After dinner, we spent another hour talking as Tammy told me almost all of Mark's embarrassing stories that she could remember, and he later could not stand it and asked if we could go out for ice cream. The two girls went with us and we drove to a small parlor.

I ordered my usual strawberry flavor, and was surprised that there were actual strawberries in the ice cream. Kylie was by now unstoppable when it came to talking and she was so excited to tell us about her surfing lessons, which explained why both of the girls' skin were sun-kissed. Their grandparents on their father's side lived closer to the beach so they get to spend their summer there, although they lived in the third building that I found on Mark's parents' property.

I could also not help but see how much Mark took care of his nieces' needs. He would make a good father someday, is what I thought. He apparently grew up in a close-knit and loving family, very far from mine. There was a good chance that he would make a good husband to someone, someday, and I already felt envious of whoever that girl would be.

When I felt Mark brush my chin with his finger, I was snapped back to my senses. I saw him his thumb clean, and realized I probably had a drop of ice cream on my face. I felt heat on my cheeks and he laughed.

"Grace, you look like a tomato," Kylie told me and giggled.

"Why is it always a tomato?" I asked, trying to brush the thought of what Mark just did off my head. "Why can't I be a strawberry."

"Okay, you look like a strawberry, then."

"Thank you."

After the ice cream, we stopped by a playground, yet again, sitting on the bench while watching Kylie and Leila play on the slide to let off all the sugar they just ate. I saw that father-like smile on his face again as he told Kylie off when she went down the slide too fast.

"Watch it!" he warned. "If you skin you knees, your mom will kill me."

"Sorry!" she yelled and went back up the ladder to say the same thing to Leila.

"Sorry to make you babysit with me," Mark said, turning to me.

"That's okay," I replied with a smile on my face as well. "They're cute."

"And about my family, too