Penny still saw him as the same careless, unreliable troublemaker she knew growing up.
And he didn’t know how he’d change her mind.
Shaking the depressing thought aside, Colt registered the sights and sounds around him. Why were there so many cars in Frank’s driveway? Boisterous laughter carried from the backyard along with familiar voices and a peppy, Rat Pack playlist.
Colt suppressed a groan.
He wasnotin the mood to host an impromptu barbecue.
Trudging around the side of the house, he mustered up a smile as he spotted his mother, Cassie, and Beverly playing gin rummy with Frank at the picnic table while Eliza and Ben engaged in a rowdy game of fetch with Vinny.
“‘Bout time you showed up! We’re starving,” Jack bellowed, drawing Colt’s attention to the grill where he prodded hot charcoal coals with a pair of metal tongs.
Luke, Grant, and Reed corralled around him, each sipping an ice-cold bottle of sarsaparilla.
“Your mom wouldn’t even let us start with the appetizers until you showed up.” Reed grinned, his pearly whites contrasting with his dark olive skin.
After his week-long gardening convention, Reed Hollis looked even more tan than usual. Which said a lot, considering he spent nearly every waking hour outside in the sun at his nursery.
Ever since he started a weed-picking business at age nine, Reed knew he wanted to work with plants—a confident assurance Colt always envied. He often wondered what it would be like to have one driving passion in life. Not that it would fit into his roving lifestyle, even if he did have one.
“And who invited you freeloaders?” Colt accepted a bottle of sarsaparilla from Luke, wiping the condensation on the hem of his T-shirt.
“Word got around you were barbecuing tonight, and I thought I’d check out the competition.” Jack jabbed the tongs in the direction of Luke, Grant, and Reed. “They’re here as impartial judges.”
“Wait. If we’re impartial, why’d you pay us twenty dollars?” Reed asked with mock seriousness.
“You’re a riot, Hollis.” Grinning, Jack closed the lid on the grill and turned to Colt. “All right, Davis. The coals are ready. Let’s see what you’re made of.”
“Don’t you mean, let’s see what yourshish kebabsare made of?” Grant corrected to a procession of groans and eye rolls.
“Apparently, the dad jokes have kicked in already,” Colt pointed out with a good-natured grin. “But how’d you guys know I’d have enough to feed everyone?”
“Because Frank’s refrigerator is stuffed with enough skewers to feed the entire town,” Luke told him. “Plus, Mom made three different types of pasta and potato salads.”
“And Eliza brought half the bakery for dessert.” Grant’s gaze drifted to his girlfriend, his smile widening as he caught sight of her wrestling in the grass with Vinny. The scruffy little devil had a death grip on an oversize rubber doughnut, but Eliza wasn’t about to give up.
“I don’t know how you stay in such good shape dating a baker,” Reed pointed out, taking another swig of sarsaparilla.
“Yeah, when are you going to settle down and go soft like this guy?” Jack playfully elbowed Luke in his toned abs.
“Hey! I object,” Luke protested, although his grin belied his offended tone.
Grant joined Jack in a good-natured laugh at Luke’s expense before his attention traveled back to Eliza and their son. His features softened, practically glowing with affection, as he murmured, “Soon. And I can’t wait.”
Colt followed Grant’s lovestruck gaze to where Eliza and Ben tousled with Vinny in the soft grass. The golden, early-evening light illuminated their joyful faces, and for a brief moment, a strange pang of envy pricked his heart.
A family wasn’t in the cards for him.
And he’d never had a problem accepting that reality….
Until now.
Chapter 12
As Colt gazed around the table at his friends and family enjoying the meal he’d prepared, his emotions vacillated between content and dissatisfied. He appreciated everyone’s compliments as they gushed about how delicious everything tasted—even Frank, who seemed to be in an especially good mood that evening.
But in spite of the praise, Penny’s conspicuous absence echoed above the laughter and lively conversation.
