Page 26 of We Met Like This
“Unlike her,” I said under my breath.
“Kids are honest.”
I smiled. “So you’re not a fan of my outfit either?”
She let out a trilling laugh. It was one I heard on her YouTube channel often. I wondered if she rehearsed it along with the rest of her script.
“Who was that little girl, anyway?” I asked.
“I’m not sure. She must’ve been on the other team. Sometimes they wander over and we share snacks and vice versa.”
“She was on the other team?” I asked. “Then I’m glad we beat them.”
Jack and Sammy looked up. “We beat them?” Samuel asked.
“No,” Audrey said. “You know we don’t keep score.”
“You don’t keep score?” I asked. “What kind of madness is that?” Then, quietly so only my sister could hear, I added, “I was keeping score in my head and we won.”
She laughed again. Ditching friend brunch to be here with my family was the right choice. I needed this family time.
CHAPTER 9
“Then Sloane says, we should write a book titledGood Morning, Beautiful, and Other Things You Shouldn’t Text Because Every Dude Bro Does. Or something like that. Maybe she said one of the other common phrases. I don’t remember, but it was funny.” I laughed and Audrey gave me one of her courtesy chuckles.
The sun was shining bright as we drove down the street toward Eat and Be Merry looking for a parking space. The shops and restaurants were crowded today and so far parking was unfindable.
“I don’t get it,” she said after a moment. “Good morning beautifulseems sweet. Wouldn’t that be a pro, not a con?”
“Ah, mynever had to do dating apps because she met her husband in collegesister, it would be sweet if I knew the guy at all. If I’d met him or even exchanged more than a handful of words. But in most cases, I haven’t. And the first time it happened, I thought it was romantic. The fiftieth time? I’m kind of over it. I want real effort, you know?”
“So what should they say instead?”
“There’s this guy who sent me a pic of him with a dog that was kind of an inside joke—”
“Hold on.” She lifted her wrist, read something on her watch, and then giggled.
“Don’t read and drive!” I said, smacking her leg.
She pointed at the stopped car in front of her. “I’m not driving.”
“Who was it?” I asked, nodding to her watch.
“Chase. He says the boys refused a bath so he threatened to spray them down with a hose and they thought that sounded fun.”
I smiled. “They’re so funny. So did he?”
“If he did, I hope he rewrapped the hose and made them dry off before going inside.”
“Structure, the catalyst for fun,” I said, sarcastically.
The car in front of us was now trying to back into a spot along the curb. “Just hop out and get our names on the list. It’s right up the street,” she said, acting like I didn’t grow up in this town.
I looked in the side mirror to ensure no cars were coming and opened the door.
“Patio seating!” she yelled as I shut the door.
I stepped onto the sidewalk and headed up the street. Of course, patio seating. It was too nice a day not to sit outside. It was a gorgeous patio with potted flowers and vines crawling along the surrounding fence.
