Page 54 of Second Chance Baby
When I moved to follow, he shook his head. “Share the snacks with her. In case you’re hungry.” He lifted his brows in a meaningful way that made me rub my suddenly achy head. Cue many changes all at once, part two. Yet this time, I was so on board.
Was this sweet small town a portal to some other place that had its own rules? Set aside the awkward past and live in the happy present. That had to be the answer.
I looked back at Carrington, who was currently finishing one of the caramel apples with a bit of caramel on the corner of her mouth.
“Like it?” I laughed and reached out to dab her face.
She wrinkled her nose and took the napkin, but nodded.
“They’re my favorite too.” I took a big bite, letting out a happy sigh as the tart green apple hit my tastebuds. “I haven’t had one in years.”
When we finished with the apples, she immediately started on the popcorn. “You won’t want dinner.”
“I always have room for food, Mom.” While I watched, she ate more and then slurped from the giant punch cup Travis had purchased.
“Even after that huge breakfast?” I asked, grabbing my own handful of popcorn.
But hey, maybe I was pregnant, so obviously, I needed extra calories. And I just wanted to be with my family, whatever it ended up looking like.
The first go-round I’d been so uptight and nervous. So afraid of losing everything that I’d done exactly that. Now I was embracing living life however it came, even if the changes were super fast.
As long as I was with the people I loved, speed didn’t matter a bit.
We’d plowed through almost all of the popcorn and drank nearly all of the punch by the time Travis made it through the line and wheeled his now squeaking over-filled cart our way. I couldn’t even imagine how much all that stuff had cost, but he certainly didn’t seem dismayed.
Somewhere he’d found an oversized striped top hat like in the Dr. Seuss stories and was wearing it with a damn near jaunty grin.
“I forgot to get a costume!” Carrington cried, letting out a loud belch.
We all laughed.
“Well, remember the racks were like decimated when we looked,” I told her sadly.
“Well, then, we have to go to another Halloween store. Or maybe Walmart,” Travis suggested.
“Sure, let’s go.” Carrington leaped to her feet and aimed for the doors.
With a sigh, I leaned back against the back of the bench and rubbed my now straining belly. And Travis watched the movement as if it was the most riveting thing he’d ever seen.
“We ate a lot,” I explained quickly.
“So, I see.” He looked into the popcorn bucket and withdrew his now popcorn-covered caramel apple. He ate it fast then snatched the punch cup, draining what was left in mere seconds. “Should we get more before we go?”
“Uh, no. I’ve probably consumed three thousand calories today already.”
“Who cares?”
He did have a point. From the reverence in his expression, he had absolutely no problem with how much I was eating.
Pleasure made me rise to my feet. Without glancing over my shoulder, I leaned up to cup his face, taking his lips with mine with a suddenness that made him groan.
“I knew the caramel would taste better on your mouth.” He made a show of licking his lips as he moved back and reached up to rub his fingers over my chin. “Delicious.”
“Sure is.” I mirrored his move and picked some peanuts out of his growing scruff. He hadn’t bothered to shave today.
I had to say I approved.
Grinning shamelessly, he dragged me against him again, sweeping his tongue between my lips in a fast, devastating kiss that made me sag against him.