Page 19 of Wedding or Not

When she and Natalie make their next move, pushing Tessa and Audrey all the way out of Central America, Tessa howls in indignation and Parker and Natalie get up to do an impressively synchronized victory dance.

It’s my turn next, which I take as they’re all in a chaos of laughter from Tessa jumping up to try to out-dance her opponents, swishing her invisible sword all the while.

My move is to shore up more troops in Australia.

“You’re so boring, Ellie!” Tessa has stopped dancing to inspect the board again. “The name of the game is Risk!” The last word is another shout.

“I know. But I’m not a risky person. I like being all safe and secure on my own with all the kangaroos, wombats, and koalas.”

“But you’ll never win like that!”

“I’m not trying to win. I’m trying to not get demolished.”

Tessa sniffs and tsks her tongue with exaggerated disapproval at my cowardice, but then her focus returns to whisper strategy with Audrey.

Before they’ve even settled on their next move, there’s a knock on the door.

We usually have family night at the largest cottage—where Aunt Grace lives with the youngest three—but she’s in the middle of a major craft project, and the kitchen and dining table are covered with pottery. So we’re in our cottage instead, crowded around the table.

I get up to answer the door and blink in surprise when I see it’s Wes standing on the doorstep.

He’s dressed casually in jeans and a gray T-shirt, but he still manages to look good.

“Oh.”

His mouth twitches. “Oh. Are you busy?”

“We’re just having family night.” I step back to let him into the cottage. “It’s just Wes,” I call to the others, all peering over except Tessa, who is ruthlessly studying the board.

“Just Wes. Very flattering.” Despite his dry words, he still looks warm and amused as he comes in. “Sorry to interrupt. I forgot it was family night.”

“No worries at all,” Aunt Grace tells him, greeting him with a gracious smile. “We’re a little wild tonight.”

“Not Ella, surely.” He’s focused on the others, but he slants me a teasing look. “I’ve never known her to be wild.”

I flush and give him a playful swat.

“She’s not wild,” Tessa confirms with impressive solemnity. “She won’t move out of Australia. She says she’s safe and secure there with the kangaroos and wombats and doesn’t want to take a risk.”

“Sounds about right.”

“Hey!” I give Wes another light swat until I realize I don’t normally touch him this much, so I put a step or two of distance between us.

“Why would you assume it’s an insult?”

“It was definitely an insult when Tessa said it.”

“It is an insult!” She gives Wes a dramatic salute. “Only yellow-bellied scoundrels are too scared to take risks.”

“I’m not sure scoundrel is the word you’re looking for there,” Audrey says, breaking into the laughter.

While Tessa and Audrey discuss more appropriate pirate vocabulary, Wes explains, “I just came to drop off the budget sheets Dad and I finished.”

Wes always helps his father with the budget and then emails me the necessary documents. But Jake, being Jake, insists we also need a hard copy.

I take the pages, which are secured with a large paper clip. “Thanks.” I’m smiling down at them. (I don’t know why.)

“We estimated extra for maintenance and housekeeping on the assumption we’ll be having more events here next quarter.”