‘What about our birthday?’ Hallie said immediately. ‘We can have a barbie cue for that instead of a party!’
She looked at Ada for confirmation, and Ada nodded before asking warily, ‘What’s a barbie cue?’
‘A barbecue,’ Mac told them, an excited gleam in his eyes, ‘is like an outdoor cooking party, where instead of sandwiches and buns and boring stuff like that, you get to eat chicken and steak and sausages and burgers and…’ He turned to Alison and Jenna. ‘They’ve never been to a barbecue?’
‘Joel and I were never very sociable,’ Jenna admitted, ashamed. ‘It never seemed worth bothering with, and although Niall and Kendra invited us to theirs a few times we never got round to it somehow…’
‘And I haven’t had a barbecue since Drew died,’ her mum confessed. ‘He was the one who took charge of them, not me.’
‘Wow!’ Mac said, shaking his head. ‘Well, girls, you’re going to love this then. I think a birthday barbecue would be perfect, if your mum agrees.’
‘Yay!’ The twins turned to Jenna, their faces eager. ‘Can we, Mum? Can we have a birthday barbie cue instead of a party?’
The adults all exchanged glances.
‘It’s not really a children’s thing, is it?’ Alison asked uncertainly.
‘I think it would be quite fun actually,’ Jenna said, after a moment’s thought. ‘The girls are obviously keen, and it’stheirbirthday, after all. And it would be better for the adults. I think it could be a winner all round.’
Mac beamed at her. ‘I agree!’
‘Well, you would,’ Alison said wryly. ‘Mind you, I have to admit it does sound like fun. I can think of someone who’ll be in their element.’
‘Grandad!’ Jenna said, and they all laughed, imagining him heaping his plate up with chicken and steak while his wife shook her head and told him what a glutton he was.
‘That’s settled then,’ Mac said happily. ‘We’d better warn your guests there’s a change of plan, although I can’t see anyone objecting.’
Joel might, Jenna thought. He wasn’t one for barbecues or picnics or eating outside at all really. She considered messaging him to warn him but decided against it. He’d only think she was using it as an excuse to contact him, and she couldn’t bear him to think that. Even worse, she couldn’t bearAnnetteto think that. Besides, she had a strong feeling he’d no intention of being there. He’d practically said as much.
‘Oh,’ Mac said suddenly, ‘is it still okay to invite Evan and Tricia? I mean, you don’t even know them, and it’s the twins’ special day, after all.’
‘They won’t mind that,’ Jenna said. ‘Evan and his wife will be very welcome.’
So the birthday party was now a birthday barbecue, and although Auntie Elaine had said she didn’t think it was appropriate for a children’s party, everyone else was very excited and pleased about it. Even Ryan turned up with his mum, dad and sister, and Jenna was fairly certain he wouldn’t have bothered for an ordinary children’s party.
Mac was in his element at the barbecue, although he was surrounded by men all eager to tell him what he was doing wrong, and making (often contradictory) suggestions as to what would make it even better.
‘Honestly,’ Rosie said, nodding towards them in bewilderment, ‘what is it with men and barbecues? Women cook meat every bloody day of the year, but stick it on a grill in the garden and suddenly it’s an art form that only men are capable of mastering.’
‘It’s definitely a man thing,’ Jenna agreed. ‘Dad was just the same.’
Rosie’s eyes softened. ‘Aw, Drew’s barbecues were legendary. Now there was a man who knew how to marinate a chicken thigh.’ She nudged Jenna suddenly. ‘Ooh, we’ve got another guest. Nice to see him out of the pub for once, anddoesn’the look sexy in those jeans and that shirt?’
Jenna was shocked by the sudden leap of joy her heart made as Sam walked round the side of the house into the garden. She wasn’t sure why, but it felt like she was seeing him properly for the first time.
Rosie was right. In black jeans and a pink shirt, hedidlook… Well, she couldn’t bring herself to use the word Rosie had. It just didn’t seem right. This was, after all, Sam. But hedidlook attractive. Tall and lean, with a kindly expression in his twinkling blue eyes, windblown dark hair, and a warm smile on his lips, Sam was so relaxed and friendly with everyone that she couldn’t help but compare him favourably to her often distinctly unsociable husband.
‘I do love a man in pink,’ Rosie said. ‘Especially when they’ve got dark hair like Sam. It shows they’re secure in their own masculinity, too. I can’t be doing with all that “Oh, I’m a bloke, I can’t wear pink” rubbish, can you? He wears it well, doesn’t he?’
Jenna couldn’t help noticing that Sam did indeed wear it well.
She also couldn’t help but notice the enthusiastic greeting he got from the twins, who rushed to meet him and told him all about the food that Mac was cooking, and about the birthday cake that was sitting right now in the kitchen cupboard, well out of the way of Mrs Beddows the cat, who’d decided to grace them with her presence today.
‘He’s won them two over anyway,’ Rosie observed. ‘Interesting, eh?’
She winked at Jenna and headed off to talk to Ryan and Poppy, who were currently exchanging news with their grandparents – Jenna’s Great-Aunt Elaine and Great-Uncle Christopher.
Jenna turned back to the twins, who were demanding to know where Seb was, and she saw Mac and her mum were listening keenly to Sam’s reply, while trying valiantly to pretend they weren’t eavesdropping.
