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“Sure.” She passed Finn down to River, who confidently put him on her hip and started kissing the top of his head. “Cute Finn.” Then she turned to her brother. “I’m a vegetarian now.”
Rick groaned. “River. Where did that come from? The only food here is hot dogs and b
urgers.”
“I’m fine. I’ll eat the fruit and the chips.”
If Sloane thought about it, that’s really all she wanted to eat too. The kid might be on to something.
“What brought this on?”
“I watched a documentary. Don’t worry, I’m working on a Power Point presentation to show you the evils of animal farming in the US and the underlying health risks.”
Rick sighed and looked at Sloane. “The thing is, she means it. By tomorrow I’ll be watching her presentation and resenting that she has ruined beef for me.” He ruffled his sister’s hair. “Fine. Eat whatever you need to, kiddo. I support you.”
River wandered off, still holding Finn.
Sloane put her hands in her front pockets and eyed Rick. He really was a good guy and she felt warm inside just watching him with his sister. “I’m serious, Rick. What you’re doing with River is impressive. Not everyone could or would raise their sibling.”
He shrugged, clearly embarrassed by the compliment. “It was me or foster care and there was no way. Not happening. But it’s hard. I’m not going to lie.” Then he eyed her over his raised beer bottle, hovering near his lips. “I’d rather impress you in other ways.”
Of course he had to lighten the subject. She would do the same thing so it wasn’t like she didn’t get it. “Oh, you did. Trust me.”
“Can I impress you again tomorrow night?”
The idea of repeating the night before instantly made her wet, nipples beading. She took a deep breath through her nose. She could not be turned on at her father’s cookout. It was ridiculous. But Rick was giving her that look… the one that said he wanted to tease and touch her until she screamed in pleasure.
But at the same time, they had said one night. That’s what she remembered. So what game was he playing? “I don’t know…”
“Hey, Dick. I mean, Rick,” Sullivan called. “Get over here. I need a corn hole partner.”
She could see her brother impatiently waiting, Axl and Brandon down there as well. She didn’t see Jesse but he might already be heading back to Houston, where he lived and played hockey.
“This isn’t over,” Rick said under his breath as he turned and yelled that he didn’t want to be partners with a loser.
Sloane needed a cold drink. “Do either of you need anything?” she asked her girlfriends. They were lounging in lawn chairs positioned next to a spinach and artichoke dip platter. Lilly was over by the firepit chatting with her father and her aunt, her dad’s sister.
“No, I’m good,” Becca said.
“Same,” Emily agreed. “And don’t think you’re going to get out of talking about a certain someone and a certain something. We want the scoop.” She grinned.
Sloane was surprised they had waited this long to ask frankly. But she wished they hadn’t asked at all. She didn’t want to lie. But she wasn’t sure she wanted to tell them about sex with Rick. It seemed so… private.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
They gave peals of laughter. “Uh-huh.”
Sloane opened the slider and went into the kitchen. The style and décor in the house were stuck solidly back in the early nineties. Her dad had never changed anything as far as she could tell. There was still a wallpaper border in the kitchen featuring cherry pies coolly on a fence post. Which seemed wildly impractical to her. The countertops were a forest green laminate. As a teenager, it had just embarrassed her. Now it made her worry about her father. He was holding on to the past with two fists.
He was chopping up onions on the peninsula. “Hey, baby girl,” he said, glancing up and giving her a smile.
“Hey, Dad. Who’s manning the grill?” She went straight to the fridge for a can of soda.
“Burgers and hot dogs are done. We can eat in a few minutes. And then, birthday cake for the birthday girl.”
They weren’t the family to exchange presents and she was fine with that. But cake, she could get behind. “Yum.” She shut the fridge door and popped open the can in her hand. “So what’s new, Dad?”
He gave her a skeptical look. “Nothing, Sloane. Not since I saw you yesterday.”
