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Ryan leaned in to kiss Lisa’s cheek. She frowned, standing aside for them to enter.
“Where is everyone?” he asked.
“Little kids and babies are in the playroom. Everyone else is outside playing football on the beach. We have chili, sandwiches, and finger foods on the terrace if you’re hungry.”
“I’ll say hi to the girls,” he said, staring at Zach.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Ryan, Jolene, this is Zach Durand.”
Zach stepped forward with his hand outstretched. “Nice to meet you.”
Lisa watched Ryan. His discomfort intrigued her. Everyone had said Ryan would be jealous when he found out she was dating already. Maybe they were right.
With Jolene following, Ryan headed back to the playroom.
“He’s the one who looks like a movie star,” Zach said.
“Ryan is gorgeous, but he’s a jackass. Trust me on this.”
“The girl is pretty, too.”
“Right! That’s what got me. Why’d she have to resort to performing sex acts on strangers? It baffles the mind.”
“I’m ready to go outside,” Zach said.
“I’ll go with you. I need to throw a football around and work off some of the pie and cake I’ve been eating for the past week.”
They dressed for the outside and joined the enormous group of players.
Ten minutes later, Ryan and Jolene said goodbye to his girls and walked out into the living room.
“I’d better see Lisa’s older kids while I’m here,” he said. “Do you mind going out on the beach?”
“No. I want to play football. What about you?”
“I’ll play.”
He walked to the mudroom and saw a jacket with the county first responders’ patch on it. So Zach is a firefighter. Well, la di da.
Ryan led the way around the side of the cottage to the terrace and the beach beyond, where all the people he’d relied on for the past few years were in a rousing game of football.
“Ryan, Ryan, Ryan!” The chant rose to deafening levels.
“Aw, you guys!” he said, waving.
“Come play. We need a tight end!” Will cried.
“You mean a tight ass,” Dan muttered, but he hugged a laughing Ryan when he got close enough.
Pam, Kassandra, and Julie Hsu sat on the terrace, yelling guidance to the players, laughing at the antics they observed.
“Oh, come and meet Lisa’s mother,” Ryan said, taking Jolene over to the women.
They greeted her and resumed their play-by-play commentary rather than strike up a conversation.
“Do you want to play?” Ryan asked Jolene.
“Sure. I need the exercise.”
