“Well,” Makenna laughed, “so much for a simple night.”
“At least I can promise they’re good people.” My eyes wandered over the crowd as they turned toward the truck one by one.
“Only good people would do this.” She motioned toward the crowd with an uneasy smile. “I hope they don’t think…”
“They won’t,” I told her, knowing where she was going with the sentence. “They know me too well.”
Her forehead furrowed as soon as the words were out of my mouth. “Gotcha.”
“No. No. That’s not what I meant.”
“Doesn’t matter. We’re friends, right?” she said, but there was something in her voice that caught me off guard.
“We are,” I told her, shifting the truck into park. “Ready?”
She nodded, reaching for the handle. “Don’t disappear on me. I’m not a shy person, but don’t throw me to the wolves.”
I chuckled. “They’re not wolves. The only thing they will do is try to feed you. Don’t resist. Just give in, or they’ll hound you.”
She smiled at me, her face lighting up brighter than the sun. “I could eat.”
“Remember you said that,” I told her as I opened the door and stuck a leg out.
Pike was the first one at the truck. My brother hadn’t changed since the last time I saw him. Still a mess of wild hair, scraggly beard, and big green eyes. Gigi was right behind him, pushing him out of the way to get to me.
“Austin,” she said, jumping into my arms as soon as I had two feet on the ground. “Oh my God, I’ve missed you so damn much.” Gigi squeezed me tightly, pushing the air from my lungs.
“Come on, darlin’. Let the man breathe,” Pike told her, trying to pull her from my body. “Don’t smother him.”
She shot him a warning glare over her shoulder. “You better remove your hands if you want to keep them.”
He threw his arms in the air, removing them from her. Pike tilted his head, rubbing his neck. “She’s a bit cranky today.”
“I’m not cranky, Austin. I’m excited to have my little brother home after all this time,” she told me before she squeezed me again, burying her face in my neck.
I laughed, wrapping both arms around her back. “Missed you too, kid.”
She arched her upper body back, gawking at me. “Kid? You’ve got to be shitting me. I’m older, fool.”
I winked at my sister-in-law. “You don’t look it.”
She rolled her eyes as she finally released me. “Well, you haven’t lost your touch at least.”
Pike didn’t miss the chance to move her away, taking up the space in front of me. “I’ve missed you, brother,” he said, stoic at first before he took me by the shoulder and pulled me into a giant bear hug. “You may be bigger than me now, but you’re still a little asshole.”
“Aww. I missed your sweet-talking,” I told him, holding on to him like I’d done years ago when we were finally reunited after our mother’s death.
He pulled back and grabbed my shoulder, eyes studying me. “You really look good. I’m so damn proud of you.”
“Don’t tear up on me, old man.”
“Old man?” he grumbled, punching me in the arm. “She gets the compliments while all I get is lip.”
“Just like old times.” I smirked.
“Well, aren’t you a vision,” Gigi said, moving away from us and toward Makenna, who had walked around the back of the truck, heading our way.
“Hi,” Makenna said, waving at us as her footsteps slowed.
