Page 74 of The Sweet Part
“You’re going to Grandmom and Grandpop’s house tonight,” May says.
“You can babysit me another night,” Sophie tells Viv. “Everyone has to take a turn.”
“Is that right?” Viv asks, sending me a comical look. I don’t think she asked to babysit Sophie.
“She’s very popular,” I say.
Sophie nods enthusiastically. “I’m thirsty for punch. Come on.” She pulls Viv off the dance floor.
May gives me a sexy smile. “A whole weekend to ourselves.”
“I reserved the best room at the best inn in town.”
“All of this—” she waves around us “—would’ve been a lot to undo if I hadn’t said yes.”
“But you did. Anyway, it doesn’t count as a grand gesture unless you put everything on the line. That’s what your dad said, and it worked for him. He’s a smart guy.”
We look over at her parents slow dancing and gazing into each other’s eyes.
“They’re still madly in love after all these years,” May says.
“That’ll be us at our fiftieth anniversary party and all the anniversaries in between.”
She looks at me with love in her eyes. “How soon until we can go back to the inn?”
I smile and pull her close. “I like the way you think. After the cake. I let Sophie pick it out.”
“Please tell me it’s notTwinkle Fairies.”
“You’ll see.”
After our dance, I talk to Cooper about bringing out the cake early. Hey, it’s my engagement night, and I want May all to myself.
A short time later, Cooper pushes the cake out on a cart.
“It’s a nine-layer chocolate cake with ganache on top and chocolate shavings,” I tell May.
May gasps. “I love it already.”
“Sophie said you were a chocoholic.”
“Guilty.”
I slice a piece and give it to her first. Then Sophie and then myself. Sophie smiles at me adoringly. I could get used to being adored. Girls are so much nicer than boys. My brothers and I were hell on wheels at her age. I’m sure the teenaged-girl hell stories are much exaggerated. I can’t imagine Sophie being anything but her sweet self.
I watch as May and Sophie dig in, their faces blissful. Sophie gets chocolate all over her face because she keeps stopping to pick out the chocolate chips on the sides to save for last. Of course, she has to lick each chocolate chip clean first.
When we finish, May looks down at a messy Sophie and sighs.
“I’ve got her,” Mom says, already holding out a wet paper towel.How did she know?
She cleans Sophie’s face efficiently.
“Let’s dance fast!” Sophie does jumping jacks. “Tell the band to play real loud!”
“Sugar high,” May says.
Mom shoos us away. “Go enjoy your engagement night at the inn. I’ll look after Sophie, as will everyone here. When the sugar crash hits, I’ll hand her over to her grandparents. Hey, does this make me a grandmom?”
