“Guy at the flower shop picked them out,” Lance said, with a shrug.
Tanner eyed him doubtfully. He hadn’t gone in with Lance, preferring to stay in the truck with the AC set on arctic blast since it was so damned hot out, but he’d seen Lance’s enthusiasm before entering the shop.
“Fine. I picked them out,” Lance admitted, and Tanner’s smile was smug as he elbowed him companionably.
“No BS, remember. Not with each other.” His sincerity eased the worry swirling in Lance’s gut.
Tanner didn’t bother to knock. He just pushed the door open and gestured for Lance to follow him as a cacophony of sounds greeted them. They heard a dog barking excitedly as well as the collective screams of children and adults.
“Mom?” Tanner called out, as he toed out of his shoes. Lance followed his lead. Tanner’s mother didn’t answer him, and the screams were getting louder.
Tanner led the way farther into the house, but they didn’t see anyone until they got to the living room, where a game of Monopoly was in progress, the clear cause of the chaos.
“You can’t do that!” Clara was yelling, standing next to the board, stomping her foot as she screamed down at her younger sister. Lucy looked entirely unmoved by her older sister’s tantrum. She was sucking on a bottle of water, holding a wad of cash and waving it around victoriously.
“Clara—” Mark was saying, “you shouldn’t scream at your little sister.”
“But, Dad, she’s cheating!” Clara screamed, pointing accusingly at Lucy.
“Winning doesn’t mean cheating. Sit down, before you hurt yourself,” he advised firmly. How she might injure herself, Tanner hadn’t a clue.
“No!” she yelled as she kicked the Monopoly board. All the game pieces, money, and cards went flying in every direction, causing Lucy to burst into tears.
Mark was the one yelling now. Having finally lost his patience, he stood, picked up Clara as if she was a sack of flour, and tossed her over his shoulder. He marched out of the living room, barreling straight for Tanner and Lance, who quickly stepped aside.
“Hey guys,” Mark said, not stopping as he continued down the hall, Clara pounding his back with her fists while screaming at the top of her lungs. Tanner shrugged at Lance, and they turned back towards the living room.
Lucy had finally stopped crying and was settled next to Cameron, who was putting all the Monopoly pieces back in the box. Cameron looked up as Tanner walked in, an exhaustedsmile on her face. Then she noticed Lance standing behind him and her eyebrows shot up.
“You brought reinforcements?” she asked with a smirk.
“Figured we could leave him with the girls while you and I have a drink,” Tanner replied.
“What’s his standard charge for babysitting?” Cameron asked, eyes sparkling with hopefulness.
Tanner shot a look behind him and shrugged. “Cold beer and a steak?”
Lance gave him a shoulder bump and eased around him.
Cameron got up from the floor, prompting Lucy to look up and notice Lance.
“Hi, Uncle Lance!” she exclaimed with a big smile.
Cameron’s eyebrows went up again.
Lucy scrambled to her feet and threw herself at Lance’s legs. She wrapped her tiny arms around them and squeezed as hard as she could.
“Hey, Lucy,” Lance said, finding it a bit awkward to be called an uncle as he bent down to pick her up. “I didn’t—” he began, straightening up as Lucy draped herself around his neck. He looked apologetic, not quite sure where to even begin trying to explain Lucy’s adoration.
“Don’t—I’m just amazed that you made such a good impression,” she said, waving off his concern.
Lance patted Lucy’s back and smiled.
“Where’s Mom?” Tanner asked.
“Upstairs, I think. She went up to get—something, about ten minutes ago,” she replied.
“Whose pickup is parked in the driveway?”
