Shay suppressed a grin and nodded. Luke had gotten the looks of the family, but Shay suspected she’d gotten his share of brains. She estimated sixty-five adults and twenty-six kids and did some quick math, then she pulled her credit card from her phone sleeve and handed it to Eli. She’d figure out the finances and who owed her what later. “Go down to Martin’s meat market with Luke and get fifteen pounds of steak and the same in ground beef, and I need his giant bag of chicken wings and ribs. Give me your phone.” When he’d unlocked it and handed it over, she typed in a list of ingredients she needed for veggie burgers plus salad, slaw, beans, and buns. “Then go to Clark’s and get all of that.” She handed his phone back. “Tell me someone handled drinks, or Daddy’s going to work himself up to a heart attack.”
Luke grinned and looked pleased with himself. “All sorted. Liquor, beer, wine, and sodas are stacked up in the basement and the fridge in the den.”
“Great. Go!”
“Can we take your car?” Luke asked, just like he used to dowhen he was fourteen.
“I don’t want the smell of raw meat on my upholstery. Use your truck, Eli.”
Luke rolled his eyes. “You’re no fun.”
Eli wiggled his eyebrows and bumped Luke’s shoulder. “That’s not what all the ladies say, is it, Corporal?”
She shoved them both toward the door and navigated her way back to Matt. She snatched his phone and slipped it into her purse away from his grasping hands. “Set up an outdoor bar under the veranda. The drinks are in the basement and the den.” She hoped there was ice there too.
“Ah, come on. Do I have to?” He slumped back into the chair.
“Yeah, you have to. In case you haven’t gotten your snoot out of your phone long enough to notice, it’s your big brother’s birthday. We’re going to have near on a hundred people here, and we’ve got no food.” She grabbed his arm and pulled him up. “If we don’t have drinks set up either, we’ll have a riot on our hands.” She pushed him in the direction of the den, and he slouched away reluctantly, throwing her a look that she couldn’t be bothered to categorize.
She turned to her father and Cyrus, who were still going at it, clearly resolving nothing. “Everything’s under control,” she said and relayed her plan before she grabbed Aaron and tugged him outside to uncover the grill.
Cyrus emerged from the back door holding hands with a beautiful woman with a complexion that reminded Shay of their momma. She had the same big, brown, kind eyes too. Shay smiled, thinking maybe that’s what had drawn him to the woman, and from the grin on her brother’s face, it looked like he’d finally found someone he might hang onto for more than a few weeks. She’d thought the last one, Kali, had a chance but obviously not. She pushed aside their similarities in their lack of ability to commit and ignored the small niggle that questioned why he hadn’t told her about his new lady before today.
“I’ve brought you someone who can help with your plan, sis,”Cyrus said. “Shay, meet Nia. She’s a professional chef.”
Her brothers exchanged an expectant look while Shay held out her hand. “It’s great to meet you, Nia,” Shay said then looked at Cyrus. “Where’d you meet this queen?”
“She’s Bisa’s best friend, and?—”
“I moved in next door a few weeks ago,” Nia said.
Shay nodded. “Perfect timing.”
“Or fate,” Nia said and continued to stare into Shay’s eyes without letting go of her hand.
So she’d misinterpreted Cyrus’ stupid grin, and this was a setup. Nia was exactly her type, but Shay believed in fate about as much as she believed a new car was better than a classic,especiallywhen the word was bandied around in relation to potential bed partners. And then there was Rosie. They hadn’t made plans, but Shay intended to text her when she could leave the party without too much hassle.
“If you’ll excuse me, I have to show my little brother how to use his grill.” Shay pulled her hand away gently and turned back to Aaron, who frowned at her like she was crazy not to be fawning all over Nia.
“No problem,” she said, apparently undeterred. “I’ll go familiarize myself with the kitchen.”
“I’ll show you where everything is,” Cyrus said and glared at Shay before he left.
Despite her misgivings, Shay turned around to watch Nia walk away. She couldn’t deny the woman wasfine. Nia glanced over her shoulder, catching Shay appreciating the view, and she gave a small, knowing smile. She had full, kissable lips too.
“She saw your picture on the mantel when Bisa invited her over for dinner,” Aaron said. “You shoulda seen her eyes light up when Bisa told her you were part of the alphabet mafia.”
Shay put her palm on his forehead and pushed him away. “Your boo could just say lesbian.” In truth, it was nice that her brothers had accepted that she was gay. She forgot that sometimes.
“Nah, she keeps up to date with all the lingo.”
Shay shook her head and refocused on the task ahead. “Let’s get this set up.”
They uncovered the grill and got the coals ready.
“I can’t believe you haven’t used this,” Shay said. “Luke said you were waiting for the right occasion.”
“Something like that.” He ripped open a box of firelighters and threw a couple on the charcoal.
