“And they’re beautiful,” she said with a broad grin.
I smiled. “I’m happy to hear you enjoy them.”
“The only thing I don’t enjoy is that he usually brings me flowers when he screws up somehow. Can you fix that?” the wife asked.
I chuckled with them. “I don’t think I have that ability, but clearly the flowers help you to forgive him.”
She looked at her husband adoringly. “Yeah, they help.”
“Mom, I have homework to finish,” Carrie said, drawing the attention of the adults.
“So do I,” Mikayla said.
“If everyone is done, we can go,” Casey said, checking with the other mom.
“We’re good,” Carrie’s mom said. “It was so good to see you guys.”
The two moms shared a hug, and the dad shook my hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“You, too,” I told him. “Hopefully I won’t see you too soon.”
He laughed. “Doubtful.”
“Maybe you’ll see him because he’s being nice,” the mom said, sliding her arm around her husband’s waist.
He looped his arm over her shoulders. “I think I need to do that. Surprise her.”
“It would be a surprise.”
I laughed and told the dad to call me. The three of them headed in the opposite direction to their car, and I followed Mikayla and Casey to Casey’s. “That was fun.”
“Yeah. You should come to dinner with us every night,” Mikayla said.
Casey’s laugh was strained. “Landon has his own life, honey. I don’t think that’s going to be an option.”
“Maybe we can do something every week, though,” I suggested, not caring that it might get me in trouble with Casey. I wanted to spend more time with her, and if that meant Mikayla hanging around us, I wasn’t opposed to it.
“I’m not sure we can work that out. Between work and the musical, we’re pretty busy,” Casey said.
“But you have to eat. Maybe I can pick up a pizza and come over sometimes. It would be nice to see more of both of you.”
Casey slid me a look that suggested I stop talking.
“Yeah, Mom, we should do that,” Mikayla said.
Casey forced a smile for her daughter. “We’ll see.”
Mikayla’s shoulders sank, which told me that meant no in Casey language.
“Get in, honey,” Casey told her, standing next to the car.
I stayed with Casey, knowing I was about to get a lecture. She waited until Mikayla was in the car before she turned to me.
“I can’t afford to take her out every week, and I can’t ask you to pay for us all the time.”
“We don’t have to go out. I can cook for you. Or you can cook for me.”
She chuckled.
