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“This looks amazing,” Ryan says before taking a big bite of potato salad.
“She’s famous for it. Anytime she goes anywhere, she’s expected to bring it.”
“I can see why,” he adds before taking a bite of his burger.
“Thank you for helping my dad man the grill.”
Wiping his mouth, he says, “It was no problem. I enjoyed it, and I got to talk to him for a bit.”
“What did you talk about?” I ask casually, even though I feel anything but.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” he replies with a cocky smile and a wink before turning back to his burger.
I watch him for several moments before I realize I’m staring. Averting my eyes, I look across the table and straight into the smiling eyes of both Payton and AJ. Payton’s eyebrows shoot upward, as if silently daring me to deny the fact that I was gawking. A blush sweeps across my cheeks, but I won’t deny it. I can’t.
“Ryan, how is the Hazelton place going? I heard you started it last week?” Chris asks from the other end of the table.
“Good. It’s a big house, but we got all the floor beams and joists in place and started on the walls. The tresses were delivered Friday, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many on a house,” Ryan replies between bites.
“I saw the layout of the house when they came in to the bank a few weeks back. It’s going to be a grand house,” Josh adds. He works for his dad at a local bank that has been in their family for four generations.
“Maybe we should talk to Ryan about building a house for us. I’d love to have something that’s completely ours, where no one lived before us,” Chris says to Lexi.
There’s something in her eyes that tells me whatever problems they were having before are still unresolved. “Maybe,” she replies happily, but the smile she presents him is fake. I can tell.
Ryan must pick up on it as well. The look he gives me is questioning and filled with concern. Even after only a month of dating, he seems to already know and understand my sisters.
“Sorry I’m late,” I hear over my shoulder and turn to see Levi strolling through the backyard.
“Hey, Levi,” I add to the chorus of greetings for Abby’s friend.
I watch out of the corner of my eye as Abby sits up a little straighter and flattens her skirt. She won’t outright admit it, but I know she has feelings for her best friend. Even with his bed-hopping ways, I’ve always gotten the vibe that the feeling isn’t entirely one-sided either.
Levi sets a platter of cookies down on the table of desserts and heads over to Abby. He’s always been super protective of her, in that big brother sort of way, and it doesn’t surprise me when he places a kiss on the top of her head.
“Glad you could make it, Levi. Did you just get off work?” Dad asks from the second table.
“Yeah, it was a long shift. There was a big accident out along Bay Road. Two cars, head-on.”
Levi works as an EMT full-time, and still manages to squeeze in time as a volunteer firefighter. But what really draws the attention from the ladies is his time playing guitar for a local band, Crush. He wears a uniform and plays guitar. No wonder women throw their panties at him every time he’s on stage.
“Are they okay?” Abby asks, tears prickling her green eyes. Abby and her tender heart. She’s never met a stranger who she wouldn’t give the shirt off her back or the food off her plate.
“Eventually. One was air lifted out early this morning, but he’s expected to make it,” he replies as he piles food on his plate.
When he’s loaded, he slides onto the end of the bench beside Abby, completely ignoring the fact that there’s room at the other table. She slides over as much as she can, but with Meghan on the other side, it’s a tight fit. I watch as they attempt to make room for each other, yet neither of them appears as though sharing a single seat is a hardship. Levi might be hanging off the end of the bench, but he smiles a bit as he plasters himself against Abby.
“I’ll add them to my prayers this evening,” Grandma says.
“You don’t say prayers, dear,” Grandpa replies from her side.
“Sure I do. I believe I talk to God almost every night,” she sasses with a wicked grin.
“Shouting his name over and over doesn’t constitute prayers, my love.” Grandpa leans over and places a tender kiss on her knuckles. Shades of pink tinge her cheeks.
“Please, for the love of all things holy, do not talk about sex at the dinner table. I haven’t finished eating yet, and if you continue, I’ll lose my appetite,” Meghan whines.
Though Grandma and Grandpa giggle like school kids, each of us look like our lunches might make a reappearance.
