“Looking good up on stage last night, Mace,” Dave teases.
“Ha, ha.”
“I thought your two lines showed great promise,” Blake says.
“Screw off, okay? I’m really not in the mood.”
But I open the door wide and let them all inside.
“What are y’all up to?” I say suspiciously. “Logan’s still recovering.”
“I’m doing better,” Logan says. “We’re going to the creek for a bit. Fish, light a fire, have a barbecue. We need your culinary skills.”
“You’ve got Blake for that.”
“The barbecue needs a woman’s touch, and you’re the best cook we know. Other than me,” Blake adds confidently.
“No. I’m taking Macey time.”
I go back to the couch and sit down with my latest afghan, a harmless blue and pink checkered pattern with nothing that can remind me of Logan in any way.
The three of them follow me into the living room.
“We’ve got chicken and beers in the cooler. You can bring the afghan with you,” Dave offers.
“Oooooh.” I roll my eyes. “Can I? ‘Cause that would be really super.”
“Please. We haven’t barbecued once this summer.” Blake looks toward the kitchen. “Did you make dessert? Smells amazing in here.”
“A blueberry pie.”
“Can you bring it?” Logan asks me, locking eyes. “I’ve missed your cooking.”
“Bring the pie, Mace. With these two losers getting married, we haven’t done enough hanging out,” Blake says. “Blasphemy.”
“Why do you want me to go to the creek anyway?” I say to Logan.
“Yes, Logan,” Blake says with a slow smile. “Why do you? And Mace, why are you so pissed off? You seem almost…what’s the word when you haven’t had any in a while?”
I glare at Blake. “Touché. I haven’t seen you with a woman in oh…a week or so.”
“Ha. Yet I’m still cheerful and sunny. You’re the one who’s acting all gnarly and like you need to get some good…”
“Why don’t you go find someone to date or something?” I say.
“I’ve got a date tomorrow night.”
“Well, then start thinking about that. Stop trying to figure me out.”
I grab my phone when it rings. “Mama, I can’t talk right now,” I say into the receiver.
“What’s all the commotion?” Mama asks as Blake laughs loudly while he and Dave start mock fighting in the middle of my living room.
“I’m being coerced into cooking—Logan’s here.”
“Fabulous idea, Mace.” I can hear Mama’s approval gushing all the way up the phone line. “You know the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”
Mama’s taken a decidedly strong stance against Logan and Gigi recently. I don’t know what fully tipped the scales, but she’s now acting like Team Ginny is really Team Macey, who Mama secretly wants to reunite with Logan.
