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Contents ( 66)
  1. Cover
  2. Books by Valerie Fraser Luesse
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright Page
  5. Dedication
  6. Contents
  7. Map of Florida
  8. one
  9. two
  10. three
  11. four
  12. five
  13. six
  14. seven
  15. eight
  16. nine
  17. ten
  18. eleven
  19. twelve
  20. thirteen
  21. fourteen
  22. fifteen
  23. sixteen
  24. seventeen
  25. eighteen
  26. nineteen
  27. twenty
  28. twenty-one
  29. twenty-two
  30. twenty-three
  31. twenty-four
  32. twenty-five
  33. twenty-six
  34. twenty-seven
  35. twenty-eight
  36. twenty-nine
  37. thirty
  38. thirty-one
  39. thirty-two
  40. thirty-three
  41. thirty-four
  42. thirty-five
  43. thirty-six
  44. thirty-seven
  45. thirty-eight
  46. thirty-nine
  47. forty
  48. forty-one
  49. forty-two
  50. forty-three
  51. forty-four
  52. forty-five
  53. forty-six
  54. forty-seven
  55. forty-eight
  56. forty-nine
  57. fifty
  58. fifty-one
  59. Epilogue
  60. Keep Reading for a Preview of Valerie Luesse’s Next Book!
  61. Prologue
  62. one
  63. Acknowledgments
  64. About the Author
  65. Back Ads
  66. Back Cover

“Parked outside the courthouse so you can drive it right after we get your license. Aunt Gert says the clerk will let us use her address.”

“When did you have time to buy a car?”

“I didn’t. Your daddy bought it right after Christmas. We had gone out to dinner and were on our way home when he spotted it at a dealership and decided then and there that you would be driving it. He bought it that night, and we took it to your Uncle Jimmy’s for safekeeping. I asked Jimmy to have it delivered down here after you left for Key West.”

Peyton turned the key over and over in his hand. “Daddy picked it out for me?”

“Yes,” his mother said. “He was smitten with that car right from the start, and when they told him the color was called Freedom Blue, that sealed it for him. He said he couldn’t think of anything better to give you on your sixteenth birthday than a little taste of freedom.” She put her arms around Peyton and held him tight. “He loved you very much, son. Always remember that. Enjoy his gift. Make the most of it.”

fifty

But why can’t we go to the courthouse with Peyton and Lisa?” Bonnie was not happy about being left behind, but Aunt Gert knew how to charm a child.

“Because I need your help,” she said. “I can’t make brownies and do all the tasting myself. Somebody’s got to lick the spoon to make sure we get the chocolate right. Jasper, do you know anything about licking a spoon?”

He shook his head.

“Well, what about you, Bonnie?”

She shook her head too.

“Well, I’ll teach you,” Aunt Gert said. “It’s a very important skill.”

Bonnie and Jasper followed her into the kitchen and sat down at the table, watching her mix eggs, butter, sugar, and cocoa into a bowl. The more Aunt Gert stirred, the bigger their eyes grew.

“It’s turnin’ into chocolate!” Bonnie exclaimed.

“Yes, indeed, and now comes the critical part.” Aunt Gert dipped two spoons into the batter and handed one to each of the children. “Go on,” she said. “Lick your spoons and tell me how the chocolate tastes. This is our last opportunity to make adjustments.”

Bonnie and Jasper licked their spoons clean and said they could find no fault with the chocolate.

Aunt Gert poured the batter into a buttered baking dish. “Well, that is such a relief, children. Thank you very much for your help.” She slid the dish into her oven and set a timer. “Now, I’m afraid we’ll have to hurry because we don’t have much time. We need to get into our bathing suits and pack a picnic basket, because as soon as those brownies come out of the oven, we’ll have to be on our way. There’s a waterfall that needs our attention.”

“What’s a waterball?” Jasper asked.

“Waterfall, Jasper. One of the prettiest in Florida. The water flows over rocks, down into a crystal-clear swimmin’ hole. Do you children know how to swim?”