Chapter 16
The house smelled of hot sauce, fried tortilla shells, seasoned beef, and garlic, and Grady’s stomach rumbled again. The hunger pangs in his belly cheered at the thought of the great food soon to come.
“Don’t you love how everything smells?” Chelsea peered over the breakfast bar. They’d lined up bowls on a countertop with all the toppings—shredded Mexican cheese, diced tomatoes, chopped onions, shredded cabbage, quartered limes, and avocado slices.
“There’s Mexican beer in the fridge.” Joe put the pan of seasoned shredded beef in line before the cheese.
Brad placed a cookie sheet he’d used to hold the taco shells at the head of the line. “Made enough food for everyone to have four tacos each.”
DeAndra stood beside Chelsea. “You mean you made enough for leftovers because you know the three girls eat two each, sometimes three.”
Anneka joined them. “Yep. Just watch—the guys get six tacos each.”
‘You’ve got it,” the twins said at the same time.
“I don’t know about that.” Chelsea looked amused. “I’m extra hungry today. Fresh air and a hike will do that to a person.”
Grady slipped into the kitchen. “Sorry, I’m late. Anything I can do to help?”
Joe pointed to a drawer. “Grab some forks for everyone and large spoons for the toppings.”
Grady took care of the forks and spoons, while Brad found six dinner plates.
When they each had a plate, they went down the line and made their tacos. Chelsea made three while Grady went for four. When they had finished building their tacos, they gathered around the large dining room table.
Grady enjoyed the camaraderie between the siblings as the twins made their sisters laugh, and how good Anneka and DeAndra were with their comebacks. Chelsea smiled and laughed as she watched them like a proud mom, but jumped in every now and then.
After dinner, they cleaned the table, loaded the dishwasher, and put the leftover ingredients into containers and stored them in the refrigerator. They put the remaining taco shells into a gallon-sized baggie and left them on the countertop.
“What six-player-plus game do you want to play first?” Anneka looked up from their family’s bag full of games that she and DeAndra had brought.
“Jenga,” Brad threw out.
DeAndra gave a wicked grin. “Exploding Kittens.”
“Or Trivial Pursuit Generations,” Anneka said.
Chelsea looked thoughtful. “Villainous is a six-player game.”
“Let’s start with Jenga.” Joe pulled the game out of the bag.
DeAndra rolled her eyes and looked at Grady. “The twins always vote for the same thing.”
To make it easier to play games, Joe removed one of the two table extensions and set it aside.
Everyone scooted their chairs around the smaller table. DeAndra looked at Brad. “It was your idea, so you get to build the tower and go first.”
“I’ve got this.” He stood and began stacking the wood blocks, three facing North-South and the next layer East-West, alternating each layer. When he finished, he used one hand to push a block out of the center of the structure and put it on top of the tower.
Grady sat to the left of Brad and went second. He pushed out a block two layers below Brad’s and placed it on top.
They continued around the table, the structure getting weaker as they went. It seemed like they all held their breath at each turn when collapse looked inevitable.
Grady successfully removed a block and added it to the top. Chelsea was next. She looked entirely focused on what she was doing and removed a block, and the structure remained intact.
As she slowly lowered the block to place it on top, Grady leaned close and whispered, “I hope you brought a sexy negligee.”
Red swept over her face, and she faltered, her hand too close to the top. The tower collapsed with a crash on the table, the blocks scattering across its surface, some tumbling onto the floor.
“You brat.” She lightly pushed at his shoulder, causing him to laugh. “That was your fault.”
“Looks like I won.” He’d been the last to pull out a block and place it on top successfully. “And you lost.”
DeAndra leaned forward. “I saw him whisper to you. What did he say?”
“Yeah, what sweet nothing did he tell you?” Anneka grinned.
Brad chuckled. “I don’t remember your face ever turning so red.”
“As red as a beet,” Joe said.
“Or a hot pepper,” DeAndra added.
Chelsea glared at Grady, but he saw the humor in her gaze and the twitch to her lips that told him she was trying not to laugh. “He said something about me messing up.”
“Uh-huh.” Anneka smirked. “Sure.”
“I want a rematch.” Chelsea pushed blocks in front of her to the pile they’d made.
“I’ve heard of Exploding Kittens. It’s a card game, right?” Grady thought he’d try to rescue the situation, even though he’d been the one to start it, by changing the direction of the conversation.
Anneka nodded. “We have the party pack version, so it’s good for up to ten players. Sometimes our get-togethers with our friends can be a little bigger.”
DeAndra reached down into the duffel. “Let’s play Kittens now.”
“I want a cat.” Chelsea’s statement came out of left field. “I’ve never had one.”
Joe started putting the Jenga blocks back into the box. “Better watch it. You wouldn’t want it to explode.”
DeAndra set the box of cards on the table. “Do you know what breed you’d like?”
Chelsea looked thoughtful. “My Assistant Manager, Chantilly, has a couple of Ragdoll cats and said they’re very sweet and loving.”
“My last girlfriend had a cat.” Joe finished putting the blocks back into the box. “It was a little sh—pain in the ass.”
“One of my sisters, Sue, has three.” Grady shrugged. “They keep to themselves when anyone is around. Another of my sisters, Gracie, has one, and it’s nice, although she says the cat thinks she owns the house and is just letting Gracie live there.”
Chelsea looked at Grady. “When you come to visit, do you think Spot would have a problem with a kitten?”
He liked that she thought of Spot while considering getting a cat. “As long as it’s not exploding, he’ll be fine with a kitten.”
Chelsea gave a little smile. “I’m seriously considering one. Not exploding, though.”
Grady put his arm around her shoulders, squeezed her to him, and kissed the top of her head. Her hair smelled so good, and she felt so soft. He wanted to take her in his arms and just hold her.
He released her, not wanting to seem overly affectionate around her family. She looked up and gave him a smile that was like sunshine to his soul.
“I separated all of the Exploding Kitten and Defuse cards, as well as the cards for a smaller group, and kept the ones for a larger number of players.” DeAndra picked up the deck and started sticking a few cards in randomly. “Five defuse cards are going back in the deck since there are six of us.”
“Information for the sake of our Kitten game virgin,” DeAndra started to deal the cards as she spoke, “seven cards each, plus one defuse card.”
They all took their seats while Anneka explained how the Attack, Feral Cat, See the Future, and other cards were used, including Nope cards.
It took Grady a bit to get the feel of the game's strategy, but once he had it, he played fairly well.
The first time he drew an Exploding Kitten card, he was able to use his Defuse card, but on his next turn, he pulled another one and exploded since he was out of Defuse cards.
He sat back and watched the game play between Chelsea and her brothers and sisters.
Chelsea was next to explode, followed by Joe and Brad, leaving DeAndra and Anneka to battle it out.
Anneka was the last woman standing, and they dived into another game. They ended up playing four more rounds. They stopped playing close to midnight. Anneka came out on top, winning three games. Second was Chelsea with two, leaving everyone else with zero wins.
“Great game.” Grady leaned back in his seat. “I’ll have to get it. The guys at the fire station would have fun with it every now and then during our downtime. We’re always looking for the next best thing.”
Anneka slid the cards into the pack. “I’m surprised they haven’t already. Maybe with their kids?”
Grady shrugged. “Hunter has a teenager, so he might have played it with his kid. Archer’s son is only six, so he’d be too young.”
“Are there any eligible bachelors on the force?” Anneka was good with the wicked expression. “Asking for a friend.”
Grady laughed. “A few, maybe six or so.”
“Sounds like a good pool.” DeAndra flashed a grin at Anneka. “Ready to go fishing?”
“You two.” Chelsea shook her head and smiled. “I think it’s time for bed.”
“Spoilsport.” Anneka pouted, then yawned. “Yeah, I’m ready to do a face plant in my pillow.”
“Same.” DeAndra got up and pushed her chair in. “Night, all.”
Joe and Brad looked at each other. “We didn’t get a chance to play more Myth Hunter,” Joe said.
“I’m beat.” Brad blew out a breath. “Let’s hit the sack.”
It wasn’t long before everyone had gone upstairs except Chelsea and Grady. He rested his hands on her hips. “So, about that negligee?”
She gave him a sensual smile. “I’m not telling…yet.”
Grady felt heat shoot straight to his groin. He hoped Chelsea didn’t look down and see his reaction to her smile and sexy tone. “I’m ready to head to our room if you are.”
She turned and hit the lights. Only a couple of nightlights shone in the dark. She reached for his hand, and they stepped onto the wooden staircase.
He didn’t feel in the least bit tired.