Page 80 of Give Me a Reason

“Just ketchup for me,” Paisley said.

“Ketchup? It’s a gourmet hot dog stand,” Finn said skeptically.

Paisley’s nose pinched as she perused the pictures on the stand. “What are those?”

“Pickles,” the man said.

“I’ll have those.”

“You want a hot dog with pickles and ketchup?” Finn asked, cash in hand.

Paisley nodded. “Yup.”

The man looked at Finn for approval, who nodded. “You got it. Coming right up.”

“If she doesn’t like it, I’ll have to get her another one. I just wanted her to be more adventurous,” Finn said in a low voice to me.

“I think pickles on a hot dog is adventurous.”

“And that’s why I think she won’t like it.”

Paisley saw some birds on the dock area by the water and chased them. “Don’t chase the birds, Pais. It’s not nice.”

She didn’t respond, but she stopped.

We waited a few minutes for the hot dogs and then carried them to a bench by the water.

“I love coming here,” I said, unwrapping my hot dog.

“I didn’t grow up in Annapolis. We were in Roland Park.”

I raised a brow. “Does your family still live there?”

“You don’t move from Roland Park.” Finn said it in such a way that it felt like he was making light of the way he grew up.

I hoped it wasn’t because he felt sorry for me. “When I was growing up, we didn’t get to come here. So I love living close by with Ireland now. I can walk down here on the weekends and enjoy the view.”

“I love the slower pace. I don’t miss the city.”

“Why did you and Ireland move here?” I asked, curious about him.

“I went to St. John’s College, and then I had Paisley, so it made sense to stay. I’d already gotten a job with a local school district. Ireland didn’t want to live near our parents. She wanted some separation, so it made sense to live close to me.”

Paisley came over to us. “Where’s mine?”

Finn sighed, holding the hot dog away from her. “Is there a better way you could ask for something?”

Paisley sighed. “May I please have my hot dog?”

“Coming right up.” He unwrapped it before handing it to her. Then he held his breath while he waited for her to take a bite.

“Do you like it?” he asked.

Her nose scrunched. “It’s all right.”

“That’s high praise coming from a kid,” Finn said cheerfully.

We laughed and enjoyed our hot dogs. Afterward, we slowly walked back to Finn’s SUV, which was near the art store. It had been the perfect day.

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