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“Yay!” Layla cheered, holding her hand up for Amelia to smack in a high five.
“We’ll go home first so you can change,” he told her.
“I’m gonna change too,” Layla said. “And my mom bought some hula hoops. I’ll bring those so we can try to use them.”
Blake straightened to his full height, glancing over to see that Charli had joined them. She’d obviously heard the conversation, and her expression this time was resigned.
Part of him felt like he should change his mind and tell Amelia they’d just stick to his original plan. But one look at Amelia’s face had him accepting Jay’s offer to join them.
Though he would have liked to spare Charli his presence, right then, it was more important to do something that made Amelia happy and allowed her to spend time with a couple of kids who had connected with her when she hadn’t really connected with anyone else yet.
If he could avoid Charli for her sake, without affecting Amelia, he certainly would. It was just that his daughter had no one else to provide these opportunities for her, so he had to do that for her.
Blake couldn’t deny that there was also a small part of him that accepted these opportunities because he wanted to be around Charli, even though it was clear she didn’t welcome his presence.
CHAPTER NINE
“Isn’t it great that Amelia and her dad are coming to the picnic?” Layla asked as she twirled around the kitchen.
No. It most definitely was not great that Blake was bringing Amelia to their picnic. But instead of saying that, Charli gave a noncommittal hum in response.
“I’m going to bring my hula hoops. It’ll be fun to see if Amelia can do it.”
Charli put the rolls she’d baked the previous day into the plastic bin she was preparing to take to the park. Already in the bin were the cookies and brownies she had on hand from Denise.
Baking goodies wasn’t part of Denise’s job description when she came on Fridays, but when they’d told her that, she’d just waved their objections aside. Denise loved to cook and bake, and they all appreciated her efforts.
“Are we taking juice boxes?” Layla asked as she peered into the bin.
“If you’d like.” Charli went to the pantry and pulled out an insulated freezer bag. “Put some in there.”
“Just the juice boxes? There’s room for more stuff.”
Opening the fridge, Charli added a tub of butter and the potato salad she’d prepared the day before. Layla wanted to take popsicles, but it was warm enough that day that Charli didn’t think they’d stay frozen.
“Can’t we put ice in the bag to keep them cold?”
She checked the freezer and saw a bag of ice there, so she nodded. “Pick a few of each flavor and put them in a plastic bag.”
While Charli repacked the bag with the ice, Layla got a plastic bag and loaded a bunch of popsicles into it. Charli still wasn’t convinced they’d stay frozen, but Layla seemed certain that the ice would work its magic.
Once it was all ready, Charli began to carry the stuff out to her car. She had to make a couple of trips since she couldn’t handle everything they were taking in one go. In addition to the food, she and Layla put the hula hoops and some folding lawn chairs into the back of the car.
After they’d gotten home from church, Charli had changed into a pair of mid-thigh length cuffed denim shorts and a loose pink blouse with short ruffle sleeves. Her shoes were her favorite flat sandals.
Layla also wore a pair of shorts, but she had paired them with a sleeveless tank top. She’d put on a pair of runners since she was more likely to be playing while Charli was relaxing. Or at least trying to. The likelihood of truly relaxing with Blake around was actually quite slim.
“Ready?” Charli asked as she closed the back hatch.
“Yep!”
Janessa and Will had already come and gone, since they’d been assigned the task of saving their group a spot at the park since it was likely to be busy. That day was warm and sunny. Soon enough, however, the warmth of summer would shift into fall, bringing with it cool and rainy days, before finally settling into the cold and snow that would be with them for a few months.
Charli slid behind the wheel, then quickly checked her phone to make sure she hadn’t missed a message from anyone, asking her to bring something that had been forgotten. There was nothing on her phone, so she started up the car and headed for the park.
Once there, Charli pulled to a stop behind Jay’s vehicle. Layla clambered out the passenger side door, waving at Peyton.
Letting out a sigh, Charli got out of the car and went to where Layla waited impatiently at the rear of the car. Charli had just opened the back hatch when she heard another vehicle pull up behind them.
