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"They’re—"
"Natalie!" her mother squawked.
"—those ketchup and mustard and salt packages you get at McDonalds when you order a happy meal."
As her two parents sighed out their relief, Drew threw back his head and laughed. A second later, his brother-in-law joined in.
"Yeah, Drew," Jeff chuckled. "Always remember to order extra ketchup."
"It’s not funny," Amanda informed the two men.
Though Drew tried to straighten his face, Jeff sent her an irritated scowl. "Oh, relax. It’s not that big a deal."
His wife didn’t respond. Instead, she sent her brother a telling look. See what I mean? This is how he’s been treating me.
But Drew didn’t see at all. Jeff and Mandy had always been like this. He still remembered the time when they’d been dating. After one thick snowfall, Jeff had spun a few doughnuts in a church’s empty parking lot with his Camaro. Drew had loved it, laughing uproariously as he was slung around the back seat. But from her spot in the front passenger’s seat, Mandy screamed her head off, demanding he stop.
Snapping at each other was their way of saying I love you.
Jeffrey seemed perfectly normal to him. He hadn’t said or done anything that was in any way unlike the usual Jeff.
"You want a beer?" he asked as soon as lunch was over and Mandy was clearing the dinner table while the kids played in the back yard.
Drew sent a quick glance his sister’s way. He could tell she’d heard her husband’s question because she paused briefly in stacking plat
es and stared hard at the top of the table. She’d murder him if he said no.
"Sure," he answered and followed Jeff through the kitchen and out the side door into a well-kept garage. Jeff’s hideout.
As the older man opened the fridge and ducked inside only to appear with two bottles in hand, a pent-up ball of tension loosened in Drew’s chest. Amanda had been freaking him out there. He’d actually worried the man who was almost closer to him than a blood brother was ruining his marriage by dating another woman. But this was Jeff as Jeff always acted.
"So, how’s the love life, Drew?" he asked as he handed the beer over.
Drew relaxed even more as he popped off the cap and listened to the refreshing hiss of air that followed. Yeah, he was still the same old Jeff. Always wanted to know about everyone’s dates.
Snorting, he said, "What love life?" and took a long drink, relishing the cool liquid that slid down his throat. He closed his eyes, trying to ignore the image of Mia that jumped to the front. But too many times, he pictured her standing in his living room and nervously holding out that list of addresses, her big grey eyes wide with uncertainty and hope.
He sighed as he dropped the beer to his side, only to find Jeff standing there, his own bottle still unopened, studying him intently with his arms crossed. "There’s this new intern at the office," he told Drew. "She’s pretty cute. Smart too. I could set you up if you want."
"Oh, yeah?" Drew asked, trying to hide his interest. Was it Mia? Did she just have a death in the family and Jeff had sent her flowers?
"Where’s she live?" he asked.
His brother-in-law threw him a surprised look. "Heck, I don’t know. She just started a couple weeks ago. I’ve only talked to her a handful of times. We haven’t exactly exchanged addresses and phone numbers yet."
"She got a name?" Drew wondered.
"Uh …" Jeff looked momentarily blank. And then he snapped his fingers. "Allison. Her name’s Allison. Don’t ask for a last. I have no idea."
Allison?
Drew’s shoulders slumped. "Oh," he answered, unable to keep the disappointment from his voice.
Jeff laughed. "What? Don’t you date women named Allison?"
Drew shrugged. "I’m not much into blind dates."
"Yeah," his brother-in-law lamented. "Don’t blame you much there. I met Amanda on a blind date."
