Before this could escalate into a full debate about invitation etiquette, my brother’s wife, Holly, appeared from across the yard, looking frazzled but determined.
“Alright, you monsters,” she called out. “Wash up time. And yes, that means soapandwater, not just running your hands under the faucet while making spaceship noises.”
“But we were talking to Aunt Sasha’s boyfriend!” Madison protested.
“Finn will still be here after you wash the dirt off,” Holly replied firmly. “Besides, Tuto says dinner’s almost ready and if you’re not clean, you don’t get to sit at the big table.”
The threat of being relegated to the small table was apparently serious business, because the entire group scattered like leaves in a windstorm, racing toward the house.
“Remember what we talked about!” Finn called after them. “After dinner!”
“We’ll remember!” Madison shouted back, already halfway to the patio door.
And then, suddenly, it was quiet.
Finn cleared his throat. “So. I guess I’ve been pre-approved bythe under-ten demographic.”
“They’re easily impressed,” I lifted a shoulder. “You told them you were too handsome for the Navy.” I watched the last of them disappear into the house. “That was...”
“Intense?” Finn straightened with a slight grimace that suggested crouching repeatedly hadn’t been his best idea.
“I was going to say adorable. But intense works too.” I studied his face, noting the warmth in his expression. “You were good with them.”
“They’re just little people, figurin’ things out, same as the rest of us,” he shrugged like it was nothing, but I caught the way his eyes had softened when Madison had whispered back to him, the patience he’d shown when Rose had asked about his scars.
“Not everyone sees it that way.”
“Then not everyone is paying attention.”
“They’re going to hold you to that paper airplane promise.”
“Good. I make excellent paper airplanes,” his grin turned slightly wicked. “Though I should probably warn you, I’m going to teach them the best methods. The ones that actually fly fast.”
“You’re going to arm six-year-olds with precision aircraft?”
“Someone has to prepare them for the zombie apocalypse.”
I laughed despite myself. “You’re going to fit right in with this family. They love anyone who encourages their chaos.”
Finn’s expression shifted, seriousness replacing the humor in his eyes. “Alex, I…”
“Dinner!” Tony’s voice boomed across the yard, interrupting whatever Finn was about to say. I caught sight of Dom and Enzo helping carry serving dishes, my mom directing traffic, completely in her element.
“We should join them,” I gestured toward the scene.
“Yeah,” Finn agreed, shoulders falling, his eyes lingering on my face. I smoothed my expression, forcing all emotion to leave. “We should.”
He took my hand as we joined the line for food. Everything smelled amazing and I was surprised at how hungry I was. Finn held easy conversation with others as we moved through the line, filling his plate and offering to add to mine at certain points. Every single thing he’d added was something I’d eat. I’d only told him about tomatoes and walnuts, but he’d avoided olives, green peppers, anything with beans, and all the potato salads. Either he’d been paying closer attention than I’d realized, or someone had given him a very comprehensive briefing.
“Brisket or pulled pork?” he asked, holding up tongs full of pulled pork.
“Brisket,” I offered an apologetic smile. “Pork gives me a stomachache.”
“These are things I should know, Alexandra,” he teased gently, setting brisket on top of my already full plate. I picked up utensils and napkins for us both as he expertly loaded a smaller plate with a slice of cheesecake and several cookies.
We navigated our way to where Enzo and Dom were already seated. Finn set everything down across from them before taking my plate, setting it down, and pulling out my chair. When he was satisfied, he left in the direction of the drink table.
Dom looked up from his food as Enzo made a show of examining what was on my plate.
