20. Rose #2
“That’s pretty much Reed’s motto: he does exactly what he wants to.” Nathan drags me away from Reed and against him into a side-hug, his arm slung across my shoulders. “We’re sure glad to have you with us, Rose. You’re going to liven things up here, I can tell.”
He turns on the charm, his good-natured grin so bright it’s almost blinding. I exhale a soft laugh at his over-the-top welcome.
From my other side, Reed tugs me back to him, locking me against him with a hand on my hip. Our sides are plastered together, his arm warm and protective around me as he shoots invisible daggers at his brother.
Nathan’s gaze doesn’t lose its sparkle. “Look at that. Things are livening up already.”
Jovie bounds over to us. “I’m supposed to tell you dinner’s ready. Come on!”
She takes my free hand, peeling me away from Reed yet again.
We stream into the dining room, the huge table laid out for nine.
Reed and I take places together, with Jovie on my other side.
Luke gives me an apologetic look, but I have no problem with this arrangement. She’s the easiest Bridger to impress.
Dinner starts out about as chaotic as Reed once described it—everyone chatters as we pass around dishes of gnocchi, a green salad, and fresh bread, and start to eat.
Jovie relays personal notes about each dish: when they last had it, that she picks the tomatoes from her salad, how she wishes she was two inches tall so she could use her grandma’s bread as a bed and a pat of butter as a pillow.
I love her.
“Rose is a pretty name,” she says. “Lots of my friends have flower names. Lily. Poppy. Clover.”
“Your name’s pretty, too. I’ve always wondered if you were named after the character in Elf,” I tell her. “That’s the only place I’ve heard it before.”
She nods, chewing away on a big mouthful of bread before she swallows with a gulp. “I am. It was my mom’s favorite movie.”
“That’s sweet.”
“She died right after I was born. But Dad said she wanted to name me Jovie from the first minute she got pregnant. So I have a little something of my mom in my name.” She hitches a shoulder, digging around on her plate. “And my hair and eyes.”
I am acutely aware the tone has shifted around the table. Jovie doesn’t seem sad as she relays this story, but a solemness has settled in among the adults. I’d heard through the grapevine that Luke’s wife had passed away, but it hurts to listen his daughter talk about it first-hand.
My face must show the ache lancing through me. Beneath the table, Reed’s hand finds my knee and gently squeezes. That comfort shores me up long after he removes his hand again a moment later.
I shift to the side, letting my shoulder rest against his. Maybe he needs comfort, too.
“My name means joy,” Jovie tells me.
“And that’s exactly what you are. My little joy.” Luke’s gentle encouragement makes Jovie light up like she’s made of sunbeams.
The solemn moment over, the vibe at the table shifts.
“I heard rumors about a shakeup in the science department.” Lucy’s watching Graham. “Is it true?”
“It’s true. Edgar Velazquez is moving to Washington. His parents’ health issues have deteriorated to the point they need more care. It sounds like he’s moving this week.”
“And?” Lucy prompts.
He gives her a flat look. “Just how many rumors did you hear?”
“I have spies everywhere.” She motions for him to go on.
“They’re making me the science department chair.”
Congratulations go around, but that only seems to make Graham more uncomfortable. He shifts his glasses higher on his nose with his index finger. “I don’t know if I’m qualified for department chair, but they don’t have much choice.”
“Honey, you’re more capable than anyone.” Sara pats his hand. “Whatever comes, we know you’ll be able to handle it.”
A smile appears on his face, and he nods. “Thanks.”
This is real, then? Supportive, encouraging parents aren’t just a TV sitcom staple? The moment doesn’t seem out of the ordinary here, but I can’t imagine a “You’ve got this” from my parents. Not without detailed instructions of exactly what I’d need to do if I wanted to succeed.
“Rose, Reed tells us your parents have been doing a bit of traveling since they retired.” Sara’s soft voice pulls my attention back to her.
“A bit,” I say wryly. She doesn’t know about the uncharitable thoughts I was having about them just now. “They’ve been to seven countries in under two years.”
Her eyebrows lift. “They must have a lot of stories to tell.”
“They’re having a great time. They rent long-term and live like locals while they explore each new city.”
“Our aunt is on permanent vacation, too,” Lucy says. “Traveling the States in an RV, though. A little different.”
Russ laughs. “Janine’s learned more about solar panels and dump stations than she ever thought she would.”
“She blogs about everywhere she’s been,” Sara adds. “I think she’s trying to get her social media off the ground, too. Van life is a popular topic right now.”
“She should ask Reed for advice.” Nathan sends him a sly look across the table. “He knows a thing or two about going viral.”
Laughter moves around the room, including giggles from Jovie. Looks like everyone here has seen our video. Probably several times over.
“Is that still a thing?” the life-sized frown at my side asks.
“You didn’t see the one Irwin Outdoors did in response?” Nathan throws his head back, laughing with his whole chest.
Lucy’s laughing, too. “I want to meet whoever’s in charge of their account.”
Reed turns to me. “Have you seen this?”
I flash him a cringey smile. Have I seen the video of an Irwin’s employee making kissy faces at a backpack with the caption Get a man who looks at you the way we look at the new Vireo? “A few times.”
“I hope every business up and down Maple Street creates their own video in homage to Reed staring at Rose like a lost puppy.” Nathan’s got stars in his eyes, imagining a meme war taking over Sunshine.
Actually, his other family members do, too. Only Luke holds onto a veneer of skepticism as the rest fall into assorted dreamy expressions. Lucy coos about how cute our video is, and even Russ declares it adorable.
Meanwhile, Reed’s quickly approaching gargoyle mode, freezing up beside me. I drop a hand to his knee the way he did mine. It’s supposed to be comforting and soothing—a reminder that I’m here for him. Unfortunately, it quickly turns into something I’m doing for me.
Touching his thigh was definitely a mistake.
His firm muscles bunch beneath my palm before relaxing again.
Heat radiates through his jeans like he’s got molten lava under there.
My fingers go rogue and flex, giving him an experimental squeeze.
This is quite possibly the nicest thigh in the history of thighs.
Maybe I should check to see if his other thigh is of the same high quality.
It probably is. But I need to find out for certain.
Or…considering the seven pairs of eyes trained on us, I should probably not give both of Reed’s thighs the squeeze-test.
“If it turns into a town-wide trend, we’ll add one of our own.” I pause, remembering how long it took to get two minutes of useable video out of him the other day. “If my video partner is willing.”
Reed shifts, moving his shoulder away from me.
I guess he’s not interested in more video shoots.
I lift my hand, ready to lock it away forever in groper’s jail, when his arm comes down again around the back of my chair.
His thumb grazes my upper arm in a soft, barely-there caress my whole body zones in on.
“I’m willing,” rumbles out of his chest like a purr.
On my other side, Jovie giggles over the last of her gnocchi. “Uncle Reed’s got a crush.”
We’re rocking the fake relationship bit so hard, nobody suspects it’s not real.
Not even my foolish heart.