Page 61 of The Offer

He scoffed and placed his hands on his hips. “Jessica Valerie, I come from a long line of hippies. Do you really think I don’t own any camping gear? We can share.”

She shuffled back and forth. “Your family won’t find it weird that I’m just…showing up with you? It’s not like we’re together or engaged or anything…”

He laughed at that. Laughed. Her cheeks flushed. She felt nauseous.

Kevin must have realized her reaction because his laughing slowed, his mouth forming a silent O. “Sweetheart, that is—”

“Don’t call me sad,” she whispered.

He hesitated. “Is that really why you didn’t hang out with his family? Because he never gave you a ring?”

She nodded. “They only allowed partners to join in on holidays and trips if they were engaged. I waited years for Charlie to pop the question, waiting for the day that I could finally be part of his family. But he never did, which I guess is a good thing. After a while I wanted nothing to do with them. They’re a brood of vipers.”

He scowled. “What an absolute piece of shit.”

She hummed and checked the croissants. “What’s your family like?”

“The complete opposite. It’s all good vibes and mantras and mary jane. Mom always told me marriage is a business transaction and I should focus instead on finding a soul connection with someone. I’m honestly not even sure if my parents are married.”

She smiled. “She sounds wonderful. I can’t wait to meet her.”

He perked up, hopping back and forth. “So you’re in?”

“And we’ll bring Honey?”

The puppy flipped from where she slept at the sound of her name and noticed Kevin. She charged for him.

He scooped her up and planted kisses on her furry head. “Duh. Camping with my girls? Sounds like a dream.”

She shook her head, not bothering to fight him on his use of my girls, riding on the high of being included in his family’s traditions. She spent the rest of the morning mulling over his words, liking the idea of finding a soul connection with someone else. It felt far more approachable than hopping into another relationship and losing herself all over again.

“Favorite road trip snack?”

Jess scrunched her nose and patted Honey in her lap. “I haven’t been on a road trip in forever so I have no idea.”

Kevin leaned back in the driver’s seat, one hand placed casually at the top of the wheel. “All right, imagine this; we take a pit stop somewhere for gas. What is the food you want to get?”

“Cheetos.”

Kevin cheered. “Now that’s what I’m talking about.”

Jess smiled as she kicked off her shoes. Kevin offered to drive the first leg of the trip to Burlington, but after three hours in the driver’s seat, he hadn’t asked her to switch, and she didn’t mind. It was nice being able to sit back and simply pet the pup on her lap, watching the sun lazily set among the hills and the trees that only grew taller as they drove north.

She kissed Honey’s head. Her ear perked up from the touch, then she melted into Jess’s lap and began to snore. “What’s your favorite road trip snack?”

“Chocolate milk and gummy worms,” he said unashamedly.

“That sounds repulsive together.”

“Jess, you put a literal meatloaf in an ice cream cake. I feel like nothing should repulse you.”

She chuckled. “Yeah, but the intention was to be disgusting. You’re choosing to do it of your own volition.”

He grinned, his eyes on the road. “I like that you guys have that tradition. It makes me wish I had coworkers.”

She brushed a hand through Honey’s fur, her pale-yellow locks longer than when they first picked her up. “You have coworkers now.”

He rubbed a hand across his face, then rubbed his neck, his cheeks pink. “Yeah, I guess I do.”