He laughs. “Yeah, yeah. I know you use cookin’ as a form of therapy. It’s why you’re so good at it.”
“I can’t help it if it relaxes me. Give me good food and a nice glass of wine over fast food and soda any day.”
Case hands the big aluminum pizza paddle over to me. “Care to do the honors?”
I nod and slide my creation into the newly stoked oven, helping Birdie, Isla and Will do the same.
Standing back, I watch the flames dance around the pizzas as they slowly start cooking. The smell of the melting cheese and sizzling toppings fills the air, making my mouth water and my stomach rumble.
“I’ll man the oven if everyone wants to relax,” Will announces as Birdie snuggles into his side.
I somehow end up sitting next to Blair, who’s busy talking to Jessica across the table about her Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis.
Pouring a glass of white wine, I cradle the glass and look around the group, thinking about how soon there’ll be a whole lot more people doing the same thing for the double wedding.
“Hey,” Blair says quietly after a while.
“Hey. Havin’ fun?”
“I am. Everyone’s so welcoming. To be honest, it’s a bit of a culture shock,” she says.
I tilt my head. “Not somethin’ you’re used to?”
She shakes her head. “Not so much. I guess I never expected to slot right into your little ranch family.”
The corner of my mouth quirks. “I’ll take that as a compliment. I hope you know that we don’t just let our donkey stealanyone’sunderwear.”
Blair laughs. “I’m honored, then. Though if he does it again, I can’t promise I’ll be nice to him.”
“That’s a battle weallhave to face when it comes to Grumps.”
“But seriously, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I arrived. Small towns are notoriously close knit, so I didn’t know how hard I was going to have to work to be accepted.”
The fact she had doubts is unexpected. The person I imagined her to be back in the day was confident and secure. Someone who surrounded herself with people who cared about her and who had–or would have–a well-rounded, balanced life.
What she’s giving me a glimpse of now is surprising.It says a lot about judging a book by its cover, doesn’t it?
“Is that why you chose to stay at our cabin instead of the motel in town? Or even the staff accommodations at the hospital?” I ask.
“In all honesty, probably?”
My brows jump up. “You’re not sure?”
She scrunches her nose in a cute way that distracts me. “Now the therapist comes out,” she teases.
I hold one hand up in surrender. “Sorry. It’s a bad habit.”
“Believe me. I know all about that. It’s hard to turn off the doctor part of our brains, right?”
“I’ve always thought that was somethin’ they needed to teach in med school,” I say. “Hownotto be a doctor 24/7’.”
“Where did you study by the way?” she asks just as I take a sip of wine. Suddenly it’s like I’m transported back to twenty-two-year-old me stuck across the quad. My brain stutters to a halt and I start choking on my drink. “Shoot, I’m so sorry.”
“It’s… OK,” I squeak out, struggling to recover. Case comes up next to me and claps me on my back a few times, his brows furrowed with concern.
“You alright there, brother?”
I nod, my face burning hot as I feel all eyes on me.Great way to make a good second impression, Sutt.
