There was no reason for us to be standing outside in this weather. It was too fucking cold for November, with a deep freeze expected overnight. But I leaned into her anyway, kissing her like she held mysalvation.
"Just that," I said against her jaw. "That's allIneed."
I pushed the door open, ushering her inside. Unsurprisingly, I wasn't the only one interested in hiding out. The majority of my siblings and their spouses were gathered around the kitchen table, picking at a tray of canapés and staring at their phones. The door banged shut behind us, and all eyes turned in ourdirection.
"Hey," I said, raising a hand in greeting. "Everyone, this is Alex. Alex, these are somehooligans."
Shannon bustled forward, arms outstretched, while I helped Alex out ofhercoat.
"Good to see you again," she said, pulling Alex into a hug. "Sit down. We have snacks over here. Will just went to get a round of drinks, too. There's a bar in the front living room if you wantsomethingelse."
"Hi, Alex," Tiel called from the far end of the table. Sam, Matt, Nick, and Erin flanked her. "Have a seat. We need new—and less bitter—people totalkto."
We engaged in a round of greetings and nestled between Tiel and Shannon. I kept Alex close, almost inmylap.
"Lauren is joining us a little later," Shannon continued, ignoring Tiel's comment. But it wasn't a snub. It was clear Shannon was doing everything in her power to keep this tribe in order. "Andy and Patrick are talking to real estate agents and reporters, and Tom's giving tours. He'll bring them through here soon enough so don't get toocomfortable."
I rolled my eyes. "Great."
"We should've camped out in the pool house," Mattgroused.
Or skipped thisentirely.
Sam pointed at him, nodding. "You're absolutely right. No one's dragging their ass out back in thisweather."
"By that line of reasoning, y'all shouldn't be trekking out there either." Nick tipped back his beer bottle and muttered to himself, "But I don't think y'all are working with reasontonight."
"It's getting really chilly out there. I bet we get some snow soon," Tiel said brightly, and that alone was enough to tear an unexpected chuckle from my throat. Tiel was a lot of rainbows and sunshine, but she wasn't one to invite herself into our dramas or take the lead on dragging us out of that drama. "Magnolia told me she was running around to all of her properties this afternoon and covering up delicateplants."
"I can't believe you two are practically best friends now," Sam muttered. "Just add that to the list of unbelievable things I'm dealing withtoday."
"We're settled here now," Shannon said firmly. "Let's not make it more complicated than italreadyis."
"I don't think it's complicated, Shannon," Sam replied. "I think it's very simple. We picked the wrong spot tocongregate."
"The Red Hat would've reserved a table for us," I offered. "At least then we would've been able to catchthegame."
Erin leaned back in her chair, her arms crossed over her chest and a scowl on her face. "Can we go yet?" she asked. "What is the point of us being hererightnow?"
"What she said," Mattadded.
"We're here for Andy," Tiel saidgently.
"Right," Shannon said. "And we're meeting after the real estate agents give Tom somefeedback."
"I fucking hate meetings," Sam grumbled, patting his chest. "I feel unwell in this house. I think I'm contracting some type of virus that sucks the joy out of my soul. If I stay here much longer, I'll never be cheerfulagain."
"You were never cheerful to begin with,"Erinsaid.
I shifted away from the stress-bickering, toward Alex, and pressed my lips to her cheek. Her eyes closed and she smiled, fumbling under the table for my hand. When she found it, shesqueezed.
"What can I get you, Honeybee?" I whispered toherskin.
She brought her palm to my chest, resting it on my tie as she said, "Vodka cranberry, but I like these shoes. I don't want to see them wet andsticky,okay?"
"I can't imagine what you're referring to," I said. She laughed, and that sound lightened the weight in my chest. "Do you want to come with me to the bar or are you brave enough to hang out withthiscrew?"
"They don't scare me," she whispered, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "If all else fails, I can show them pictures of some really gnarlygallstones."
