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"Jeez, Birdie."
"Bridgette"
"Whatever. Can I please have my keys?" The last thing he needed was his smart-mouthed niece, who reminded him a bit too much of his cousin Hilda. Hilda possessed an all-knowing, all-seeing eye. She'd also sent over some clothing catalogs with items she deemed appropriate for him circled. So, no, he didn't feel like dealing with Hilda's mini-me right now.
The girl held out her palm, and he didn't miss the twinkle in her eyes.
"Fine," he growled, unwedging his wallet from his back pocket. He pulled out a twenty. "I'll have to owe you the four."
"Give me that five-dollar bill. A dollar tip will work."
"You're a typical woman. Bleed a man dry."
Birdie laughed. “That’s a little sexist. I prefer to think of it as being responsible to my own bank account.”
"Here," Jake said, slapping the five on top of the twenty and grabbing his keys. Because he wasn’t sexist. It was a joke.
"Why are you leaving? You never come to both church and Sunday dinner. Why go when you're already here?"
"Because everyone, including you, is being annoying." Jake headed toward the foyer and nearly ran into his father.
"Hey, son. So glad you're here this morning. Meant a lot to see you out there next to your mother." Dan grabbed his shoulders and gave a smile that weakened Jake's resolve.
"Don't bother. He's leaving,” Birdie said.
Dan's brow lowered. "What's wrong? I planned that sermon long ago. I hope the subject matter didn't feel directed toward you."
"Nah, unless we're having the fatted calf," Jake tried to joke. He didn't want any sort of cross examination. He shouldn't have come.
"Well, your mom is cooking a roast, so..." Dan smiled and slapped a hand on his back.
"I think he wants to leave because they're teasing him about Eva," Birdie said, turning and walking out of the room, clutching her money. Little turd.
"Eva?" his father repeated.
"This isn't about Eva. Still, why is everyone asking me about her? What's going on?"
His father gave him a sheepish smile and jerked his head toward his study. "Come with me and I'll tell you."
The irritation he felt melted into dread. Going to his father's study for a talk was never a good thing.
His father's study was warm and inviting, though when Jake had been younger he'd never considered it as such. He'd received many a stern lecture while perched on the leather couch sitting against the wood-paneled wall. Bookshelves surrounded a large desk scattered with notes and stacks of different versions of the Bible. Silver picture frames were perched here and there, displaying shining faces of those he loved, including a new one of Abigail, Leif, and Birdie taken on the day Leif proposed to Abigail.
"What's up?" Jake said, refusing to sit. He wanted to stand.
"Nothing, but you mentioned Eva."
"Yeah, everyone keeps asking about her. It's weird."
"Well, Charlie might have said a few things."
"Oh." Jake sat. He pretty much knew what Charlie had said… and he pretty much knew that the news of him and Eva kissing had swept through the Beauchamp family like lice through a slumber party. They were probably all scratching their heads, too. "I kissedher."
His father laughed. "We'reused to you kissing pretty girls, Jake. Guess we never thought you'd work your way around to Eva."
"Are you going to deliver the same lecture Matt gave me?"
"What lecture would that be?"
