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Sawyer got to his feet. “I’m going to make it my mission to find you a woman.”
“Shit. No thanks. When I’m ready, I’ll find my own. I don’t need your help.”
“I think you do.” He grinned, then got to his feet. “I’ll see you at dinner. Don’t be late.”
“Don’t want to miss the birthday dinner.”
J.T. watched Sawyer drive away, then went inside to shower and change for dinner. He didn’t feel like he was twenty-five. Halfway between twenty and thirty. And it was crazy that both his father and grandfather were married and had children by his age. But like he’d told Sawyer, he was in no rush. He had faith that when he was ready, the right woman would appear.
When J.T. pulled up to the house, Genny and Lucy’s cars were both in the driveway. He prepared himself for the onslaught of birthday wishes, then went inside.
Genny came out of the kitchen. “There’s the birthday boy.” She hugged him. “How’s it feel to be twenty-five?”
“No different than twenty-four, Aunt Genny.”
Lucy was next with another hug. “You kids are making me feel old.”
He kissed her on the cheek. “You’ll never be old Lucy. In fact, I don’t know why you hang out with that old man over there.” He nodded toward Jacob, who came to shake his hand.
“Happy Birthday, grandson. And watch your mouth.”
Jake and Ember came down the stairs and Ember went to J.T. and hugged him, too. “Happy Birthday!”
“Thank you.”
Jake shook hands with him, then pulled him in for a hug. “Happy Birthday, son.”
Sawyer came out of the kitchen. “Oh, hey.” When Jake frowned at him, Sawyer laughed. “Sage and I woke him up this morning. Then I spent all day with him.”
Jake looked at J.T. “Bear claws?”
“Yeah. Seems Xander makes even better bear claws than Betty did.”
“How’s that possible?”
“Trust me.”
“I’ll have to check them out.”
Sage came from the kitchen. “Now that he’s here, can we please eat? The smell of Aunt Genny’s lasagna is driving me crazy. I’m starving.”
Sawyer nudged her. “Did a long day of doing nothing wear you out?”
“Shut up. I was working on my final. A live or, in my case, taped, performance.”
Genny headed for the kitchen. “Sage is right. It’s time to eat.”
Aunt Genny’s lasagna was a family favorite and was often the birthday meal. Except for Jacob. He requested an enchilada casserole every year. It was something his mother had always made for him.
Since there were so many of them, they ate in the dining room. Along with the lasagna, they had wine for the women and beer for the men. There was also a salad, and some homemade garlic bread. It was a feast. And it was good.
Forgoing the salad, J.T. had two slices of lasagna and three slices of bread, along with two beers. He was getting a head start on his night out with Sawyer and Sage.
Jake looked at him. “So, I assume you two are going out tonight?”
Sage smiled. “We three, actually.”
“Really?”
