Forty-Six
O ur guests are here.” Scott spun away from her and headed to the front door.
Soon after, the familiar voices of her friends and then her father’s voice sounding his approval came from the front hall.
She opened the fridge door and pulled out the chilled bottles of wine and beer and the pitcher of Lemonade. In preparation for the first guests at their house, she set the bottles on the counter and opened them.
Everyone congregated in the kitchen chatting happily and getting alone. Even Olivia was there.
“Are you going to run the smoked meat fest this year?” Jake snatched a slice of cheese from the stack Lauren had just cut to put on the charcuterie board.
“Nope.”
“Nope?” Jake stared at her for a few moments before racing to the large bay window that looked out over the lake.
Melody came up beside him and looked out the window as well. “What are we looking at?”
“Pigs flying.”
Lauren narrowed her eyes and surveyed the counter for something could throw at her friend.
A platter of cupcakes was in reach. And she had made extras…
Before her better angels got shot down, Scott came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “She’s going to be too busy working her own booth this year.”
“I don’t see any airborne porcine. Are we sure this is our friend and not some weird robot that’s taken her place?” Melody snickered.
This time Scott didn’t stop Lauren from hurling a cupcake at her friends.
Melody ducked, and the projectile hit Jake in the middle of his chest before falling to the floor with a splat.
A giant Irish Wolfhound sighed and hefted himself to his feet before lumbering from his spot under the table to the floor prize waiting for him along with the two young girls debating how long food could stay on the floor before it could no longer be eaten. The argument was made moot when Madden snapped the morsel up in his massive jaws.
“You didn’t have to invite the dog.” Arlen watched his nieces from his perch on the counter.
“The girls were worried he’d be lonely with no one home.” Lauren grinned at the man who was fast becoming her friend despite his gruff demeanor. They’d had more than a few conversations about losing a loved one to cancer. So many that they practically had their own little ‘Dead sisters and moms’ group. All they needed was a dank church basement to hold their weekly meetings in.
Arlen grunted and shrugged his massive shoulders. “They used those eyes on you, didn’t they?”
“It’s impossible to deny them. Margret has the trembling bottom lip moments from crying thing down.” Lauren’s eyes widened as she shook her head in amazement at their abilities.
Another grunt. “Amelia’s the master. I caught her practicing in front of the mirror.”
Lauren looked over at Scott and smiled. It might have taken Scott over twenty years to agree to play house with her, but she had a feeling it would be well worth the wait.