Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 121576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 608(@200wpm)___ 486(@250wpm)___ 405(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 608(@200wpm)___ 486(@250wpm)___ 405(@300wpm)
“Can we go out to eat?” Olivia sprang to a standing position and held her breath. Her eyes doubled in size.
“Mom, can we?” Oliver asked, scrambling to his knees. “Please? Please!”
I knew this would make up for the change of plans. Even though my children loved going over to my brother’s house almost more than anything, they were practically addicts when it came to restaurant food. There was something about ordering off a menu. And because I kept us on a strict budget—a necessity since I was a single parent of two very active children who were always involved in some sort of extracurricular activity—I didn’t allow meals out very often.
“Get your shoes on,” I gave as my answer.
“Whoop!” Olivia punched the air. She fell into a fit of laughter when her brother stood up and shook his butt. The two of them high-fived, then raced each other for the front door, where their shoes were stacked against the wall.
“Can we go to Whitecaps?” Oliver asked.
“Sure. Wherever you guys want to go.”
“I want a burger. They got the best burgers.” He pushed his heel into his shoe and stomped the floor. “You know I’m right, Mom.”
“I want a burger too,” Olivia said, tying her laces.
I quickly shot a text to my brother, letting him know he was off the hook in terms of babysitting duty, and then I grabbed my keys and purse off the small table by the door. A large antique mirror hung above it on the wall. I checked my reflection while the kids finished getting ready.
I hadn’t changed for my date yet, so I wasn’t wearing anything fancy. Just a favorite pair of jean shorts and a soft yellow flowy top that had the shoulders cut out and billowed at my waist. But my hair and makeup looked more done up than usual. My long brown locks were loosely curled, making the caramel highlights my friend Shay had given me a few weeks ago stand out a bit more. I was wearing foundation instead of my typical tinted moisturizer, but kept my skin looking dewy since I’d skipped the powder. My eyes were lined black. Lips shiny with gloss.
“You would’ve looked real pretty for your date, Mama,” Olivia announced, coming to stand beside me.
I smiled down at her and cupped her cheek, which was flushed from exertion. “Not as pretty as you.”
“Are you sad?”
“Not one bit. I get to go on a date with you two now.” I winked at her when she grinned big, and then I ruffled Oliver’s dark hair when he got beside his sister. “And have the best burgers in Dogwood Beach.”
“Oh yeah!” Oliver hollered, adjusting his glasses when they slid down his nose. “Let’s go. I’m starving.”
The kids rushed outside when I opened the door. I followed, grinning as I watched them sprint to the car and pile inside it. Their unrestrained excitement was infectious, and I realized halfway to the restaurant how much truth had been in the answer I’d given Olivia.
My children always made the best dates.
* * *
The oceanfront restaurant was busy, typical for a Saturday night, I was sure. The kids didn’t mind the thirty-five-minute wait though, and spent it playing I Spy on the wraparound porch while I stared out at the ocean.
I braced my elbows on the railing and watched the waves crash through a break in the dunes. The June air warmed my shoulders.
I loved the beach. I couldn’t imagine living anywhere but here now.
Olivia chose our car for the second time in a row and stumped Oliver, who called her a cheat and demanded a rematch. When it was her turn to guess, Oliver started with the same description—I spy with my little eye something silver—and I had to bite my cheek to stop myself from laughing.
It was precious, how well they got along. I had a feeling even if they weren’t twins they would’ve been this close.
Kali, one of the waitresses I was friends with, stepped outside and called our name, then led us to an open booth by the window. The kids sat across from me, both up on their knees, and immediately got started on the children’s menu coloring activity.
“Can we get soda, Mom? You know, since we’re celebrating.”
“I think we can do that.”
Oliver’s grin took up his entire face. He leaned closer to his sister, who remained focused on her drawing. “You hear that? I’m getting a Dr Pepper.”
“Me too.”
“No. You get something else. Then we’ll swap and get double the soda.”
“Okay. Good idea.”
I studied the menu, humming along to the Twenty-One Pilots song playing overhead.
“Hey, it’s my favorite Savages.” Tori walked up to our booth, flashing a smile at the kids. Our last name was Savage. She shot me a questioning look. Date? she mouthed.
I gave her a thumbs-down.