Chapter 5
SAM
"Are you trying to win the prize of being Paisley's favorite uncle?" Tate challenged my intentions.
"I'm definitely going to make a run for the title. I didn't even know it was up for grabs, but it's going to be mine before long." We were at his house in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, gathered for dinner. I'd forgotten how much my family loved cookouts. God, it was good to be back.
"I have a lot to make up to Paisley," I said as I helped my brother carry out the marinated chicken breast for the grill.
Travis and Luke had already brought out the vegetables and other side dishes.
We weren't fussy when it came to food, and the grilling season would end soon.
October was the last decent month in Chicago as far as I was concerned.
"You've got a lot of competition," he said.
The truth was, because I'd been gone for so long, I hadn't been able to build a relationship with Paisley, not like the rest of my family had.
I was a cool uncle because I always had stories from my travels.
It was endearing the way her little eyes would light up whenever I recounted one.
I tried to edit out any difficult information for her ears, so she'd only ever heard the good parts.
But now that I was here, I wanted to do more, which was why I was negotiating with Tate to let me take my niece out for a treat, like ice cream.
"Buddy, you've missed that window."
"What window?" I asked as we went out in the backyard.
"When she thought going out for ice cream was a highlight. You're about two years too late."
"What does she like to do these days?"
"I think it's best if you ask her. It changes weekly."
My brother was about to have a teenager on his hands, and by the sound of it, he wasn't prepared in the least.
Outside, we set the meat on the grill. Declan was the man of the hour. He'd started putting on the potatoes first because they needed more time to cook. We were going to take turns at the grill because cooking for so many people was overwhelming.
I sometimes still couldn't believe that every single one of my brothers had a significant other.
Over the past few years, I'd flown in for most of the events, like birthdays or big celebrations, such as when Travis sold his previous business— a successful software company.
It felt like every time I came to visit, one more brother had gotten hitched.
"Until it's my turn on the grill, I'm going to check on Paisley," I said.
"Good luck," Tate replied before focusing on Declan. "Make sure the meat is overdone for Lexi, okay?"
"You only told me about fifty times," Declan replied.
I burst out laughing. "Okay, someone has to write this thing down in a calendar. The time when Tate was even more overbearing than Declan."
Lexi smiled, coming up to us. "Don't hate on him. He's a bit overprotective since I'm pregnant."
"Yes, obviously.”
“You're a doctor. You should be on my side," Tate said.
"Cooking the meat is good. I'm hazing you for reminding Declan fifty times."
Lexi winked. “He’s a little extra sensitive right now."
"Roger that." I winked before heading to Paisley. She was sitting in a patio chair with her iPad in her hand.
My parents and grandmother were sitting on a bench close to the grill. Tyler and his fiancée, Kendra, were chatting with Liz, Declan’s fiancée. Luke and Megan stood a few feet away with our cousin Reese.
The only ones missing were Travis, Bonnie, and my niece, as well as our cousin Kimberly, who was in Paris—for now. Travis had convinced her to work with him to expand his hotel from a single unit to a chain. She was returning in a few months to help him with events and expansion.
"Hey, Paisley. How are you?" I asked.
She looked up at me. I could see the change in her from just half a year ago when she would light up and look at me like I was the most interesting person in the room. Now she was simply curious.
"Hey, Uncle Sam."
"So I've been talking to your dad, telling him that I want to take you out for ice cream, and he told me you like to do more interesting things these days."
She sat up straighter, pulling her knees to her chest. "Yes, I do. Ice cream is for kids."
Way to make me feel old. "Tell me, what would you like to do together?"
"Can I choose anything?" she asked.
"Sure. Why not?"
"I want to go shopping for makeup."
I blinked, jerking my head back. "That’s not my area of expertise."
"You don't have to know anything. You just have to take me there, and the ladies at the counter will help."
"Is your dad okay with this?"
"He told you to take me out somewhere I want, didn't he?"
"This feels like a trap," I said out loud.
Paisley pressed her lips together.
"It is a trap," I added.
She didn't reply.
"You've inherited the Maxwell sneaky gene. I'm proud of you."
She gave me a cautious smile. "You are?"
"Obviously. It took us years to hone that, and you’re a natural."
Her smile grew. "Then it means you'll take me to buy some makeup?"
"How about we don't give your dad a reason to skin me alive?"
She winced. "He wouldn't do that."
"No, that's a figure of speech, Paisley." A damn graphic one. Why had I even used it? I wasn't used to being around kids, but I was going to learn and do better from now on.
"Dad says you’re staying for longer this time."
"Yeah."
"So you're not going to leave again?"
"I'm not sure," I admitted.
"We all miss you, you know, and Gran and Great-Gran most of all. Actually, I think everyone misses you, but they’re the only ones who say it out loud. The rest feel like their balls will drop off or something if they admit it."
My eyes widened. "Excuse me?"
She cringed. "Whoops. Don't tell anyone I said that. They still don't know how much I can swear."
"How can you even swear like that?" I spluttered.
"I picked it up."
"From where?"
"Everywhere: school, everyone's conversations when you think I'm not listening."
"Exactly how much are you eavesdropping?" I asked.
"A lot, especially because everyone seems to think I’m still too small to pick up on things. But I know stuff. Girls at my school have boyfriends already."
I looked over my shoulder. "Does your dad know that?"
"No, because he's my dad," she said as if this was the most obnoxious question she'd ever heard. "And no one else does either, but I figured you're the youngest brother. And the coolest."
"Yes," I said tentatively, suspicious of where this conversation was going.
"So, that means you're closest to my age."
By about two decades. I nodded her on.
"You can give me advice."
"On what?"
She rolled her eyes. "Boys."
I was so out of my depth, I didn't have a name for it.
"What are you two chatting about?" Gran asked, walking up to us. She had a familiar look in her eyes, and I knew she had my back. She could read me like an open book.
"Boys," Paisley said nonchalantly.
Gran didn't seem surprised in the least. "I see. My advice wasn't helpful?" she asked politely.
I felt like I’d stepped into a science-fiction movie.
"It was, but I think I also need a male perspective on this, and everyone else is so old."
I looked over my shoulder at my brothers huddled around the grill. I had to find a way to warn Tate while also not breaking Paisley's confidence. My brother had to know what was coming for him; otherwise, he'd be completely blindsided.
I soon found my angle. I was going to talk to Lexi first.
"I'm going to help everyone over by the grill. Gran, Paisley, you need anything?"
"No, no, we're both fine," Gran said. "It's good having you back home, Sam."
Heading back to the grill, I eyed Lexi. I needed to work my way into this.
"Can I talk to you for a second?" I asked.
She looked at me in surprise. "Sure." She was holding two pieces of chicken on her plate. I looked at it intently.
"Okay, that one needs to go back on the grill. It's still too pink."
Lexi smiled. "Yes, I saw that. That's why I wasn't eating it. And you were making fun of Tate. Pot and kettle, aren't you?"
"I'm a doctor," I replied. "And a man as well. I guess overprotectiveness comes with the territory. And speaking of overprotectiveness…" I glanced at Paisley and then back at Lexi.
"What's wrong? Did something happen to her?"
"No, the overprotectiveness is toward my big brother."
"What are you talking about?"
"I have a feeling he's going to be blindsided.”
Lexi lowered her plate, looking at me intently. "Sam, you’re scaring me."
"Paisley's talking about boys."
"Oh yeah, I know," she said as nonchalantly as Gran.
"And this is fine?" I asked, dumbfounded.
"Why wouldn't it be?"
"She's eleven."
"She just turned twelve."
I rolled my eyes. "I'm sorry. Yes, twelve."
"Of course she's curious. I'm surprised she told you."
"She said she wants the male perspective." I looked over my shoulder. Fortunately Tate wasn't in earshot.
He was going to find out about it sooner rather than later, but I was determined not to be the one who conveyed the news.
Lexi chuckled. "She did tell me she wants a well-rounded perspective. Don't worry about this. I’m handling it, okay?"
I trusted Lexi with a lot of things, but I wasn't sure about this at all.
"Okay, everyone, the meat is ready. Grab something before it's all gone," Declan announced.
There was a frenzy of activity around the grill as everyone approached it with plates, choosing their food.
I grabbed pork chops and grilled zucchini, and then we all sat down at the huge table my brother had set up in the middle of his yard.
It hadn't been here last time I visited, but we’d outgrown the outdoor furniture he’d had before.
There were simply too many of us. This was a folding table, so we would move it out of the way when we were done.
While we were eating, my phone pinged. As a general rule, I never ignored my phone, even if I wasn't on call, just in case the hospital might need me. The message was from Avery, though. It was short and to the point.