“Easier said than done,” Brooks huffs.
“Well, look at what the Ram dragged in!” Gannett calls from across the yard, he comes over and gives me a love-punch on the shoulder.
“The ram? Isn’t it ‘whatthe catdragged in?’” I ask him.
He gestures at my truck. “Pretty sure it’s a Ram, bub. That isn’t no pussy-wagon.”
I roll my eyes, then spin to Brooks. “Brooks, this is my dumbass brother, Gannett.”
“Ayut,” Gan says, extending his palm for a handshake, “that’s me. Wicked pleased to meet ya acquaintance, bub. How goes it?”
Brooks snorts, shaking his hand back. “You weren’t born and raised in Maine at all, were you?” He nods at my brother’sGot Lobstah?shirt.
Gannett chuckles. “Friggin’ a, right! Yessah! Got muh boat pahked right down theyah in the hahbah. Nah, but really, glad you could make it, man.”
“Thanks,” Brooks says, offering him a smile. “I appreciate the invite.”
“Well, c’mon then,” Gannett says, prodding Brooks towards the crew. “I made sure to get you guys a cake and everything! Lemme go introduce you to the parentals first, then you guys can smash it in each other’s faces, or whatever.”
“This isn’t a wedding, is it?” Brooks scoffs.
“Dunno,” Gannett replies, “you guys come with paperwork or whatever? Little heads up or something would be nice. I knew you guys were snoggin’, but I didn’t know you were ready for wedding bells.”
“God, do you ever just shut the fuck up, Gan?” I huff.
Brooks chuckles. “You guys couldn’t be more dissimilar if you tried.”
“Tell me about it!” Gannett thumps Brooks’ chest playfully. “You’re clearly seeing you made some questionable decisions by picking him, now aren’t ya? Well, sorry man. My old lady’s already got me snatched up, but hey, second string pick is still pretty decent. At his core, Ev’s not so bad.”
Brooks, obviously feeling more comfortable with showing some affection now, wraps his arms around my waist and gives me a peck on the cheek. “I believe I did just fine. He’s not second string to me.”
“Ohhh! Look at you getting all red in the face, man!” Gannett teases Brooks. “That’s fuckin’ adorable. Anyway, seriously, come meet Pops and Mumzie. Hope you like potato salad. Mumzie made enough to feed an army. She was pretty worried about making a good impression on you, B. It okay if I call you B?”
He doesn’t even wait for a reply, before he ushers Brooks over to the feed, shouting, “Don’t worry, everyone! I have secured the boyfriend! I repeat, I have secured the boyfriend!”
Brooks mouths ‘help!’over his shoulder at me. I just shake my head and chuckle as I make my way over to play bodyguard. I guess I didn’t have shit to worry about.
My mom is gushing as she ushers him over to start fixing him a plate, because she’s the type who thinks that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. “You’re not allergic to shellfish are you?” she asks as she palms a handful of steamer clams onto his plate. “Oh shit, where are my manners? I’m Vickie, Evan’s mum. I only lay claim tohim, because I’m not real sure I’m willing to admit to Gannett yet.”
Gannett scoffs. “Yet, Mumzie? Christ, you’ve had three decades to decide.”
She gives him a droll look, plopping a lobster on the plate for Brooks. “Still workin’ on it.” Then she turns her attention back to Brooks. “Hey, you. You never answered me. Shellfish allergy?”
“Oh, uh, no,” Brooks replies, and she adds a second lobster to the heap on his plate. “Thanks, Mrs. Waters.”
“Vickie,” my mom reminds him sternly. “Everyone invited to sit at this table with us is family.”
“Dad claims me,” Gannett rebuts, still stuck on Mom’s dig from before. “Speaking of, where is ole’ Wag-o-ner?”
“‘Round the side of the house, yammering with Gordy,” Mum tells him.
“Gordy’shere?” I ask, as Gannett goes trotting off, in search of Dad.
“Mhm,” she hums to me while scooping potato salad on Brooks’ plate, like he can’t possibly be trusted to serve himself. “That enough, or you want a little more?” she asks him.
He chuckles. “That’s fine, thank you.”
“Cripes, look at you, all Mr. Manners.” My mom grins at him. “Come, let’s go sit. I want to know all about this camp you run,” she ushers him over to one of the picnic tables, while I start to fix my own plate.
