AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Can I help you put it on?”
“Please.”
He takes it from my outstretched hand carefully. I turn to the side, and he brushes my hair over one shoulder to clasp it around my neck. After he adjusts it, I swing around and kiss him on the lips properly.
We’re still kissing a few minutes later, when his teammates thunder into the locker room.
“Are we interrupting anything?” Hunter asks.
I untangle myself from Sebastian. “He’s here to celebrate with you all one more time.”
64
SEBASTIAN
“CanI take out the gazpacho now?” Izzy asks. “We ate our way through the cheese platter.”
I grab the oven mitts from the kitchen island. “Let me just take the roast out. It needs to rest so the juices recirculate.”
She wrinkles her nose. “Juices?”
I set the platter on the stove. The roast pork loin looks and smells perfect, a deep golden-brown crusted with fragrant garlic and rosemary. Drippings cover the crispy potatoes cooking around it. Paired with a peppery arugula salad studded with peaches and slivered almonds, it’ll be a perfect plate of food. “It was a cheese plate.”
“That thing was a platter.Sevendifferent kinds of cheese?”
“I wanted to give everyone variety.” I check the temperature on the meat, and once I’m satisfied, glance at my sister. “How are they liking the drink?”
Izzy holds up her half-empty glass. “I could use a refill if you’re going to make another pitcher. What’s in it again? Bourbon?”
“Mia’s favorite, yeah. It’s blackberry bourbon lemonade with a brown sugar syrup.”
“Well, it’s fucking delicious.”
“Honey,” Mom calls. “Do you want help serving the gazpacho?”
She gives me a kiss on the cheek as she walks into the kitchen. I’m a sweaty mess, since I’ve been in the kitchen all day, but she looks lovely in her pink sundress, a new pair of earrings courtesy of Dad glimmering in her ears. “It smells amazing in here.”
“Thanks.” I consider the spread of food in front of me. The salad is ready to go, I’ll move the roast and potatoes to a platter as soon as they’re done, and the little cups of cold zucchini soup with crème fraîche and cilantro are perfect. The strawberry icebox cake is in the freezer, ready for later. “Yeah, why don’t you take out the soup, and I’ll make another pitcher of the cocktail while the roast rests. We’ll bring out that and the salad together.”
“Yessir,” Izzy says. She grabs two bowls of soup and brings them outside.
I shake my head fondly as I stare after her.
“I think she’s talking to someone,” Mom says.
I nearly slip as I turn to the freezer for more ice. “A guy?”
“She’s been giggling at her phone all afternoon.”
“I guess that’s fine,” I say, although my mind immediately starts running over the possibilities. She hasn’t mentioned anyone, but she could have met practically any guy in the world during her internship this summer. New York City is huge, after all.
Mom laughs. “James pouted when I told him the same thing.”
“She’s our little sister. It’s very serious business.”
She gives my forearm a squeeze. “Why don’t you go run upstairs and change? I’ll handle the cocktails.”
“You sure?”
