Page 47 of Save a Wish

“Wow, Jimmy,” I said. “What magic is this?”

Others around the tables voiced the same sentiment.

“It’s my secret spice rub,” Jimmy said.

Everyone—except Mom, Hunter, Amelia, and Little Ben—shot each other a look. Jimmy having a secret anything could be concerning.

“But I’ll tell you what’s in it,” Jimmy continued. “It’s got salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, and the secret Vermont touch is . . .”

We collectively leaned in, but I wasn’t worried. I accepted Jimmy.

Didn’t I?

“Maple sugar,” Jimmy announced, and everyone relaxed in their seats.

“It’s so yummy, Mr. Jimmy! Good job!” Amelia clapped and any lingering tension sifted into the ground.

Because, damn, it was so yummy.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying it, Miss Amelia,” Jimmy said with a smile. “I can’t take all the credit though. These were nice cuts of organic meat from Opal Hill Farm. Better than other meats I’ve grilled. Some meats you have to struggle with to get off the bone, you know?”

And the tension was back, but Jimmy and Mom both sported grins.

“Are you toying with us, Jimmy?” Logan asked after a few counts of silence.

“I am indeed.” Jimmy lifted his glass of lemonade then took a long swig. After he set it down, he picked up his steak knife and jabbed the meat on his plate right in the center. A little stream of pinkish juice came up from the slice. “Ah, just the way I like it. Still wriggling a bit.”

Mom swatted Jimmy’s arm. “Stop. You’ll give them all nightmares, honey.”

Honey? That earned eyebrow raises amongst the group and was perhaps cause for more panic than possible serial killing grilling techniques. When had terms of endearment become a thing between Mom and Jimmy?

I shook my head and reminded myself that I was cool with Jimmy, but hearing Mom call him honey cemented that she and Jimmy were truly a couple. No denying it, and by the looks on my siblings’ faces, they finally realized that now too.

We also couldn’t deny that Jimmy had superior grilling skills and we’d no doubt be allowing him to grill for us again.

We’d probably be allowing him to continue to date our mother too.

Because what choice did we have really?

Conversation shifted to town gossip that didn’t include Jimmy, and watching Sadie take in all the tales was entertaining. Her facial expressions morphed from shocked to amused to disbelief, and in every instance, she was truly gorgeous to behold.

I may have not been to any royal banquets, but I certainly felt as if I was in the presence of someone truly regal.

When our feeding frenzy concluded, we all pitched in to help clean up and headed for the fire pit that Joshua had rekindled to an impressive blaze. With hot apple ciders in hand, we took seats around the flames, our fronts heated from the fire while our backs were cooled by the shadows of night that had crept in around us.

“Hunter, can you sing the song from your play?” Amelia asked.

With encouragement from the rest of us, Hunter rose from his position in the grass next to Amelia. He launched into a song about believing in oneself, his voice powerful and unwavering and moving. When he finished, we all applauded and Hunter bowed.

“You have a beautiful voice,” Sadie said.

“Thank you.” Hunter lowered back to sit beside Amelia.

Vanessa nudged the boy with her foot. “Tell them your news, Hunter.”

“I was picked to attend a singing camp in California during winter break in December,” Hunter said.

“A singing camp that normally only allows people over sixteen to participate,” Vanessa gushed, “but one of the counselors from the camp heard Hunter sing in a play at the town theater and she said the camp wouldn’t be complete without him.”