“I think it’s still good.” His mom rolls her eyes at me. “Graham’s very concerned with the right and wrong way to do things.”
Graham makes a disgusted noise.
“I’m not a hoarder. I’m an environmentalist.” She pats his arm.
“Those dates are suggestions.” I stick my tongue out at him.
“Yeah, Graham. See? Dani’s smart, and she’s on my team.”
“When you all get sick, I’m not visiting you at the hospital.” He picks up his glass.
“That’s why we have alcohol.” I give the punch bowl a stir. “So, who wants punch? My granny claims she got the recipe from Andy Warhol, but I think she’s lying and she got it from a home and garden magazine.”
Graham’s siblings clamber around the oversized island as I pass out punch.
“So, when is Uncle Gino arriving?” I ask them. “I hear he’s got some spicy takes.”
“He and my stepson are coming in tomorrow,” Frank informs me.
“But now we have hot dogs and marshmallows,” his mom offers. “We’re pulling out all the stops.”
“Dani brought bougie food, Mom,” Bridget says with a sigh. “We’re better than hot dogs now.”
“Caviar!” Hannah screams, digging in the insulated bag. “You brought a whole sack of caviar!”
“It was on sale at Costco,” I warn her, “so don’t get too excited. I also have potato chips and sour cream and hard-boiled eggs. We can make fancy nachos.”
“Let’s sit in front of the fire.” Aurora shoos everyone out of the kitchen. “Where’s my big blanket?”
“You need to use the mother-of-pearl spoons,” Ryan’s trying to explain to his father.
“Oh my gosh, you have, like, a cooler full of lobster!” Bridget opens one of the containers.
“We should give them a little warm-up.”
“Bridgie, where are those trays?” Hannah digs in the cabinet under the sink.
“And I have truffle butter. Also, there’s oysters around here somewhere.” I pour myself another cup of punch.
“Man, that stuff is dangerous, isn’t it?” Ryan jokes. “Graham, you want in on this?”
“God forbid you get some fruit in your diet.” I hiccup and poke at a booze-soaked orange slice with my tongue. “Here’s your scotch.”
“Paris,” Graham hisses in my ear as we all troop out into the great room to camp in front of the fire.
I elbow him. “The safe word is for me, not you.”
“Then say it.Say it, so we can leave.”
Max and Sean feed Lulu potato chips while Claire shows me her wedding Pinterest.
“You need to do orchids. Have them hanging down from the chandelier.” I show her my dream-wedding Pinterest page. “Likewith crystals—they just drip down. In that renovated factory, it’s going to look amazing.”
“But that’s your idea,” she cries. “For your wedding—I can’t steal it.”
“Who knows if that’ll ever happen? I’ll have to meet Prince Charming first.”
Graham seems to materialize out of nowhere.
