“Excuse me?” Okay, now I’m onto him. He’s going to put me on the hot seat for shaboinking his sister.
He has a sip of his beer. “I’m assuming you’re coming back since you and Emma are together now.”
The door swings open and Rosy and Emma emerge with their hands loaded down with bowls and dishes. I jump up, happy for the diversion, and help carry what I can with one hand.
“Old man, how’s the chicken coming?” Rosy asks.
“Almost spicy enough, my queen,” Darnell answers, brushing more sauce onto lumps of meat that are so saucy already, they are literally unidentifiable. “Just needs a little more heat or it won’t singe off Pierce’s taste buds.” He gives me a wink that is not in any way a comfort to me.
“Will and Harrison, would you boys carry my air con machine out here for me?” Rosy asks. “If we have to be out in nature, I’d rather not know about it.”
A few minutes later, we’re squeezed in around the picnic table with the plastic table cloth flapping wildly in the frigid wind of the air conditioner. Unfortunately, Rosy wanted me seated next to her so instead of enjoying a light, warm Caribbean breeze, I’m being blasted by 12000 BTUs that the Bryant Breez-o-matic is pumping out. Without thinking, I lift the pepper shaker off the stack of napkins and they go flying all over the yard. Luckily, Starsky and Hutch are on the case, both of which get a hold of a few and start tearing them apart while Emma, Will, Libby, and I chase the rest down.
Dinner consists of a three-bean salad, coconut rice and red beans, a pineapple pepper slaw (heavy on the green peppers—blech!), enormous prawns with something called a Green Scotch Bonnet Pesto, and the world’s spiciest, messiest chicken. Good thing the dogs have most of the napkins. After a quick grace, everyone digs in, and I decide it’s time to turn on the charm.
“So, Libby, I hear congratulations are in order,” I say with a smile. “Have you two set a date yet?”
She blushes and nods, chewing her mouthful of food. After she swallows and wipes her lips, she says, “Thank you. We’re thinking of October whichishurricane season but it’s also slower that time of year so we should be able to take some time off.”
“I’m sure it’ll be lovely.” Unless there’s a hurricane, that is.
“Who knows?” Rosy says, nudging me with her elbow. “Maybe there will be a double wedding.”
Oh. NowI understand why Will invited me—for his amusement. What a fucker. I can’t help but kind of like him though…
“Rosy, could you please pass the pepper slaw?” Emma asks urgently.
Rosy gives her a strange look. “It’s right in front of you, Baby Bear.”
“Baby Bear? I noticed you called Emma that earlier,” I say with a warm smile.
“Yes, she’s my Baby Bear. Harrison’s Honey Bear, and Will is my little Cuddle Bear because he was always the cuddliest of my three bears,” Rosy says with pride. Then her face falls a little. “But he’s off zipping around the world so much that Big Mama almost never gets any cuddles.”
“At least you’ve got Darnell,” Will answers, taking a bite of chicken.
Rosy shrugs. “Meh.”
“What about Starsky and Hutch? They seemed very affectionate when we got here,” I say, trying hard not to sound facetious.
“Yes, they’re real love bugs, but they can’t replace my Cuddle Bear.”
“Well, I’m here now, Rosy,” Will says, wiping about a gallon of sauce off his chin. Seriously, it’s impossible to eat this chicken without looking like a cheetah feasting on a gazelle.
“Yup. You certainly are here, so I’m just going to have to stock up.” Rosy lifts herself up off the bench and reaches across the table to pinch his cheek. When she’s done, she sits down and turns to me. “Now, back to you, Mr. Author. What are your intentions with my Baby Bear?”
“Oh, did we forget the buns? I think we left them in the kitchen,” Emma says, standing quickly and disappearing into the house.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with that girl this evening,” Rosy says, looking over her shoulder at the door. “First, she doesn’t see the enormous bowl of salad right in front of her, and now she’s imagining she saw buns. Now, Pierce, what exactly are you and Emma thinking about your future?”
Did that air conditioner start blowing really hot air just now? Because I’m suddenly feeling uncomfortably warm. “I…um…you know, it’s early days, Rosy,” I say, feeling like a complete cad.
Rosy’s smile wipes off her face and I get the awful feeling it’s not going to return any time soon. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing. Just that we’ve only met a few weeks ago and haven’t really had time to explore where this is going.”
“Really? Because it looked like you were doing quite a bit of exploring this morning in the pool,” Harrison says, glaring at me.
“Ha! That’s for sure,” Will says, chuckling.
