I head out into the hallway when I hear her groan. "Fine, I'll go if I can study in the car."
I peek my head back into her bedroom and give her a big smile. "Deal. We leave in fifteen, babe." I wink and head to the banister to don my shirt. She put up more of a fight than I expected, but hell, that was fun.
Twenty-four hours, I can do this, especially with Emma by my side.
***
"I thought you were going to be studying the whole way." I tease Emma who's had her head turned, looking out the window for the past ten minutes.
Huffing, she turns back to her book and says, "How am I supposed to study when there are so many pretty houses to look at?"
"You're not. So put the book down and enjoy the view. What are you really going to retain in the next few minutes anyway? Sometimes it's a good idea to rest the brain, babe. Have fun with me today, pick up the book tomorrow."
She sighs heavily and caps her highlighter. She sets her book on the ground and says, "You're a bad influence, you know that?"
I link our hands, pressing our palms together. "Nah, I'm good for your studious soul and you know it." I playfully squeeze her hand. "Why doesn't DJ Jazzy Nurse Tits find some good music for us? And when I say good music, I mean it. None of this One Direction crap."
"Oh please, you like them."
"I really don't, but thanks for trying. Hook your phone up to my radio and play me the best you've got."
"Hmm, okay."
I glance over at her and I swear her smile stretches as wide as a Cheshire cat. What is she up to?
She takes a few minutes to flip through her phone. "Really taking your time there, aren't you?"
"Just making sure I impress, that's all. Can't have DJ Jazzy Nurse Tits letting you down. Which by the way, I'm still not committed to that name."
"Too bad I am." I squeeze her knee, which causes her to buckle over and laugh. "Fuck, are you ticklish?"
"Badly."
"Huh." I can't help my smile. "Looks like I can have fun with that later."
"Go ahead," she answers nonchalantly. "Hope you like getting kicked in the balls, because that's what's going to happen if you try to tickle me."
"Vicious."
She chuckles and then says, "Ah, found it. Are you ready for this?"
"Lay it on me, babe."
The sound of a single guitar strums through the speakers of my truck and it immediately pulls my attention just as a male, folky type voice matches up with the strum of the guitar. I've never heard the song and I'm kind of fucking shocked it's on her phone. This doesn't sound like the kind of music she listens to.
The song plays out, little strums, followed by some background piano, it all works. Fucking catchy as hell.
When it ends, Emma turns her body in her seat and says, "What did you think?"
She's practically bouncing on her seat, waiting for my opinion.
Not answering right away, she gets frustrated and pokes my shoulder, causing me to laugh. "Fine. I liked it. You shocked me actually; I didn't think you were going to pick something so soft. Good choice. Who was it?"
Her smile grows even wider. "Niall Horen. The song is called This Town."
"Niall Horen. Is he new? I've never heard of him. I like his voice."
"You've heard him before."
"Have I? What song?"
"Any One Direction song I've ever played. It's his first solo song." The cackle that follows her confession is actually quite endearing because it's a full-on belly laugh, as if she just caught me with my pants down, willy out, dawning a fucking duck hat on my dick.
When her laughter starts to die down a little, I say, "You think you're so fucking clever, don't you?"
She wipes her eyes. "I do actually. Tucker loves One Direction," she singsongs.
"You couldn't be more wrong." I turn into Main Street in Skaneateles, New York, and start searching for parking. "I don't like New Direction, but am I starting a little boy-crush on Niall? Well, I'm not going to deny that."
Once again her laughter fills the cab of my truck and I can't help but soak up the beautiful sound, loving this day already . . . even if it's at the expense of my manhood.
***
"How cold do you think that water is?"
I have my arms wrapped around Emma's shoulders, her back is to my chest, and I'm holding her tight as I lean my head over her shoulders and take in the expanse of Skaneateles Lake.
"Freezing, babe. There might not be snow on the ground right now, but it's cold."