The Apple Tree (Sunday Morning, #2) (59)

Eve hugged my arm while we meandered toward her property, taking unhurried steps.

“I had fun making caramel apples with Josh today. When he giggles, I feel it in my belly like someone’s tickling me, and I can’t help but laugh too. But nothing will ever compare to the look on his face when I gave him Clifford. I know everyone is upset that I got him a dog, but A, he was free. C, Josh is so in love with him. And D. Well, I don’t know what D is, but you can’t make me regret it.”

“A. No dog is free. I will have vet and food bills. You skipped B because you’re drunk. And, of course, Josh is in love with him. He doesn’t have any responsibility for the dog.”

She dropped her head, moping along beside me.

I squeezed her hand. “I’m not happy about the dog. But the way you care about Josh and see the innocence and pure joy in his laughter means a lot. I used to think the same about him cooing as a baby. And the soup was amazing. I bet your grandma is proud of you for taking everything she has to pass along to you and gracing your friends and family with culinary love.”

“Culinary love?” She giggled. “I like that. And yeah, I think I’m her favorite, which says a lot because I know I’m not my parents’ favorite.”

“I don’t think parents have favorites,” I said as we reached the bottom of the hill and started up the last hill before the orchard.

“That’s because you only have one child. If you have another, you’ll have a favorite.”

I laughed. “Think so?”

“Yes. And don’t fool yourself. Fred is your parents’ favorite.”

“Nah. You know what I think?”

“Huh?”

“I think parents take the weakest one and make them the favorite because they know they need a little extra love if they’re struggling. So my sister is hands down the favorite.”

“Hmm …” She stared at the ground as we headed up the hill. “Then I might be the favorite. Or Sarah. Definitely not Gabby. She’s too sly. A conformist on the outside but a rebel on the inside. In their eyes, she can do no wrong.”

“Maybe you should consider not drinking so much. I bet that would go a long way to earn their trust.”

“Maybe. But now that I know I might be the favorite, I can’t risk being too good and losing that extra love. Can you just imagine how hard they will love me if they find out about us?”

I laughed. She always made me laugh, even when I tried to be serious. Eve was quickly becoming dangerously irresistible.

Clifford ran ahead of us and peed on the first apple tree he came to.

“How do you feel about a movie Friday night after the homecoming game? Not in Devil’s Head. Either Filmore or Raven. Fred and Anne will be thrilled to watch Josh. If you can figure out how to sneak away with me.”

She stopped and stepped in front of me between the rows of apple trees. “A date? Are you asking me to homecoming? Do I get to wear a dress?”

“A date.” I snaked my hands around her waist. “Minus the homecoming.”

She frowned.

“I’ll wear my Sunday best, and you wow me with your sexiest dress.”

She giggled. “I’m a preacher’s daughter. I don’t own anything sexy.”

“You make the dress sexy.” I dipped my head and kissed her neck below her ear. “The dress doesn’t make you sexy.”

Her fingers weaved through my hair. “Why do I love when you say the word sexy?”

“Because you love sex,” I murmured in her ear. “I know what’s on that tape in your Walkman.”

She giggled, pushing me away. “Will we have popcorn and sodas?”

I grinned. “Popcorn and sodas.”

“Mike and Ikes?”

I shook my head. “Junior Mints.”

“What movie?” Eve reached for an apple and plucked it off the tree.

“Your choice.”

She wiped the apple with her sweatshirt and took a bite. My face soured just thinking about the tartness, but she didn’t flinch.

“Dirty Dancing. I’ve seen the previews. I think it’s about my life.”

“Is that so?” I was wasting time. We were a few yards from the fence along the property line, but I didn’t want to say good night.

“Well, we’ll see. But I’m going to be pissed if they made a movie about me without my permission.”

I no longer tried to hide my amusement with Eve. She made me laugh, and it felt good. And something about the smile on her face said I made her feel good, too.

“Meet me at our favorite lake after the game. Okay?” I said.

“Black Paw Lake is not our favorite lake. You said it yourself: Nobody’s there, the fish are not great, I flubbed up starting the boat there, and …” She snapped her fingers.

I tried not to laugh at her sluggish brain.

“Oh, yeah, it’s where you first rejected me.”

“Rejected you?”

She took another bite of the apple and nodded while chewing.

“How did I reject you?”

“You avoided looking at me for the looongest time, and when my bra strap slid off my arm, you put it back in place instead of going in the opposite direction.”

I shook my head, snickering. “Shut up. We were friends.”