AJ tipped the delivery driver after passing the stacks of pizza boxes back to John, Jack, and Nathan.
“How many pizzas did he order?” I asked.
Blake giggled as she answered, “A dozen. He was worried we wouldn’t have enough.”
Blake and AJ were complete opposites, but they worked. Her tiny, curvy frame fit his tall, muscular one perfectly when she stepped into his arms. Her quiet demeanor balanced his loud one. The only thing they seemed to stress over was money. Not that they didn’t have enough. They had more than enough, but AJ didn’t want the world thinking he was a gold-digger.It’s weird how much I overhear at Grannie’s. According to a news article I’d read, because I’d never had the nerve to ask them, Blake was worth almost a billion dollars.
She could easily support them both, but AJ kept his job at SSI and Blake was an attorney for the Wyatt Foundation. A charity started by John and Mary, after the death of Beth’s husband. Like everything the Sheppards did, the Wyatt Foundation was a family affair. Emily and Ashley did the marketing and social media; Blake was on the board of directors and served as the foundation’s attorney. Beth also sat on the BOD. Each year, Mary and John hosted a huge Halloween fundraiser party.
Last year was the first time I’d worked the event, and the first time they didn’t hold it at Grannie’s. It’d grown too big with the addition of the multiple scholarships and expanding the donation recipient pool from Parker County to all of Texas.
The funds and scholarships went to the families of fallen first responders. The foundation helped a lot of families over the years by providing financial support during some of the most difficult days of their lives.
“Do you think you ordered enough?” Meg asked.
“Did you order my Hawaiian?” Ashley asked.
“Pineapple on pizza is gross,” AJ said. “But yes, I ordered it.”
“Thank you. Now gimme.”
“You gonna let her talk to me like that?” AJ asked Nathan.
“Yup. Now feed my wife.”
I felt like the odd man out as the banter continued. They’d known each other forever, at least it seemed like they had, and I didn’t understand the dynamic.
Blake came over and sat next to me. “It’s a bit much, isn’t it?”
I nodded and finished chewing my bite of pepperoni pizza. Did she feel awkward too?
“Sometimes, I still feel like I don’t fit in,” she confessed.
“But you’re engaged to AJ and you work with them.”
“You work with them too.”
I did, but being a barista in the family coffee shop wasn’t nearly as impressive as being the family charity attorney.And I’m not part of the family.
“You’re engaged to AJ, so you’re part of the family.”
“In case you haven’t noticed, so are you.”
“No, I’m not. They’re just helping me because I'm part of Austin's case.”
“Are you sure about that?” Blake asked, a soft smile on her pretty face.
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve seen how Austin looks at you, like he can't keep his eyes off of you.”
My head whipped around so fast my eyes needed a second to catch up. When they did, I saw Austin staring at me with concern in his eyes.
“He’s just doing his job,” I said. Only I didn’t sound nearly as convincing as I wanted to.
The man I’d been dreaming about being attracted to me was impossible to believe. Not in that way.Not when my life is a mess.
“Even if that’s true, John and Mary love you. And once Mary adopts you into the fold, the best thing to do is accept it,” Blake said.
