“No need. I got one.”
Lips pursed, I turned back to him.
“Here.” He opened the back door, and sure enough there was a booster.
I strode to the door and examined it. “That’s the same.”
“Yes. The same one you have. I saw it while I was at Costmart and grabbed it, figured it would be easier.”
Blinking, I turned to him, my brain not quite understanding.
“Got snacks too.”
Julian wandered to Josh’s side. “Is Wayne coming?”
Ducking, he shook his head. “He’s keeping Jasper and Vincent company while we’re gone. Since we need my truck to haul the pumpkin back, there isn’t enough room.”
Julian’s whole body sagged with disappointment.
“But he’ll help us build our boat. Don’t worry.”
The truck was equipped with snacks, water, blankets, and a few extra hoodies. Well-worn hoodies that looked so cozy I wished I could slip one on now, then take it home with me.
“Why do you have so many snacks?” Maggie asked.
“Cause kids eat a lot,” he replied, eyeing her in the mirror.
Ellie shrugged. “Accurate.”
We hadn’t even driven outside town limits before they were digging in.
“Mom,” Julian shouted far louder than necessary. “He has cucumbers. Cut in circles, not sticks.”
I turned in my seat, and sure enough, Josh had procured cucumbers, Julian’s favorite, and had cut them with precision.
“He got my crackers too.”
Heart thudding, I eyed the man beside me. “How did you know which foods were Julian’s safe foods?”
His focus was on the road, his fingers tapping the steering wheel. “I noticed and took a photo of the box with my phone. Didn’t want to mess it up for him.”
I ducked, lacing my fingers in my lap, hiding my shock, then pulled my sunglasses down over my eyes, determined to enjoy the ride.
“What should we listen to?” Josh asked, interrupting the girls, who were fighting over granola he’d brought from Jenn’s shop.
“K-Pop!” Maggie shouted.
“No, put on Lake Paige!” Ellie countered.
“Queen,” Julian declared, crossing his arms in his booster.
“Okay. I can get behind Queen,” Josh said, handing me his phone. “Will you pull up Spotify?”
His phone was unlocked and protected in a black case. One of those super tough unbreakable kinds. And unlike mine, the screen had no cracks.
“You each get a turn to choose songs,” I said, opening Spotify. “But I also vote Queen first.”
Julian giggled. “Mama, put on ‘Don’t Stop Me Now.’”