Slowly, she wraps her fingers around the sandwich I placed in her palm, and I'm forced to release her. "How did you do all of this?" she asks, her voice quiet as she stares down at the lunch I made her.
"Went by the bar. Used the kitchen there." Had to make a grocery store run on the way for a few key ingredients, but for themost part, the kitchen there had most of the supplies needed for sandwiches thanks to a hearty lunch menu.
I pop the lids off the glass containers I brought. One is filled with grapes, the other holds a combination of raw veggies. The kids hate sauces and dips and such of all kinds, so I didn't bother with anything other than a small dish of hummus. I don't need it on my sandwich, but I'll happily dip a carrot stick in there.
"What awe you having, Uncle Jovi?" Gavin asks, leaning forward as I unwrap my own food.
"Pretty basic over here," I say, grinning at him as I lift two thick slices of Texas toast smothered in—-
"PB and J!" he exclaims.
"Yep."
Beside me, Liz frowns. "That's your favorite?"
I shrug. "It's everyone's favorite." And I knew if by chance I screwed something up with the kids' lunches, this would be a safe backup.
She smooths out the paper wrapping before lifting her pita, careful not to let any of the contents spill out. "Funny. I always thought your favorite was roast beef and brie with Dijon and arugula."
Then she takes a bite, poignantly staring at the kids and away from me. Because she's right. That is my favorite. Has been since I was fifteen and first took an interest in the menu at the bar, said interest resulting in a great deal of time spent in that kitchen with the line cooks.
After that little revelation from Liz, conversation hits a lull while we all eat. When we move on to snack on the fruit and veggies, it picks up again, but the focus is centered around random, silly things. An art project Remmi did for school. An impression ofGavin's favorite cartoon character. Singing all the wrong lyrics to a song that's been playing on repeat on the radio.
Once everyone finishes eating, Remmi announces she's found the perfect place for our photoshoot. She wastes no time grabbing Liz's hand and dragging her to said location.
"You know anything about this?" I ask Gavin, who's still busy peeling the skin off a grape with his teeth.
He shrugs. "Aunt Liz likes pictures."
That she does. Though I can't recall ever being in one. Not that I expect today to be any different. This photoshoot is undoubtedly meant for the kids. "Come on, bud. I think you're one of the models."
He pops the last of his grapes in his mouth and scrambles to his feet. "Okay."
When we reach the spot the girls are at, Liz is already busy posing Remmi in front of a large oak, a blanket of Hollow Joe Pye Weed covering the earth several feet in both directions. Remmi was right. It is perfect.
Liz reaches an arm out to Gavin as we approach, waving him closer. Once she has them both in position, she steps back. I expect her to lift her camera to her face and get started. I don't expect her to turn toward me and smile, crooking a finger at me. "You're up."
CHAPTER NINETEEN
LIZ
Istill don't know what possessed me to include Jovi in the photos. Maybe it should have been the natural conclusion, given his place in this family. And if I'm being honest, it's hardly the first time I've captured the man on camera. But it is the first time I was vocal about it. And I'm not sorry either. Looking at the shots now on my computer, I can't help but smile as I take in the moments I caught between him and the kids. The silly smiles. The soft affection. The obvious way he adores them. It's all there.
Then there's this shot. The one where he's looking straight at the camera. At me.
"Whatcha looking at?" Holly asks, coming up behind me. She got in just before midnight. Due to an unfortunate delay in her flight, she missed rodeo night entirely. Along with all the cowboys she was hoping to see.
She’s also the reason I'm sitting at my desk in work mode. Where I got distracted by the last batch of photos I left open in my editing program.
Before I can answer, I feel her chest press into my shoulder as she leans closer. "Oooh, look at that!"
"Calm down," I snort, clicking the little X to close out the screen. "It's just Jovi."
She laughs, backing up. "Yeah. That part was obvious." I spin around in my chair to find her smirking at me. "Be serious. You can't tell me you look at those pictures and don't see what I see."
I cross my arms, back pressing into the chair. "What exactly do you see?" Oh, God. What is that in my tone? Freaking jealousy? Am I jealous that she was checking out Jovi? No.
But my tone must say otherwise because it earns me another giggle. "Feeling possessive, are we?" she teases. "It's fine. I would too if I had a guy that looks like that."
