But after Lainey pointed out Ruthie hadn’t gotten her vaccinations yet, I was glad they hadn’t wanted anything to do with her. They could keep their germs to themselves.
Hang on, Jess, my conscience chided.Maybe that’s why they were keeping their distance.
I doubted it.
“Yeah, let’s go next door. I’m starving.”
I slung the diaper bag over my shoulder and picked up the car seat, and we made our way across the driveways and entered Lainey and Adam’s house through the open garage.
“It’s not safe to keep your garage door open,” Alan announced when he stepped inside. “Anybody can walk in. Aren’t you supposed to be a cop?”
His brother retorted, “Well, since I have cameras and knew it was friendly riffraff coming through my door, I’m not worried.”
Another man that I’d seen around town stood up from the kitchen table, and with the use of a cane, made his way to us.
“How the hell are you, you salty fuck?” he asked as he side-hugged Alan, careful not to squish Ruthie.
Alan motioned toward the cane. “Better than you, apparently. What’s up with that? You didn’t have that at the Cape.”
“Yeah… it’s only temporary. Physical therapy’s kicking my ass.”
“I guess that’s good for me, otherwise you’d probably want your truck back.”
The man let out a sad sigh. “How is my truck?”
“Running like a champ.”
Jade came in and wrapped her arm around the other man’s waist, but rolled her eyes when she said, “Apparently he thought he was just going to go back to work without any physical therapy.”
Oh, he must be Brian—Jade’s boyfriend.
That was confirmed when he offered me his hand and said, “Hi, I’m Brian.”
I shook his hand while replying, “Jessica.”
“Nice to meet you. I hear you have a wedding coming up.”
I nodded. “August first.”
Brian’s brows went into his hairline. “August first, like in two weeks, or August first, next year?”
“Two weeks.” I quickly added, “I’m lucky I have people willing to help pull it together.”
“And it’s going to be gorgeous,” Jade said confidently.
Just then, Alan’s mom walked into the kitchen and her face lit up like a Christmas tree before she exclaimed, “Oh, my new granddaughter is here!” She turned around and yelled, “Hank! Alan and Jessica are here with Ruthie!”
Seconds later, Hank appeared in the doorway, holding Conor. His grin matched his wife’s, something Alan noted. “You two are loving this grandparenting gig.”
His mom didn’t hesitate. “So much!” She stepped closer and asked, “Can I hold her?”
Alan looked over at me with raised eyebrows, like he was asking my permission.
Yeah, like I was going to tell the woman no.
“Of course.”
Instead of reaching for Ruthie, she went to the sink and squirted some soap onto her palms, saying, “Jade already informed us we were to wash our hands if we wanted to hold the newborn,” as she lathered the soap in her hands.
