I hike my shoulders up and smile through gritted teeth, feeling instantly guilty, which I think was Roddy’s goal in making me both buy the beer and then carry it in.
“Sorry, Dale. The mean old women in this house saidno,” Roddy says.
“We’ll see about that,” Renleigh’s dad adds over his shoulder.
“No, we won’t,” Renleigh cuts in, putting a definitive end to the entire conversation as she takes the twelve pack from my right arm and carries it out to the garage.
“Oh, now,thatstuff? That he can have,” her mom says, taking the fruit tray from me. She rubs her free hand along her tight-fitting jeans, drying her palm, I presume, before holding it out to me. “I’m Sarah. It’s nice to meet you . . .Hunter?”
“Yes, ma’am,” I confirm, taking her hand. Her grip is solid, and it makes sense that she puts some muscle behind it. Her daughter is the same.
“Make yourself comfortable,” she says, motioning to the living room. Roddy takes the easy chair next to Dale’s and quickly pops the recliner back to talk with his old coach.
“I’m just gonna see if Renleigh needs a hand,” I say, gesturing toward the garage door. Nobody seems to care, so I slip out quickly and find Renleigh pulling the last two beers from the carton to tuck them behind some meat in the outdoor fridge.
“Hey, mind if I have one of those?”
I startle her, and she jumps as she turns, clutching the beers to her chest.
“Sorry,” I wince.
“It’s fine. I’ve been on edge a lot today. Not used to having so many bodies in this house. Lindsey’s upstairs putting the twins to sleep. Her husband is coming later to barbecue, so I hope you’re hungry. And then, of course, my mom was here when I woke up. And when I got off work. And is still here . . . for now.”
I take both beers from her hand, pulling the cap off one and handing it back to her. “I’m pretty sure you need a beer, too.”
A faint smile plays at her lips as she pulls the beer to her mouth.
“Thanks.” Her raspy voice scratches an itch deep inside my chest.
“Let’s get some space, yeah?”
She tilts her head back, toward the open garage, and I nod. We move out of the open garage to a stone path on the side of her house, and I trail behind her to a round patio with grass poking up between several of the bricks. She takes a seat in one of the wooden Adirondack chairs and I do the same. A well-used metal fire pit holds burnt log ends in the center. It’s a little warm out today, but I could get used to sitting by this thing at night.
“This is a nice spot,” I comment, taking a swig of my beer.
Renleigh lets out a heavy sigh, and rests her beer on the arm rest while sinking back in the chair and closing her eyes.
“My dad built it when I was in high school. I used to come out here to read. The trees block it from most of the yard, and there isn’t a single window in the house that views this place.
“So, what you’re saying is, this is where you did all your devious behavior?” I wink at her as she pops an eye open at me.
“Some of it,” she says, her lips tight with a guilty smile.
I chuckle, my lips resting on the rim of my beer bottle.
“I meant smoking pot and drinking underage, Renleigh. You’re the one making it dirty.”
My eyes remain on her as I tilt the beer back and swallow.
“I never said I was dirty back here.”
Fuck if my cheeks aren’t hot.
“You sort of insinuated it,” I say, setting my beer on the ground beside the chair, then folding my hands across my chest.
“Did I?” Renleigh’s gaze narrows on me as her tongue pushes into her cheek, and I suddenly feel the need to sit up taller and adjust the fit in the crotch of my jeans.
Renleigh takes one more sip of her beer, then rests it on the arm of her chair before standing and stretching her arms over her head. She pivots slowly, scanning the pathway we took to get here before bending down to eyeball the yard beyond the heavy cover of trees.
