Page 46 of Between Now and Forever
“I would!” Carter races into the room, sliding the last few feet in his socks. “I love cake.”
I tousle his hair. “Don’t run in the house, Carter.”
He leans his head back and smiles wide.
“So, what’s it like to be back in Alden, Gabby?” Peter asks.
“We love it,” Carter says. “Don’t we, Mom?”
He takes a slice of cake from Cricket.
“Sit at the table in the dining room with that,” I say.
Peter grins as Carter holds the cake like a prize while walking to the dining room. “He’s a cute kid. I remember when Kyle was that little. Feels like yesterday.” He stands tall. “Speaking of the devil ...”
Kyle walks in, looking like the spitting image of his father. He wraps an arm around my neck in a faux headlock. “Some of my friends are going to play ball at the rec center. Can I go?”
“Be back before it gets too late,” Cricket says. “You have school tomorrow.”
“For goodness’ sake, Cricket. The boy’s sixteen. Let him live a little.”
She whips around with the cake server in her hand. “I know how old he is, Peter. I was there when he was born.”
“I’ll be back by eight.” Kyle lets me go. Then he steps between them, kissing his mother on the cheek. “Dinner was great.”
“Thank you.”
“Bye, Gabby,” Kyle says.
“Goodbye.”
He knuckle-bumps his father, and Peter follows him out of the room.
Cricket’s cheeks are flushed the same color of red as her apron.
“Hey, are you okay?” I ask, moving closer to her.
She drops the server on the plate with a bit more force than necessary. “Yes. I’m fine. Just aggravated.”
“Mom, can I go with Kyle?” Dylan stands in the doorway. Uncertainty is clear on his face. “He asked me to.”
“Sure. Have fun.”
He nods warily and disappears around the corner.
Cricket removes her apron and tosses it on the counter.
“It’s none of my business, and I don’t want to pry,” I say carefully. “But I’m here to listen if you need to talk about anything.”
“I’m fine, Gabby. But thank you for the sweet offer.”
The fire in her eyes tells me she’s not fine. But it also warns me not to poke.
A loud crack rumbles through the air, garnering an eye roll from Cricket.
“What is that?” I ask.
“Kyle’s truck.”
