Page 27 of Hers to Hold
Kady wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. It was a scorcher of a day already, and it was only eleven a.m. Thankfully, the moisture in the air was at an all-time low or Kady would’ve suggested they picnic inside the car with the AC on full blast. She couldn’t help but smile as Chastity stared up at the kites and circled around, quickly becoming dizzy and falling to the earth.
A picnic in the car was a terrible idea.
“She’s okay,” Kady offered. She slung a bag stuffed with their blanket over her shoulder while Wes pulled the cooler from the bed of his pickup.
“She’s going to wear herself out. It’s hot out here.”
Kady smiled up at him while they walked toward a tree. “Isn’t that a good thing? Kids need to play out their energy.”
“True. I guess I still have a lot to learn.”
“And she had a danish at breakfast. You’ll want her to get rid of that sugar as quickly as possible.”
Wes’s face turned bright red, but Kady wasn’t sure if it was because of embarrassment or heat. “Yeah, I should probably limit the amount of sugar that girl eats. I’m glad she loves school and concentrates well on her work, but that could change having a play aunt who’s a bake chef.”
Kady laughed.
Together, they spread the blanket in the shade. Kady dove into the cooler and pulled out the gourmet sandwiches she could’ve guessed were made by Kat. “Mmm, these look good and they smell amazing.”
“I can make a sandwich.”
Kady shot him a narrowed look. “Stop lying. We both know who made these.”
Wes chortled and took a sip of soda. “You caught me. Kat told me not to try and pass myself off as the chef, especially after she told me what the sandwiches were.”
Roast beef, honey-glazed ham, cucumber and cream cheese, and roasted chicken were all packed away in half sections. “Did Kat think she was feeding an army?”
Wes smiled broadly. “Once you get her started, it’s hard to get her to stop. I caught her by the eighth sandwich.”
“Eight!”
“I could eat a couple. I skipped breakfast so I could load up on Kat’s lunch.”
“Ooh…” Kady opened a box full of sweet treats. “Chastity will have to run around after she eats these.”
“Please hide them.” Wes snatched a mini donut and then closed the top before shoving it back into the cooler. “These will be our little secret.”
Kady giggled.
They snacked on sandwiches while Chastity flew her kite.
“You know a lot about me,” Wes began, “but what about you? I don’t think you woke up one day and said ‘I want to work in a bakery.’ What am I missing?”
Kady didn’t meet his eyes. “Something wrong with my life choice?”
“Absolutely not. It seems…” He cocked his head, his gaze assessing her. “Not the right fit for you.”
Kady sat straighter and put one hand on her hip while the other fed her a sandwich. “What do you imagine me doing?” she asked around the sandwich.
Wes grinned and rubbed his chin. “Hmm…good question. You’re really good with kids.”
Kady snorted and shook her head. “I’m good with Chastity. There’s a difference.”
“Not a kid person?” he asked with a raise of a dark brow.
Kady’s eyes scanned the park until they found Chastity standing near the fountain but still flying her kite. “Honestly? I didn’t think I was until I met your daughter. But she’s unique. Knows her own mind. And I like that.”
“She’s unique all right. A handful.”
