“Ooh, this is going to be fun.” Brooke elbowed Logan.
“Hey.” Logan broke the two women apart and wrapped an arm around Brooke’s shoulders. “Please do not listen to her. I was the poster child for a well-mannered and perfect child.”
“Yeah, right.” Danielle shook a finger at him. “Didn’t you almost burn down the school during chemistry?”
“They managed to get the fire out quickly,” Logan countered defensively. “The teacher had it one hundred percent under control.”
“What?” Brooke’s eyes dilated. “How did you manage to do that?”
“A kid dared me to triple the amount of one chemical. He claimed he saw something about it on one of those true crimestories.” Logan winced. “It wasn’t my finest hour but believe me when I say it was a one-time thing.”
“Yes, because you received in-school suspension and Dad scared you straight,” Danielle replied.
“But look at me now. I’m a model citizen. My fire days are long behind me.”
“You’re hogging her.” Amy shouted to them as she rearranged one of the twins from one of her hips to the other. “Get on up here.”
“We’re coming!” Logan shouted back.
“Mom,” Danielle leaned in closer and whispered, “made that jambalaya, she claims is a family recipe. Word to the wise, eat slowly, and take large sips of water to get it down.”
“When is she ever going to learn how much we hate that stuff,” Logan muttered under her breath. “Good luck to us all.”
Brooke chuckled. “Okay,” she whispered back. “I appreciate the advice.”
When they arrived at the front porch, Logan’s parents hugged her while balancing a twin on their hips. Brooke shook Michael’s hand. Logan snatched Amelia from Amy and snuggled her against his chest. Amy, Danielle and Michael went into the house.
Paul hung back with them with Lily on his hip. “How are you doing?” His gaze swung to Brooke. “Is your incision healing okay?”
“I’m feeling much better,” Brooke said. “Thanks for asking.”
“I heard one of my colleagues performed the surgery,” Paul said.
“Really?” she raised an eyebrow.
“Dr. Stein who performed your surgery went to medical school with Dad,” Logan said.
“Wow, small world,” Brooke said.
“He is top notch, and he’s been a great mentor to Logan. I’m glad he was there to do the surgery.”
“Me too,” she said.
They paused.
“Come on now,” Paul mumbled and gestured for them to follow him inside. “Amy made her jambalaya.” He leaned in a tad closer. “I’m sorry. None of us have the heart to tell her it’s terrible.”
Brooke laughed. “I promise to keep the family secret.”
“That’s right,” Logan squeezed her hip, “ourfamily secret.”
“Exactly,” Paul said.
“Come on.” Logan led her inside. “The jambalaya puke fest is waiting.”
Her eyes sparkled back at him. “Bring it on,” Brooke teased. “I was made for this.”
“You are going to fit right in,” Paul said.
