Page 86 of All of You

I wave and smile. “Hi Heath.”

“Don’t do anything dumb,” he says while stepping aside.Okay. That’s weird.

Delia steps out around Heath smirking. She looks phenomenal. Tight jean skirt, loose bohemian shirt, and white sneakers. She even did her hair. Unconsciously I run my fingers through mine, hoping I look good enough.

“Gramps, are you being rude? YoulikeLangdon, remember?” Delia says.

Heath gives a little grunt and mumbles something about that was before he (meaning me) wanted to date his granddaughter. Delia snorts out a laugh and pats Heath’s arm before kissing him on the cheek.

“Are those for me?” She nods to the flowers in my hand. I nod back, all my words lodged in my throat.

“They’re really pretty. Thank you. Let me put them in water before we leave.” Delia darts toward the kitchen leaving me and Heath alone.

“Heath,” I start.

“Eh. I remember being your age. Just, don’t do anythingstupid with my granddaughter. Got it?” he cuts me off.

“Yes, Sir,” I answer dutifully.

Delia reappears grinning, hooks her arm through mine, and tugs me back to the porch. “Night Gramps,” she calls.

Heath tells her to be home by eleven and stands in the door until we’re buckled in the truck and I’ve started it. I imagine him sitting on the front porch with a stopwatch and a shotgun counting down until eleven.

“Hi, hello, earth to Langdon?” she says.

We bump down the driveway and make a right onto the main road. I snap my head to her. “Hi. Sorry. Didn’t expect Heath to uh, be like that.”

Delia laughs. “He’s not going to do anything.”

I shake my head slowly. “I’m not so sure.”

I take Delia’s hand in mine as we drive.

“So where are we going?” she asks.

“Dinner first but then…how do you feel about haunted hayrides?” I ask. I glance at her, hoping I haven’t fucked this up already. Her eyes are wide and I think I’ve made a mistake.

“I’ve never been on one.”

“What?” I all but shout. “Seriously?”

Delia shrugs. “Seriously. Is it really scary? I’m not good at really scary. And I didn’t bring a jacket. Will it be cold?”

I smile at her. “I brought an extra hoodie if you want it. And no it’s notthatscary. Just scary enough so that you’ll be forced to cling to me.”

Delia looks out her window. “I would have done that anyway.”

I hope and pray that no one’s at The Hammock tonight, as we pull into the parking lot. I don’t want to share her attention with anyone. I don’t want her to worry about classmates watching us or talking at school. I open her door for her and take her hand as she hops out.

“I haven’t been here before.”

“They have the best sandwich melts and shakes.”

She squeezes my hand. “Just so you know, I don’t share shakes. I’m a terrible sharer when it comes to desserts.”

I laugh and open the restaurant door for her.

Delia orders a steak and cheese with all the toppings and a peanut butter cup shake. It sort of blows my mind. Not that she’s the kind of girl who orders a salad, but I just didn’t think she had it in her to take down such a large amount of food. Where does she put it all?