Page 59 of While the Sun Shines

“Nothing.”

“You ready for your hot dog?”

“Not yet.”

“What’re you—” He lets out a small laugh and turns to check behind himself. “What’re you looking at?”

“You.”

“Why?”

“Told you,” she says, fitting another bite of burger into her mouth. “M’thinking.”

“Gonna tell me what about yet?”

She shrugs, chewing. “Maybe.”

“Can I bribe you with another slice of cake?”

“Give it a try and see if it works.”

It won’t, Drew’s sure, but he goes to get her one anyway.

Outside, the sun’s shining through the clouds enough that someone’s dragged out a cornhole set. Drew should’ve brought Sadie, he thinks, as he finds a clean paper plate. Even old and gray, she’d still have spent the afternoon rolling around on the grass and chasing after the beanbags, stealing them from the players, and only returning them covered in slobber and leaking their kernels of filling.

Sadie always loved doing that, going as far as to stick her head in the hole, balancing on the sloped board as she did it. One summer, years ago, Cooper had even cut rubber strips to give her better footing, though Whit had just snapped at him that it ruined the game, since the beanbags couldn’t slide on the wood, and Cooper had sniped back at him until Whit had just walked off.

How long ago had that been? Now, wherever it is, the farm’s cornhole set is probably gathering dust, since they never drag it out to use it.

They could, though. He cuts a slice of the cake from the edge so it’ll have extra frosting. Should, probably. And this time, Whit’ll indulge Cooper, a one-eighty from their old bickering that’ll have them smiling at each other as Sadie races away with the beanbags.

Yeah, perfect: Penny can be stuck with Whit and Cooper while Drew wraps wheels of Camembert and prints out invoices. Exactly what Penny was just griping about.

Stop thinking about the farm, he tells himself.

Though he’s out of printer toner, isn’t he? And he really does have invoices he needs to send out.

Stop. Stop, stop, stop.

“Wanna play?” Drew asks when he gets back, handing Penny the plate and tipping his head toward the yard.

“Are you ready to lose in front of your entire family?” She holds out her free hand. “Help me up.”

“If you’re so loaded down with food that you need help off the couch, I might stand a chance,” he says. Penny’s skin’s warm, her hand soft as he pulls her to her feet, and oh hell, he doesn’t want to let go once she’s standing.

“I’ll let you think that,” she says and follows him outside.

“Can we do couples versus couples?” Lucy asks. “Winner makes Drew send them our cheese quota? And listen, you two, no driving with all that beer, okay? I’ve got the basement set up for you for tonight.”

“I can’t afford your cheese quota,” Drew says.

“I’m serious. I’ll take your keys, young man.”

“I am, too. I don’t have enough cows. And thanks, but Penny has a friend in town. We can’t stay.”

“Tough shit,” Lucy says.

“With all the technology in this world, haven’t you taught the cows how to milk themselves yet?” Julie asks.