He dragged his lips along her cheek to her ear where he whispered, “You could shower with me. Your sister won’t hear us over the shower spray.”
Her head tipped back, and she laughed. “You’re so right, Punc.”
20
Out of the Picture
Savannah
WerodePunc’sbiketo his parents’ house, and followed a minivan into their driveway. Alanis hopped down from the passenger side while giving me a questioning look complete with narrowed eyes. “This is a family dinner. Where’s Catalina?”
I smirked at her. “She’s a social butterfly these days - trying to get as much summer fun in before school starts.”
Michael came around the hood of the van and shook Punc’s hand, then leaned in to kiss my cheek. “How are ya?”
I grinned. “I’m good. Where are the kiddos?”
Michael put an arm around Alanis. “My brother offered to watch them.”
Alanis aimed a sardonic smile at him. “More like Daisy wanted time with them.”
Mrs. Chisholm opened the door. “I know I raised my kids better than to stand outside gabbing, come inside.”
After quick hugs, we followed her into the family room.
“It’s nice to see you, Mrs. Chisholm,” I said.
“Call me Julie, Savannah,” she said, then spoke a little louder. “John’s carving the roast right now. Help yourselves to drinks on the hutch, and cold beer is in the fridge.”
“Do you want help with the side dishes, Mom?” Alanis asked.
Julie smiled at Alanis. “Thanks, honey, but they’re already on the table.”
Alanis lifted up a bottle of Cabernet while giving me a questioning look, and I nodded. “You want a glass, Mom?”
“That’d be great, dear.”
A few minutes later, we were seated at the table passing dishes.
“How long have you two been seeing each other?” John asked.
“Almost two months,” Punc said.
His dad mulled that over before shifting his gaze to me. “Wasn’t that roughly when you were attacked?”
“John, please. This is no time for that,” Julie said.
Punc put his free hand on my thigh and squeezed. “It’s all right, Ma. He’s right. We started things up a few days before the attack.”
John and Punc went into a stare down and tension filled the air.
Finally, John said, “There was nothing you could do, was there?”
Oh boy.
“At that time, no, since I wasworking. You stood stock still—”
“Enough,” Julie clipped out.
