I let out a low whistle. I don’t envy the guy. Running the local bar is tough as it is; I couldn’t imagine what it’d be like owning the only construction company in town. Long hours on site, longer nights buried in paperwork. Still, the life fits him. He grew up shadowing his old man across job sites. Building things is in his blood. It’s all he’s ever wanted to do.
“Glad you could make it tonight. Come meet Sarah and Remi.” I nod toward the backyard.
“Tessa told me all about our new crew members.” Jace huffs a laugh, rubbing a hand over his beard. “Sorry I haven’t made the effort to come by sooner.”
“Don’t stress it. Life gets crazy. And hey, I owe you an apology too. For disappearing and not reaching out.” I swallow, letting my shoulders slump a little.
“Like you said,” he replies with a shrug, “life gets crazy.”
Connor steps out behind us, the screen door clicking closed. “Hey,” he calls, wagging his finger at Jace. “No swearing around the little guy, and no getting drunk.”
“Food’s up,” Asher yells as I set the pasta salad on the table.
Remi races toward us, his tiny legs moving impossibly fast, while Sarah scrambles to her feet, laughing as she tries to keep up.
“Yum, yum, yum!” he shouts, arms outstretched for a plate.
Chaos erupts. Plates are passed around, and hands grab at food as everyone piles them high. I take my seat, fork in hand, and dive in without a word. Connor groans around the bite of a burger. Remi drops a piece of pasta to Ace, who snatches it mid-air. Conversations tumble over one another, laughter spilling out and bouncing off the fences. The sun dips lower, painting the chaos of our crew in a warm glow.
A foot nudges my leg under the table, and my eyes snap up, scanning the table until they land on Madi, sitting opposite me. Her soft smile meets mine, and her foot slides a little higher along my calf. I can’t help the smirk tugging at my lips as I nudge her back under the table, feeling the electricity of the moment.
“Alright, listen up.” Connor pushes to his feet, his chair scraping the floor. “My momma makes me and my sister do this after we eat. Since this is our first get-together since… well, you know. Let’s go around the table, and each say one thing we’re grateful for.”
He takes his seat, and I straighten, dropping my napkin onto the plate. “I’ll go first. I’m grateful for second chances,” I say, my gaze locked on Madi.
Her cheeks turn a slight rose color, and she clears her throat, fighting back a smile.
“I’m grateful for cake,” Connor chimes in, causing Madi to giggle, her shoulders shaking lightly.
“I’m grateful for early mornings,” Jace adds, his voice deep.
“I’m grateful for wine,” Tessa says, tilting her head with a smile.
“Wot’s wine?” Remi interrupts, scrunching his nose.
I huff a laugh as Sarah leans down, ruffling his hair. “Wine is a grown-up drink. Now, what are you grateful for, little man?”
“I love Mommy… and Ace!” he blurts.
A collective “aww” spreads around the table.
“I love you too,” Sarah says to Remi.
“I’m grateful for Hunter,” Asher says, eyes looking to me. “Without you, I wouldn’t be here. I wouldn’t have met Halle.”
“Same,” Halle adds, linking her hand with Asher’s as she looks at me. “Without you, I wouldn’t be here either.”
“Same,” Sarah says next, her eyes warm as they meet mine. “If I hadn’t walked up to your table in that diner, we wouldn’t be here either.”
The room hums with a softness that hits me square in the chest. My mouth opens, then closes again. I don’t have the words for the way they’re looking at me, like I’m someone worth thanking, because I’m not. I left them without a word. Stayed gone for far too long. Didn’t call, didn’t check in, didn’t do a damn thing to deserve this kind of loyalty. If anything, it’s the other way around. They’ll never know how much I owe them. How every single one of them saved me by welcoming me back without a second thought, by keeping Whiskey Cove running, and by letting me build this strange, loud, ridiculous family with them. My crew. My people.
“No need to get so choked up on us, my man,” Connor teases.
“A toast,” Halle calls out, raising her glass high. “To us. To family.”
The table erupts, glasses clinking together, laughter spilling into the warm air. Remi cheers, jumping down from his seat, and Ace scrambles after him as he runs to his toy cars scattered across the grass. Around me, conversations start up again, overlapping in that easy, chaotic way only families ever manage.
I nudge Madi under the table. When her eyes slide to me, I jerk my chin toward the house and push to my feet, grabbing my plate like I’m cleaning up and hoping she picks up on my hint to sneak away and follow me.
