“Fucking dick.”
I smirk at her. “Alright, we’re done here?”
She immediately turns toward the house. “Thank God.” As we walk over to rejoin the group, she adds, “I still think you’re an asshole.”
“Takes one to know one.”
She glares at me, but it lacks any true hostility. Walker stands from the couch as soon as we approach, reaching out toward Scar. “Everything okay?”
She allows herself to be folded into his embrace. “Yep. We’re besties now, aren’t we?”
“Just like this.” I hold up two fingers twisted together.
Walker sighs at our deadpan nature. “Maybe you two should just go back to hating each other.”
I clap him on the back. “Give it time, brother. I’m sure it’ll happen again.”
Scar smirks at me, and although Walker plays up his irritation, I can see the relaxation of his shoulders at seeing her smile.
The doorbell rings. “Food’s here!” Hayden jumps up. “Everyone can head into the dining room. Nikolai, give me a hand?”
The two of them head toward the door, while the rest of us convene around the large, circular wooden table. Carter tells us to take a seat while she grabs pitchers of water and lemonade. Scar mutters something to Walker, but he quickly appeases her.
I pull out a chair for Penny. “For you,” I say. She taps my ass as she walks around me to sit. “Hey now.”
She flashes me a devastating smile, her blue eyes alight with mischief. “For being such a gentleman.”
“We never thought we’d see the day,” Nikolai calls out, striding in with arms full of pizza boxes.
I flip him off as I take my own seat. Everyone finds aspot, the food all going in the middle of the table. We take turns passing around containers of salad, packages of breadsticks, pouring each other drinks.
The conversation is light, everyone cracking jokes and ribbing each other like old times. Penny joins in when she can, but for the most part she sits quietly, observing everyone around her.
“Are you having fun?” I whisper in her ear.
She scans the table, before leaning in. “This feels like what I picture a real family dinner being like.”
She’s right. It does.
Neither of us have anything to compare it to, but this is how it feels like it should be.
My throat grows tight as I look from Walker and Scar, to Hayden and Carter, to Jane and Nikolai. Together. Laughing. Sharing stories and checking in with one another. Simply because you care and want to be in each other’s company.
And for the first time in years, the meal goes off without a hitch.
40
Aspen
Her number lightsup my screen. It’s been almost five days since I called her. Three days since dinner at Hayden and Carter’s. In that time, it’s been radio silent. No texts, no calls. Nothing.
But now, once again while I’m at work, she’s calling. There’s a pit that opens in my stomach, threatening to swallow me whole. I stare at it while it rings.
“Need to go take that?” Kevin peers over my shoulder. “You’re almost done anyway. Go ahead and clock out.”
Maybe he doesn’t notice my face. Or the fact that I’m holding my phone like it’s a bomb rather than a lifeline. He simply steps in, taking over the front of the bar for the few customers that have trickled in tonight.
It continues to ring. My feet stay planted, frozen.
