Liam
Ruby: Need us to bring anything tonight?
Ruby: Snacks? Drinks? A firefighter?
Mags: Are we talking real firefighter or stripper firefighter? I could be down for either one.
Miles: Careful, Wildcat.
Cade: No strippers. This is a kid friendly event.
Paige: BYOB. And I guess Liam can come, too.
Liam: Thanks for the enthusiasm.
Cara: Welcome to the group chat, Ruby!
With a smallpicnic basket, some juice pouches, and boxed wine in tow, we load into my truck and head down to The Cabin for the Brooks bonfire night. Cade and Paige are known for their over-the-top parties, so I have no doubt this will be no exception.
“What’s a bonfire?” Aiden asks from the backseat of my truck.
“It’s usually a huge fire where lots of people can hang out with friends. But we’re not allowed to have big ones here, so we just have a smaller fire in a fire pit,” I explain.
“Like the one in our hideaway?”
“Exactly. It’ll be a little bit bigger than we usually make ours.”
“That’s so cool! Can we make s’mores?”
Ruby twists in her seat and nods. “Yep! I made sure to get the extra fluffy marshmallows.”
Aiden pumps his fist. “Yes!”
When we pull up outside The Cabin, several cars are already parked in the circular drive, and I can just make out the fire in the distance. Their house isn’tactuallya cabin. From what I’ve been told, the nickname is a generational thing, passed down from Cade’s grandparents.
We walk around the outside of the dusty blue three-story house toward the embankment that leads down to the dock.
Aiden leads the way with our picnic basket, Ruby follows close behind with her acoustic guitar, and I bring up the rear with our drinks in hand. Before we reach the sand, Rylin sprints toward us and nearly knocks Aiden off his feet. I switch the box of wine to the other arm and take the basket from him in time for him to catch her and wrap her in a hug.
“They have no business being so cute,” Ruby says.
A dog yips, and I glance down to find Miles’s spaniel nippingat my heels.
His wife Maggie hollers, “Max, come!”
The dog immediately obeys her command.
I set the supplies down on the rocky shore and slip my hands into my pockets. “Does that work on Miles, too?”
“Fuck off.” Miles smiles and claps me on the shoulder. “How’s the new job?”
“It’s been great. I’m really liking the new schedule.”
He leans in conspiratorially, “And how’s the new nanny?”
“I’m great, Barlow. Thanks for asking,” she quips.
“Ruby! Didn’t see you there.”
