Chapter 27 Renew
Renew.
I felt out of place as I walked beside El through his childhood backyard.
It had been about a week since we started sleeping together, and things were getting…serious. For the most part, El was right. Nothing has changed about our friendship. Except now, I was occasionally pinned beneath him, whispering his name into the hollow of his throat.
We still had to take things slowly, I was still getting used to being intimate again. But El was so patient. We took breaks if I needed to, he’d stop if I asked, without question. Once, I even built up the courage to take the lead, though it didn’t end pretty.
I loved every second of us figuring it out. It was as if we were learning new sides of each other.
But this weekend was on another level.
Apparently, his family threw a barbecue every year, and somehow, in all our time together, El had never once mentioned it. When I asked why, he just shrugged and said he didn’t think I’d be interested.
But I was.
I wanted to visit Louisiana and meet the people who made him who he was. And maybe more than anything, I wanted to feel the joy of a backyard BBQ again.
I hadn’t been to one since my dad died.
We’d gotten in late last night, so I hadn’t met anyone yet. Now, as we rounded the side of the house toward where El’s family was already gathered for breakfast near the water, my nerves were starting to eat me alive.
El glanced over. “You okay?”
I forced a swallow. “Y-yeah. It just hit me that I’m about to meet your family for the first time.”
His lips twitched like he was trying not to laugh. “Only just?”
“Hush.”
“Relax,” he said, threading his fingers through mine. His voice lowered. “I’d never bring you anywhere you wouldn’t be respected or loved. They’ll love you… because I love you.”
I glanced away at that, lips pressing into a pout. I still hadn’t said it back. Not yet. Not out loud. I didn’t know why. I just—didn’t.
He sighed, gently tucking a curl behind my ear like he wasn’t annoyed—even though I would’ve been. “Let’s get through today, then we’ll go back to the hotel and I’ll run you a bath. Deal?”
“Yes, please.”
“Good.”
I finally looked up, taking in the house in front of me—a stunning modern countryside home, nestled near a slow-moving creek.
The wide, wraparound porch was lined with white rocking chairs, and hanging flower baskets swayed in the breeze.
Big, sunlit windows framed the front, and I could hear the faint creak of the old wooden swing hanging from the massive oak tree in the yard.
It was beautiful.
As soon as we stepped onto the patio, we were greeted by a little boy, maybe ten or eleven, sprinting toward us.
“Uncle Lottie!”
El caught him with ease, scooping him up in his arms. “Hey, Bones.”
The kid—Bones, apparently—stared at me like he was trying to solve a puzzle.
“I got you some comics,” El said, adjusting him on his hip. “You still like Batman?”
Nothing. Just more staring.
I gave a small wave. The kid’s eyes widened before his face turned bright red, and he immediately buried his head in El’s chest.
El frowned. “What’s wrong?”
A deep laugh came from the table. “Bones! You got a little crush, sha?”
The little boy shook his head fiercely but still refused to lift his face.
El chuckled, setting him down. “Sorry, buddy. This one’s mine. You gotta get your own.”
Bones bolted toward the man who had spoken, practically diving into his arms. The man let out another big, belly-deep laugh and patted the boy’s back. Then, he looked at us and waved us over.
“Lottie! Get over here and let me get a good look at that woman you done brought with you!”
My stomach twisted so hard I thought I might puke.
El let out a long-suffering sigh like he’d been bracing. “Here we go.”
He hadn’t given me much of a rundown on his family. Just the basics:
There was his dad, Bernard—but apparently no one called him that.
To everyone, he was Bourbon. His stepmom, Rio, who was younger than his dad.
Interesting. His older brother, Genesis—father to Bones.
And his younger half-brother, Hakeem. When I’d asked for more, El had just shrugged and said, “I want you to form your own opinion.”
Translation: Brace yourself.
I kind of wished I’d gotten a better heads-up. A warning. Anything.
El led me forward like this was no big deal. “Hey, everybody. This is Elliot.”
I managed a small wave, trying not to look as awkward as I felt. “Hi.”
Silence.
Then—laughter. My stomach dropped straight through the floor.
I immediately glanced down at myself, suddenly hyper-aware of my outfit—a floral sundress, and comfortable but cute sandals.
I thought I looked nice. I’d worn my hair in a twist-out because El liked it that way, but since it was hot, I’d pinned it up before we left the hotel.
Curls still spilled over the top of my head and down to my shoulders.
Was I overdressed? Did I look like I was trying too hard?
I felt my lips quiver.
The older man at the head of the table finally wiped his eyes and let me in on the joke. “Boy, you so vain you had to find someone with the same name as you?”
So this was Bourbon.
El rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Stop laughing, you’re making her feel bad.”
A young, gorgeous woman—the only woman at the table—waved a dismissive hand. “Oh, we ain’t laughing at you, cher. It’s just Lottie got a reputation for being snooty. This is exactly the kind of thing he’d do.”
This had to be Rio.
El scoffed. “I’m not snooty.”
“You are very snooty,” another man added—one who looked like an older version of El. Genesis, I assumed. “Remember when you said you ain’t staying here ’cause there ain’t no AC? That’s snooty.”
El scoffed again. “Why would I bring my guest to a room with no AC?”
Genesis smirked. “Oh, so she snooty too?”
“Nobody’s snooty!” El groaned.
Rio waved us over. “Oh, calm down, we’re just playing. Come sit.”
El pulled out my chair before dropping into his own with a dramatic sigh, resting his arm around the back of mine.
I exhaled, trying to shake off the nerves. This was going to be a long day.
Rio leaned forward, eyes locked on El. “Lottie, why you ain’t introduce us to your ‘guest’?”
El let out a slow breath. “I was trying to, but you—”
Rio cut him off with a smile. “I’m Rio. I’m sure you heard about me.”
El exhaled in defeat beside me, clearly accepting that Rio was taking over the introductions.
“That’s Genesis, and we call him Gen. That little stick figure is his son Bernard, but we call him Bones. Next to him, on that damn phone I’m about to throw in the creek, is our youngest, Keemy. And at the end, there is Bourbon.”
I glanced around the table as they all gave me friendly, amused smiles.
“You can just call me Ellie, or E, so it doesn’t get confusing.” I smiled back.
Rio beamed. “Well, Ellie, I’m glad you came. I’m tired of being the only woman around here.”
“I told you, let me give you a daughter.” Bourbon smirked.
Keemy gagged. “Ew.”
“Exactly. You’re about to be sixty-five. Please be serious.” Gen scoffed.
Bourbon took a sip of his beer, unfazed. “I still have all the necessary parts.”
Then he winked at Rio.
Keemy groaned. “Yuck.”
Genesis shook his head and covered Bones’ ears like this was a regular occurrence.
I glanced at El to see if he was hearing this, but his eyes were closed, his face completely at rest—like this kind of conversation wasn’t even worth reacting to. I, on the other hand, was still processing.
Rio sighed dramatically. “Well, I’m fifty-one, and I don’t, so all I got is y’all and pretty little Ellie.”
She smiled at me, revealing a gold-capped tooth.
The woman was gorgeous. She didn’t look fifty at all. It seemed to be a pattern in El’s family—aging just didn’t hit them the same. But… fifty-one and sixty-five? Their age gap was bigger than mine and El’s.
She reached out and gently smoothed down a few of my flyaways, a simple, almost maternal gesture. It was more nurturing than anything my mother had ever done.
Genesis suddenly narrowed his eyes. “Yeah… little for sure. How old are you, anyway?”
El stiffened beside me, one eye opening slightly. “Why does that matter?”
Genesis grinned like he already knew. “She young, ain’t she?”
I shifted in my seat, unsure if I should answer. I glanced at El, but his focus stayed locked on his brother.
Finally, he spoke. “She’s twenty-seven.”
Bourbon let out a chuckle and took another sip of his beer while Genesis just shook his head, smiling. “You two are so much alike.”
El said nothing, just leaned back into his chair and closed his eye again.
Genesis wasn’t done, though. “How’d you two meet, anyway?”
I glanced back at El, waiting to see if he’d answer. Nothing. So, I went with our usual story.
“We met at a coffee shop. They mixed up our orders.”
El let out a soft scoff beside me, amused that I was still sticking to this twisted little narrative.
Rio grinned. “I bet that happens a lot.”
I shrugged. “Not so much anymore.”
Genesis leaned back in his chair, eyeing me with curiosity. “Where you from?”
“Houston.”
“Where do you work?”
“I own a salon.”
Rio’s face lit up. “Ouu, that’s why you have such pretty hair.”
I smiled at her, appreciating the compliment.
Genesis barely let the moment settle before hitting me with the next one. “You got kids?”
El sighed. “Why are you asking her so many questions?”
Genesis smirked. “I’m just trying to figure out why a pretty young thing like her is hanging around you.”
El smirked back. “Jealous?”
Genesis didn’t hesitate. “Hell yeah, I’m jealous! My baby mama trying to put me on child support even though I keep our kid.”
I blinked, unsure how to respond, but El just shook his head and nodded toward the food in front of me.
“You hungry?”
“Yeah.”
Rio waved me off. “Let me fix you a plate.”
As she started piling food onto a plate, I scanned the spread in front of me. I recognized most of it, but one thing stood out—something I couldn’t quite place.
“What is this?” I asked, pointing.