Page 253 of Safe With You

Marcus walked across the patio toward a grill covered near the edge of the yard.

“I got this last year,” he said, already pulling the cover off.

I bit back a laugh.

Luna called it.

Of course she did.

“This one has the smoker attached.”

“That’s nice.”

“You smoke meat?”

“Sometimes.”

“What kind?”

“Brisket mostly. Ribs.”

He looked at me.

I recognized approval when I saw it.

“See, Luna acts like I talk about this grill too much.”

The back door opened behind us.

“I can hear you.”

Marcus didn’t turn around. “Ain’t nobody talking to you.”

The door closed again.

I laughed.

“She’s been like that her whole life,” he said.

“Like what?”

“Always got something to say.”

“I heard that too!”

Marcus smiled.

I looked back toward the house.

Through the window, I could see Luna moving around the kitchen with her mother. Mila was sitting at the table now, swinging her legs beneath the chair while she talked to both of them.

Something about the sight held me there.

Marcus followed my gaze, and for a moment, he didn’t say anything. Then he looked at me.

“You got a good little girl.”

I looked back through the window. “Yeah.”