do today?”
“We?”
“Yes Miss Mags. You’re stuck with me now on all days of the week. And, it’s a holiday. Your dad doesn’t have practice today. So, I think we should do something fun.”
“Like what?” Emerson says as she comes back into the room.
“How about a family date?”
The kids look at each other, clearly confused.
“What’s that?” Hank asks.
I look over to Wes, who gives me the nod to go ahead. “It’s a night where all of us go out. We go to dinner. Maybe a movie. Anything we want. And best of all? You guys get to pick. But it has to be something all three of you agree on.”
Hank’s eyes go wide. “Anything?”
“Anything,” I say. “Just keep it legal. No need to get Uncle Shane involved.”
The three gather in a little huddle, and I wish I had my phone. This is freaking adorable. Wes and I each hold in a laugh as their whispers become not exactly whispers. Emerson keeps looking up at us, like she’s making sure we’re not bluffing.
“Ready, break!”
The three of them clap their hands as they leave the huddle. Tell me your dad is a football player without telling me your dad is a football player…
“What did you guys decide?”
Hank and Magnolia look to Emerson and give her a nod.
“We’ve decided that we want dinner at The Joint. We want Uncle Porter to make us wings and onion rings, and we will need quarters to play the pinball machine.”
Wes nods. “If we go early enough that will be just fine. I bet we can even get Uncle Porter to give you the quarters. Just have Magnolia turn onthe face.”
Magnolia gives a thumbs up. “Got it Dad.”
“Good,” Emerson continues. “There’s more.”
I laugh as Wes pretends to be taken aback. “More?”
“Yes. We want to go bowling.”
Chapter29
Wes
“Uncle Simon!You’re not supposed to put it in the gutter!”
Simon snaps his head around to Magnolia, who has a confused look on her face. I don’t know if it’s because she’s wondering why she has a higher score than Simon, or why all of a sudden the eleven adults in attendance are suddenly silent. If any of us would have said that to him, he would tell us to go do things to ourselves that aren’t anatomically possible. But in the presence of my kids? The only people in the world who bring out the side of him that isn’t an asshole? This ought to be interesting…
