Page 83 of Truck Me
“Too late now.” I turn off my truck and pocket my keys. “Well, girl. Stay put while I go see if they want to go tubing.”
Before I make it halfway to the door, Rayne is running outside—barefooted, I might add—and jumps into my arms.
“Kiddo, it’s freezing out here.” I chuckle as I wrap my arms around her waist.
At the same time, Charlotte calls after her. “Rayne! You’ll catch a cold.”
“What are you doing here? Not that I’m upset to see you. It’s just you rarely come over and never on a Saturday. Is it because of the snow? We had so much fun the last time it snowed. Do you want to build another fort or maybe have another snowball fight? We could gang up on Aunt Char and bury her in the slow. That would be super fun. Don’t you think?”
Rayne pauses and takes a deep breath, causing me to laugh.
“Well, let’s see. I am here because of the snow, but not to ask if you want to build a fort or have another snowball fight.”
Her face falls, and a deep frown replaces her smile. “Why not? We had so much fun.”
“We did, but I have something else I’d like to ask you.”
I step inside and Charlotte closes the door behind. My nerves calm considerably when I see the smile on her face. She doesn’t look the least bit upset that I showed up unannounced.
“Garret!” Lois smiles at me from her seat on the couch. Jim is sitting next to her with a similar smile on his face. “What a pleasant surprise. What can we do for you?”
“I was hoping to ask this girl if she wants to go tubing over at Divide Hill. Should be a good day for it.”
“Well, doesn’t that sound fun?” Lois asks.
Rayne bounces in my arms, forcing me to tighten my hold so I don’t drop her. “Can I? Can I?”
“As long as it’s okay with your grandparents and aunt, I’d love to take you.” I turn to Charlotte and give her a small smile. “You’re welcome to come as well.”
Charlotte opens her mouth to answer but her mom cuts her off. “Of course she would. Wouldn’t you, Char?”
Charlotte’s eyes widen as she glances back and forth between her mom and me. “Um, I don’t know. I haven’t—”
“You have to come, Aunt Char!” Rayne says, cutting her off. She must have sensed the same no coming that I did. “I love tubing, and it would be so much more fun with you there.”
“I haven’t been tubing or sledding in over a decade. I doubt I even remember how.”
“Garret will show you. Won’t you?”
I nod and try not to sound too eager when I look at Charlotte. “There’s not much to it. The tubes I have are big enough for all three of us if we want to ride together.”
“No way!” Rayne pushes against my chest and drops to her feet. “I want to ride by myself. You and Aunt Char can ride together.”
I fight to hide my smile when Charlotte’s face blushes a deep pink. Rather than responding to that, I focus on Rayne. “Go get dressed. It’s more fun if we get there before too many others and the snow is still fresh.”
“Okay!” Rayne runs upstairs and disappears down the hallway before another word is spoken.
“I guess I should change too.” Charlotte looks down at her thin yoga pants. My gaze follows hers. My eyes appreciate the way those pants hug her curves. “These definitely aren’t warm enough.”
“No.” I clear my throat as my mind wanders in the wrong direction. “Those would be soaked in a matter of minutes.”
Her wide eyes snap to mine and I inwardly cringe as the innuendo in my words becomes clear.
A slow smile lifts her lips. “Be back down in a few.”
“Sounds good.” My voice cracks and I fake a cough. Doing great, asshole. “I’m gonna wait in my truck. Bullet’s out there and it’s cold.”
“Okay.” She nods. “We won’t be long.”