I mean, sure—the house that just got eaten by a tree isn’t MY childhood home. Jo isn’t MY niece I’ve raised since infancy. But I don’t halfway invest in things. I leap before I look, or maybe as I’m looking. I’m fully in this thing, and it feels a little like I’ve jumped off a high dive platform. As I watch the water coming closer and closer, I’m not sure whether I’m going to execute a perfect ten or a big ol’ belly flop.
I consider heading to Mari’s for something to eat—I can always eat—but then I spot James’s truck parked by the silos. Well, isn’t that interesting!
I find him wandering around the open space outside the silos. “Well, look what the storm dragged in,” I say, making him jump.
He spins to face me and quickly smooths his expression, but not before I see a flash of panic, like a kid caught elbow-deep in the cookie jar. He nods. “Patty.”
“Whatcha doing, big brother?”
James clenches his jaw and looks away. “I’m just …”
“Just considering how this place would look as a thriving brewery? Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.” I mime locking my lips and toss the invisible key over my shoulder.
“You couldn’t keep a secret if you had your jaw wired shut.” He steps closer and squints, brushing a hand over my hair. “Is that glitter in your hair?”
I bat his hand away, ignoring the glitter comment. “Since neither of us have our jaws wired shut, how about some lunch on me?”
A few minutes later, we’re tucked into a back booth at Mari’s, the one where Jo sat the first day we met. Mari brings us both menus and me a kiss on the cheek. “Good to see you boys. How are Jo and Lindy?”
I explain the events of the morning and let Mari know the dogs are at her place with Val. James’s expression doesn’t change much, but Mari coos and pats me on the head.
“We’ll keep the dogs for however long. Whatever you need, necio.”
I put a hand over my heart. “After all this, am I still a pest?”
“Always.” I hear her laughter even after she heads into the kitchen with our orders. The Bobs are settling up their check, then the three of them amble over to our table.
“Did you read over our notes, Coach?” the first Bob asks.
Not even a little bit. This morning at practice, they handed me six single-spaced, typewritten pages. Even without the glitter tornado and the tree falling, I doubt I could have read their thesis. “Working on it. Thank you.”
The second Bob shakes his head. “The best thing you did was bench the Waters kid.”
“If he can get his ego in check, he’ll make a fine QB,” the third Bob says.
“Can any Waters keep their ego in check?” Bob number one scoffs.
“Hey!” someone calls. “I take offense to that.”
I somehow missed seeing Wolf Waters reading a book at one of the tables. He sets down his book—an unauthorized biography of Dolly Parton—and joins us. James gives me a look, silently asking if I’m going to need him to hold me back. But the whole proposal thing feels like a lifetime ago. Wolf’s easy expression makes it clear he isn’t holding a grudge about me trying to punch him OR about me getting the girl. He shakes the Bobs’ hands.
“Sorry about that, Wolf. Didn’t mean to toss the Wolf out with the bath waters,” the first Bob says, chuckling a little too hard at his own joke.
Wolf only smiles, running a hand over his beard. “No problem. Good game the other night, Coach.”
“Thank you.”
“And congratulations on your wedding.” He shakes his head sheepishly. “I didn’t mean to move in on your territory or anything. I didn’t know you were Lindy’s beau when I proposed.”