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“So, the kids wouldn’t be around,” I said, swallowing a bit of the delicious food. “That could work.”
“It can if it’s as good as Rebecca said it was, absolutely it could,” she said. “Speaking of, do you have any of it still, or did you two knock the whole thing out?”
“Oh, I have some,” I said, grinning.
I hopped up and went to the freezer, pulling out the half of it that Rebecca and I didn’t eliminate days before. The extra time in the cold box only made it stiffer and more fun to crack into.
“Alright, that’s it,” she said. “This is not only going on the menu, but you’re bringing it to the next bonfire.”
“Bonfire?” I asked.
“It’s a thing we do every week on Saturday night,” she explained. “It started with Aiden and Brett, but now we all pick a house and have a bunch of people over. Our little circle is getting bigger all the time, and anyone who we think could fit in the group is invited to come. I think that not only will you fit right in, but this is going to be a major hit.”
“I would love to do that,” I said. “And I will make one tomorrow for it. I can keep it in the box here, so it gets extra cold.”
“Perfect,” she said. “I might need you to make two of them. One of them just for me.”
She laughed, but I got the impression she was at least half-serious.
“Are you sure I’ll fit in?” I asked. “I’m not exactly the most mountainous of mountain men.”
“Do I look like a tiny Southern belle?” she asked. “You’ll be fine. If you feel uncomfortable, you can always dip out, but if you stick with me and Everett for a bit, I’m sure you’ll warm up to everyone else. They’re all really friendly.”
“Cool. I’d enjoy that. I don’t really know too many people outside of the diner here.”
“I know. Janet said you need to get out more. She’s worried you go to sleep with a spatula in your hand.”
“She said that?” I asked.
Helen nodded.
“I’ll text you the address tomorrow,” she said. “You’re opening, right?”
“Yeah, but I usually do open-close on Saturday,” I said.
“Not this week you won’t,” she said. “The diner will be fine. You cut out when you feel like it and meet us for the bonfire at eight.”
“Will do,” I said. “Anything else I can bring?”
“Beer,” she said.
I smiled.
“I know exactly what beer to bring.”
10
WENDY
The week had gone exceptionally well, and I was feeling good Friday afternoon as we were finishing up. The fact that it was payday was just an added bonus. I was looking forward to seeing my first check with the pay increase from my new position. I was still learning, so I hadn’t gotten the full raise quite yet, but it was still more than what I earned before. And every time I earned more, it meant more could be squirreled away.
I finished up my work and went to the office to get my check. As I was waiting, Deacon and Carter came rushing inside. They were teasing each other and laughing, poking each other in the ribs like teenage boys. The two of them seemed to never run out of energy. It was the end of a long, hard day of work that would completely wipe out just about anybody, but there they were, still bouncing around and acting like they could go back out for another eight hours.
“Hey, Wendy,” Deacon said. “You’re coming tomorrow, right?”
I looked at him with my eyebrows pulled together. I had no idea what he was talking about.
“I don’t know,” I said.
“Oh, come on,” Carter said. “It’s a blast. And you are always working your ass off. You deserve to take some time off and just relax and have fun. You have to come. Come on. Say you will. Say yes.”
“Yeah, say yes,” Deacon said.
“Say yes to what?” Everett asked, coming into the office.
I turned to look at him and shrugged. “I honestly have no idea.”
“She said she doesn’t know if she’s going to come tomorrow night,” Deacon said.
“Because I don’t know what he’s talking about,” I responded.
The guys stopped and looked at Everett.
“You said you were going to invite her,” Carter said.
“Yeah,” Everett said. “And I hadn’t gotten around to it yet.”
“Oh, Deacon said. “That’s probably why she wouldn’t say yes.”
“I do make it kind of a personal rule not to agree to go to things I don’t know about first,” I said.
“Probably wise,” Carter agreed.
Accepting the check that he was holding out to me, I turned my attention back to Everett. “So, what haven’t you gotten around to asking me about yet?”
“The guys and I have bonfires at our cabins every week. They’re just super casual, a way for all of us to get together and hang out, let off some steam, and kind of keep up with each other. This week it’s at my place, and I wanted to invite you to come,” he said.
