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He accepts the tray of food and narrows his eyes. “There better not be any health risks with these and bodily fluids added for flavor.”
“Oh, that sounds like a good idea for business. Pussy-flav—”
My words are cut off by Riley’s palm slapping across my mouth. “Don’t you dare finish that statement, Cooper.”
I smile behind her hand and quickly drag my tongue over her palm, and she quickly pulls her hand back. That’s funny that she pulls her hand back when I lick it but has no problem when my tongue is licking other places.
“You two are so fucking weird.” Austin sighs and heads toward the kitchen. As we pass the stairs, I run my fingers over the door of the under-the-stairs alcove, or “Harry Potter’s room,” as we called it. It was the perfect place for hide-and-seek.
As we pass the dining room, we get a glimpse of the beautifully decorated table. A burnt-orange tablecloth lines the long farmhouse-style table. Folded next to what I assume is the Hayes family fine china is a variety of fall-colored cloth napkins. Lulu seriously outdid herself because, to be honest, I would be totally happy with eating on paper plates with plastic utensils. There is a beautiful centerpiece in the middle of the table with a cornucopia and fall-colored fake leaves.
Austin places the tray on the counter between copious amounts of food. Is the whole town attending? Good thing Thanksgiving leftovers make me almost as excited as this meal itself.Turkey sandwiches, turkey gumbo, turkey tetrazzini, turkey salad,I think in my best Bubba Gump voice.
“Look whofinallymade it,” Austin’s voice booms, and our parents finally notice us.
Riley greets my parents and Austin’s with big smiles and hugs. After I shake my father’s hand and kiss my Ma’s cheek, it’s time to greet the Hayeses. I may have been home for a while, but this is honestly my first real interaction with them. Why am I more nervous now than the first time I met Riley’s dad, Mason?
I’m an asshole for having avoided them, but to be honest, I wasn’t sure how they would feel about seeing me again.
I push my shoulders back. “Lulu, thank you for hosting.” I steady my voice, and it feels awkward. She wipes her hands on her apron and steps in front of me. With one hand, she cups my cheek for a second. She doesn’t say anything, just stares at me. Her eyes fill with tears, and the thought of making her cry has me torn up inside.
When she looks at me, does she still see a killer?
Still without a word, she pulls me into a hug. For a little woman, she has a lot of force. The grip she has on me reminds me of when I returned home and Ma hugged me for the first time. It’s as if she thinks if she lets me go, I’ll fly away or something. Back then, it was high on my list to do; now, I’ve remembered why this is home, and I can’t imagine leaving this place without Riley by my side.
“Will ya let the boy breathe, Lu,” Foster, Austin and Tanner’s dad, says beside us and slaps my back.
Ignoring him, I hang on to Lulu for a few more minutes. I think maybe she needs this hug just as much as I do. A feeling of relief expands in my chest as tears form behind my eyes.Thisis the woman I remember growing up, not the one who looked at me with such disdain. Words catch in my throat. Why did I wait so long to see them?
“Ugh, I’m sorry.” She backs up, wiping the tears that I hadn’t even realized had fallen. “Oh, look at me, I’m a mess. And I messed up your shirt.” I glance down at where she is wiping away the few wet spots on the breast of my shirt from her crying.
“It’s no big deal.” I clear my throat.
I shake hands and do a quick back-slapping hug with Foster. God, I’ve missed these people. “You know, Coop, I think you could give Mike Tyson a run for his money when you swing punches like that,” he jokes, easing the tension. When the reporters and “fans” spat shit like that, I found my blood boiling, ready to show them and watch them eat their own words, but this time, I laugh along.
“Well, I’ll keep that in mind, sir.” Not that I plan on punching any more major league coaches again. Do I regret hitting Leo Ryan? Absolutely, but as I look around the room at everything and everyone I have in my life, maybe it was meant to be for me to come home and make Riley mine again.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” Riley asks, glancing back and forth between Lulu and Ma.
“No, dear,” Ma chimes in. “Go get yourself set up with a glass of wine.”
“Come on, Ry. I could use a refill,” Austin adds, and they disappear into the dining room. I can still see them from where I stand. Austin says something that I can’t hear, and she giggles, playfully shoving his arm. I wonder how many meals and holidays they spent together in this house. Riley glances over her shoulder and smiles, as if she knew I was watching. I return the gesture.
“Cooper, can I get you a beer?” Foster asks, pulling my gaze toward where he and my father stand by the fridge.
“Umm, sure.”Okay, that’s just weird as fuck accepting an offer for alcohol from my best friend’s father.
“I’ve got Foster’s or Bud.”
“Bud, thanks.” Figure it’s better to pace myself since Foster’s beer cans are fucking giant, and it’s going to be a long day. I smirk as I accept the bottle he holds out for me. “It’s good to see some things haven’t changed and you’re still drinking Foster’s.”
He shrugs. “If the Lord didn’t intend for me to drink it, then he shouldn’t have put my name on it.”I guess that’s one way to put it.
I cheers them and take a sip of the amber liquid.
“Man, I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to watching you drink legally,” my dad admits.
“Funny, I was thinking the same thing.”
