Emerging into the sunshine, Naomi blinked at the brightness, shading her eyes. “Whose car are we taking?”
“At least two,” Liam said. “I have to be able to leave on a moment’s notice, if there’s an emergency. Being the newest hire, I get the honor of being on-call over the weekend.”
“There’s my car,” Tamera said, moving toward a cherry red Volkswagen convertible.
Naomi’s eyes widened, and she veered away from Liam’s side. “I’m riding with you,” she announced. Ignoring the door handle, she slid over top of the door to land with aplunk!in the passenger seat.
Liam laughed, car keys jingling in his hand as he crossed the small parking lot to his far more sedate charcoal grey Jeep Compass.
“See you there,” Naomi called, turning in her seat to wave cheerfully as Tamera pulled out of the parking space and headed out.
She grinned at Tamera, who grinned back. Tilting her head up, she let the crisp fall air flow over her face, reveling in it.
The drive was far too short, and she sulked a minute as they pulled up the long driveway to the side of Troy’s house, parking in front of the barn.
“That was like, not even two miles. We could practically have walked here,” she pointed out.
“Yeah, but believe me, after stuffing yourself full of food, and probably a couple beers, you’re going to be glad we have wheels,” Tamera predicted.
“You speak truth,” Naomi admitted. She lifted her head, sniffing, as the scent of grilling meat reached her nose. “Oh, yeah,” she said, rubbing her hands together. “I’m going to like this.”
“You totally are,” Tamera agreed.
“Where’s Kester?” Naomi asked. “I’d thought you’d be coming together.”
“He’s at his deli to sign for a delivery, he’ll meet us here.” She grinned. “And tomorrow we have an appointment to go look at a house. We’ve seen a few, but I think this is the one, I really do! We’re so excited!”
“That’s great,” Naomi enthused, happy for them. “You should have a moving party, and invite everyone.”
Tamera nodded with enthusiasm. “Oh, we will! Free pizza and beer for everyone!”
They were laughing as Liam pulled up beside them, and the three of them walked together towards the adults gathered in the huge yard behind Troy’s house. Yells and laughter drew Naomi’s attention off to the left, across a wide pasture to a gentle slope where a slip ‘n slide had been set up. There seemed to be a lot more children than she’d thought would be here, but maybe it was because they were all running about. Adding to the commotion, a lovely collie was joining in the play, sharp barks punctuating the screams of delight as children slid down the watery slide to land in a grassy area.
“Isn’t it a bit chilly for that?” she wondered aloud.
Liam laughed. “At that age, they don’t care. Plus, it’ll wear off some of that excitement, so they’ll settle down when it’s time to eat.”
“I can see that,” she admitted, staring a bit wistfully at the slip ‘n slide. “I’ve never been on one of those either. It looks so fun.”
Tamera nudged her with a shoulder. “Want to go join them?”
Regretfully, Naomi shook her head. “I didn’t bring a swim suit.”
If she were honest, she didn’t think she’d have brought it even if she’d known. Her swimsuit matched Beth’s, and she couldn’t count the times they had snuck off, just the two of them on their own, and gone to the beach. Laying on matching towels in the sand, or playing in the surf, for a time they could forget about their fears, their family, and simply enjoy life. She wasn’t sure she could bear to wear that swimsuit. It was late in the year to be buying swimsuits; come spring, though, she’d look for another.
A touch on her shoulder had her shaking off her thoughts, and she looked around to see Liam at her side.
“You okay?”
She nodded, smiling, and together they crossed the yard to where a jumble of tables and dozens of chairs met her wide gaze. A wooden picnic table groaned under the weight of enough food, she judged, to feed Napoleon’s army through the Russian winter. At a huge brick grill to one side of the patio, Troy and another man she didn’t know were flipping burgers and spreading sauce on ribs.
“Naomi!”
She turned to see Jacinth coming out the back door of the house, a laden tray in both hands. She passed it off to Katerina, and came forward to pull Naomi into a hug.
“Come meet my Chosen, Douglas,” she said, pulling her toward the grill.
The man helping Troy turned as they approached, a warm smile curving his lips as he shifted the long-handled brush to his other hand, pulling Jacinth against him.
