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“I can see that,” I say. “Just don’t tell Everly I said it.”
“May Houdini and I be excused?” Sammy says. I glance at the dog. He does not look like he wants to leave the table for fear of missing out on scrapes.
“Yes.”
Sammy takes his plate to the kitchen and hurries off. Houdini gives one last glance at the table, then turns to run after Sammy. The pull of going out back in the fading light and playing with a boy is apparently too much to resist.
I feel something against my legs and look down. Meredith is rubbing her head against my leg.
“I’m surprised she isn’t sticking her claws into you,” Mason says. “That cat hates me.”
Avery shakes her head. “She does not.
“Why don’t y’all go out back and keep an eye on Sammy?” Liv says. “Avery and I will clean up.”
“Oh, babe, I can do it,” Mason says.
Liv smiles at him, and the two of them share a moment he has seen between couples. It’s like there’s nothing in the whole world but the two of them. And for the first time in my life, I envy it.
“No. You know the rules. You cook. I clean. Go keep an eye on those two out back. You know they can get into just about anything.”
He leans over and kisses her, and Avery makes gagging noises.
I look over at her, but she’s smiling, and there is love in her eyes. For all of Avery’s faults, she really does love her sister.
“I can help clean.”
“You’re our guest.”
“I’m your guest,” Avery says.
“You don’t count.”
“Oh, nice. I’m going to let Mom know about this behavior.”
Again, there’s no heat in the words.
“Come on, Jon. Let’s get out of the line of sisterly fire,” Mason says.
Callie rises from the table, but Liv stops her. “You have homework, Callie. Go get it done, and then you can go outside.”
I can tell she wants to argue with her mother, but she does her bidding with a frown.
Mason leans over and gives Liv another kiss, and I follow him out the door. The sun is setting, and the air turning a bit cooler. This is South Texas, so the nights in October can still be warm to most people.
Sammy has a stick, and he and Houdini are walking along the back fence. They seem to be having an earnest discussion about something. Mason chuckles.
“Boys and dogs.”
I nod.
“So, I’m sure you know I dragged you out here because Liv wants me to talk to you.”
I blink, my mind immediately searching for what Liv would want from me. “About what?”
“Avery.”
I frown.
