Page 77 of Love in Tandem
“I see a cooler. I see a grill. I see Tupperware containers. I don’t care if they eat me for dinner afterward, so long as they feed me whatever I’m smelling first.”
The delicious scent of barbecued meat and tangy spices wafted in their direction, and Zach’s stomach agreed with Charlotte. “Look at that. We’re on the same page again.”
As soon as they’d finished cleaning up as best they could, Zach and Charlotte crossed the narrow paved road that circled the campground to join Faye and her family. Before they even made it through introductions, they were directed to a picnic table where two giant paper plates filled with ribs, baked beans, and coleslaw were shoved in front of their faces.
“Here’s some chips.”
“Don’t forget the potato salad.”
“Care for any watermelon?”
“Hope you like lemonade.”
So this was what heaven tasted like. Zach groaned with gratitude while Charlotte’s eyes leaked tears.
“Oh my.” Faye patted Charlotte’s shoulder. “You okay, honey?”
Charlotte shoveled in another bite. “These are the most glorious beans I’ve ever tasted.”
Faye laughed. “Well, eat up. We’ve got plenty. And if you leave any room, we’ll fill it with peach cobbler. Unless you’d rather have s’mores. That’s what the kids like.”
Zach gobbled down two more platefuls. Enough to replenish his energy from today and hopefully fuel it enough for tomorrow. All he could keep muttering between every bite was, “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
Faye peppered Charlotte with questions once she started slowing down after her second plate. Charlotte filled Faye in on the challenge, giving her the CliffsNotes version for why they were competing, namely her music program.
“A music teacher,” Faye said. “How wonderful. What do you play?”
“I know enough to get students started on most any instrument, but my main ones are piano and guitar.”
“Oh, you should play something for us.” Faye motioned to one of the men gathered at a card table beneath the awning of their RV. “Mick, grab your guitar. Oh wait.” Faye folded her hands together in apology. “Forgive me, you two must be exhausted. Sometimes I get carried away.”
“It’s okay,” Charlotte said, cleaning her hands with a wet wipe. “It’s the least I can do after this wonderful meal, which I’m pretty certain brought us back from the brink of death. Right, Zach?” She bumped her shoulder playfully against his.
He shoved another spoonful of potato salad into his mouth, nodding his head vigorously.
Faye grabbed the guitar from Mick with a laugh. “You two are so cute.”
Zach winked at Charlotte, and she gave him another flirty shoulder bump. At least he thought it was flirty. With a full stomach, this whole night had suddenly become flirty and magical and full of twinkle stars.
“Any requests?” Charlotte asked as she moved to the top of the picnic table and settled the guitar over her knees.
“Surprise us,” Faye said. “Or I know. Do you two have a special song?”
Without looking at Zach, Charlotte’s lips lifted in a soft smile in the glow of the campfire. “We do, actually. I’ve never played it on the guitar, but we’ll see how it goes.”
Wiping his mouth clean, Zach handed his empty plate to Faye with a grateful nod then rested his elbows on the table as the beginning strains to a slow song floated into the night.
It took him a moment to recognize it. The moment he did, he couldn’t stop the dopiest grin from taking over his entire face. Faye smiled back at him, obviously taking note this was a special song indeed.
“The Nearness of You.” That little rascal.
Faye palmed her heart, swaying to Charlotte’s melodic voice. Faye’s son wrapped his arms around his wife from behind her, resting his chin on her shoulder, while one of Faye’s daughters swayed with her toddler son in her arms. The four men beneath the awning paused in their game of cards, some propping their cheeks on one hand, others leaning back into their chairs with a smile. All while a posse of children licked gooey marshmallows off their fingers with giggles and chocolate-smeared lips.
And Zach had never been more content to be a part of something in all his life. Because Charlotte was part of it too.
Once the final notes of the song faded into silence, Charlotte paused a beat, then lifted her shoulders into a shrug. “Sorry. That wasn’t really much of a campfire song, was it?”
“It was perfect,” Faye said. “Just perfect. It certainly earned you dessert. Ready for some cobbler?”
