The next thing I knew, Edge was swinging a little girl up into his arms, blowing a raspberry against her neck.She looked a lot like her mother, long dark hair, same kind smile, her blue eyes darker.
“Jamie, meet Julianna.Say hi to Jamie.”
“Hi, Jamie.”Julianna squirmed out of his arms.“I’m six.How old are you?”
I peered up at Edge and smiled.“Twenty-four.”
I didn’t imagine the look that Gretchen passed her brother.
A man appeared, his eyes bouncing between us.He held out his hand to Cav.“Good to see you again, man.”
“Same, Rick.How’s work?”
Rick sighed.“Busy.But the holidays are coming up, so that’s to be expected.”
“Rick manages a chain of department stores,” Edge explained.“I’d like you to meet Jamie Lautner.Jamie, this is my brother-in-law, Rick Reilley.”
I shook his hand when it was offered.“Nice to meet you.”
“No need to stand in the doorway,” he said, motioning us farther into the house.“Dinner’ll be ready in five.Hey, Gretch, will you get Matt and Heidi?I texted them, but they’re ignoring me.”
Gretchen grinned.“Not the first time.Come on.Let’s sit in the dining room.I’ll grab the wine.”
Edge took the lead, and I followed with Cav on one side, Julianna on the other.The little girl tugged on my hand.
“Jamie, will you sit by me at dinner?”
“Of course I will,” I told her.“Which seat is mine?”
“This one,” she said, pointing.“You’re pretty.”
“Thank you.”
The next hour passed by in a blur of conversation.I was introduced to nine-year-old Matthew and twelve-year-old Heidi.Both had joined us at the table, not bothering to hide the fact that they’d rather be anywhere else.Through the conversation, I learned that Gretchen and Rick had been married for fifteen years.Both worked full-time.Gretchen was into hot yoga, and Rick had a weekly poker game with the guys on Friday nights.They each had their own routines, their own hobbies, but they were happy.
Edge had shared with Gretchen my love for her bookstore/bar, which resulted in a long conversation about how it came about.Although I’d walked into the house a nervous wreck, somewhere along the way, I settled in, feeling more at home than I expected.
Right up until Gretchen moved us into the den.She excused herself to get Julianna in bed while Rick poured coffee.
“She’s gonna grill you on the relationship,” Rick noted, speaking to Edge as he placed the mugs on the coffee table.
“Probably.”
I had seen the look on her face when Edge had introduced me as their girlfriend.I wondered if the reaction would always be that way.I knew it wasn’t a conventional relationship, and back in the beginning, I’d been a little concerned about what others would think, namely, my best friends.But once I’d shared the news and got their acceptance, I found I didn’t care what anyone else thought about it.
“She’s just curious,” Cav said.“It’s not every day her brother tells her he’s in a relationship.”
“Try never,” Gretchen said when she returned.“Not once in his thirty-six years has my little brother introduced me to a girlfriend.Much less…” She waved her hand between the three of us, sighed.“All right, brother of mine, you’ve got some explaining to do.”
She took a seat in the chair opposite Edge.
“About?”
She waved her hand to me and Cav.“You’re awe, huh?The three of you?”
“We are,” he said, not a hint of insecurity in the words.
“As in you love the two of them, they love each other and you?”
