“Miss me?” The doorbell rang and he got up to intercept the pizza.
“Mom’s dragging me into all the wedding stuff, and now that she doesn’t have you to fuss over, she’s asking how my grades finished up.”
“Howdidyour grades finish up?” He opened the door andnodded at the teenaged guy as he withdrew his wallet, phone tucked to shoulder.
“Don’t change the subject. Where are you? At least let me come stay with you until this stupid wedding’s over. Have a heart.”
“I need a breather, Sis. I had them to myself for fourteen years before you came along. You’ll survive. Also, why do you sound like you’re in a hole?”
“I’m hiding in the pantry.”
“Thanks,” he said to the delivery guy, then took the pizza and shut the door.
“You ordered pizza, didn’t you? Come on, invite me over. I’m drowning in tulle and candles, and I don’t even want to go to this stupid wedding.”
“You have to go. Tag’s your cousin.”
“So you’re going too, then?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“Seeing them together makes me want to vomit. She’s been calling meCuz.Um, hello, you dumped my brother and I don’t like you. How are you coping with all this?”
“By running away from home. Listen, I appreciate your allegiance, but the wedding is happening and we’ll all have to adjust.”
Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I have to go. Mom tracked me down—save me!”
The line went quiet and he pocketed his phone, then settled at the dining room table with his pizza. He opened the lid, drawing in the fragrant aroma of Antonio’s deep-dish meat lover’s pizza with extra cheese. Eating your feelings wasn’t such a bad way to go.
A sudden piercing sound cut through the room.
What the...
He looked around, trying to detect where the shriek of death was coming from. It seemed to reverberate off the walls. Was that... asaw?
He pushed back the pizza, got up, and peered out the sliding glass doors. Movement from the corner of his eye drew his attention. Sadie was on the deck, hunched over... He couldn’t see what she was doing as the planters were in the way.
No doubt about it though. She was using a saw. A circular saw if his ears hadn’t failed him. What in the world was she doing? The ear-shattering noise stopped as she finished the cut—or sliced off a finger. He had a hard time believing a woman who couldn’t navigate porch steps might be handy with tools.
But no, the screeching started up again. Okay, she was apparently fine.
Sexist pig.His sister’s voice cut into his thoughts. Yeah, maybe. But it wasn’t every day you saw a five-foot-nothing woman handling a circular saw.
But, hey. None of his business.
He went back to the table and tried to enjoy his pizza, but the earsplitting sound soon tweaked his last nerve. He’d been working in the hot sun all day, mowing lawns, mulching beds, trimming bushes. After a nice, long shower he just wanted to enjoy his supper in quiet. Was that too much to ask?
Apparently.
Three hours later Sam turned up the Braves game yet again and glared at the sliding glass door. It was dark now, but Sadie hadturned on the porch light, which glowed amber on account of the nesting turtles. It was ten o’clock at night and some people had to work in the morning. Some people weren’t on vacation for an entire summer—who did that anyway?
A text buzzed. His sister.Neck deep in burlap. Burlap!!
His lip twitched, then dropped as he thought of the upcoming wedding. The plans were going forward. What, had he thought they were going to cancel the thing? Did he want them to? That would be an unequivocal yes. Not because he wanted Amanda back. He was no slow learner. But the thought of having her in the family for the rest of his life sucked rotten eggs.
He glanced at the drawer where he’d stashed the invitation, debating whether to open the thing. On one hand, seeing the formal invite might make it more real. On the other hand, hadn’t he just advised his sister to adjust to reality?
The high-pitched wail of the saw cut through the room yet again. Seriously. What was she thinking?
