My eyes shot to Silas but he was laughing at something Anna said. Lemon was the perceptive one—her eyes jutting between me and Amber. In less than a second, with our impressive telepathy skills and facial expressions, my sister-in-law and I came up with a plan. She pushed back and stood. I let my feet move again but I gently shook Christy loose. Her expression turned down, dejected and confused.
I offered her an apologetic smile. “I’ll be right there, okay? Save me a seat?” She nodded, still hurt, but turned on her heel and went. My snuggling game would need to be strong this evening.
Lemon met me by the plates. “Hey, sorry about the job. Their loss.”
I grunted and grabbed a plate and a set of plastic silverware which some mother had taken the time to roll up inside a napkin and tie with a blue and silver ribbon. Go Stallions.
Lemon picked up a plate as well. “You and Christy are getting cozy,” she said quietly as I squirted ketchup on a hamburger bun.
My eyes flashed over to see her reaction to that. Her lips were twitching like she wanted to smile. Would she be okay with it if I dated Christy? Because, if she was fine with it, she could convince Silas. Lemon could probably talk Silas into being okay with almost anything.
But then I chided myself. Silas wasn’t the reason I couldn’t date Christy. There were much bigger things at play here. The crux of which was guarding the baked beans like a Nazi SS officer.
I shrugged. “I mean, I see her pretty much every day, doing this.” I waved my free hand toward the girls. “She’s pretty cool.”
“Prettycool?” She repeated like that was the lamest thing she’d heard today. “I think you meant to leave off the last word in that statement.”
She’spretty.
My cheeks flared and heat spread up to the tips of my ears. I held my plate out toward the grillmaster who I recognized as Ming’s dad. With a smile, he laid a dripping pattywith a slice of melty good old American cheese onto my bun.
I smiled back. “Thanks.”
“My pleasure, coach.”
It was still weird to hear people call me that. I was just a dude sitting on the side, winging it from the hip.
Lemon leaned in when I moved on. “I’m your sister now. And I owe it to Sophie to really stick it to you when it comes to women. So you may as well admit it. You’ve got a little thing for Christy, don’t you?”
I chuckled and ran a finger between my neck and the collar of my polo. Had a hot breeze blown in?
“C’mon.” She gave me an open-mouthed grin. “I promise I won’t tell Silas. Tell the truth.”
I winked at my sister-in-law. “You know me, Lem. I’ve always had a thing for pretty girls.”
She pursed her lips and scowled. “Fine. Play the emotionally stunted ladies’ man. But just know that I see right through that thinly veiled facade. And I know the truth.”
“The truth?”
“Mhm. That deep down you’re just a sweet but broken man, Holden Dupree. But I’ll get it out of you eventually. Wanna know why?”
I grabbed a handful of potato chips and plopped them on my plate, sweat beading along my hairline. “Wow. How much caffeine have you had today?” Lemon loved her coffee.
“None, but nice try at changing the subject.” She picked up a carrot stick from a metal platter. “Wanna knowwhy?” she asked again, more forcefully this time.
I sighed. “Why?”
“Because you’re a terrible actor.” She gripped my shoulder, her expression completely devoid of any kidding. Then she gazed straight into me until all my carefully hidden scars were laid bare. “You forget I’ve known you your whole life. And I’veseen how you are when you’re in love. It hasn’t been since Savannah, and I was starting to think it might never happen again.” Her eyes darted over my face. “But there it is. Plain as day. Making an appearance after all these years.”
I swallowed hard, eyes on my plate, trying to breathe it out.
She squeezed my free hand. “That’s what I thought. But don’t worry, I’ll handle Silas. I have my ways.” She wiggled her brows just like Silas had the other night. Then she bit off a piece of carrot. Her head tipped toward the end of the table. “How about we get this done and get you back to your girl?”
But I couldn’t move. I just stood there, staring at my annoyingly perceptive sister-in-law, wondering if Sophie’s spirit had possessed her for a few minutes to bring me this message.
“It’s okay,” she coaxed. “You just say ‘All right, Lemon,’ and we’ll pretend we never had this conversation.” She leaned in closer and whispered, “And if you won’t be honest with me, I hope you’ll at least be honest with yourself…and in time…with her.”
I rubbed my neck still reeling that I’d been had. “I don’t…I don’t know if that’s what I want.”
