32. Natalie
Natalie
“Ican’t believe you’re really here!” Tyler shouts, squishing me in a tight brotherly hug. He smells like raspberries. “It’s so good to see you.”
“It’s good to see you too, Ty.” I smile against his shoulder.
He holds me at arm’s length. “You cut your hair! You’re blonde!” He pulls on the ends of my hair.
I giggle. “Yeah, it’s been like this for a while. Do you like it?”
“Duh, I like it. Now you look more like me.” He runs a big hand against my head, ruffling my waves.
Tyler is tall and blond, and his arms and shoulders are broad and toned.
I shove him away with a smile on my lips. “I see you haven’t changed a bit.”
“Nah, didn’t want to. Growing up is for the birds.”
“The birds?”
He shrugs. “Whatever. It’s not for me, that’s all I’m saying. Adulting is no fun.”
“But don’t you have, like, a big-boy job and everything?” I tease.
He squints into the sun. “Yeah, but I’m only an adult when I’m in the office. Anywhere else is fair game.” He winks, and I swat him away with a smile on my face.
Footsteps sound on the gravel as a pretty redheaded woman walks around Tyler’s Jeep, carrying a plastic-wrapped plate that looks like a charcuterie board.
Her long auburn hair hangs to her waist, and a cute lime-green dress that reaches her ankles flows around her legs.
She walks smoothly in her pointed toe pumps as they clip across the driveway.
Tyler slides a hand around her back. “Natalie, this is my girlfriend, Sandra. Sandra, this is my baby sister, Natalie.”
A smile spreads across Sandra’s rosy lips. “Hi, it’s so good to finally meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.”
Her rich rust lipstick matches the color of her hair, and her eyes are round, a glossy brown bordering on hazel. She’s beautiful. Sharp cheekbones, small nose, and a high forehead.
Tyler takes the plate from her, and she reaches out to shake my hand.
“It’s nice to meet you, too,” I say, giving her hand a shake. “I’m sorry I haven’t heard much about you, though. I haven’t really been around the last few years.”
“All the more reason for us to talk and get to know each other.” She drops my hand and smiles up at Tyler. “Ty’s told me a lot about your childhood together. Honestly, I envy the sibling bond. I’m an only child.”
I fall mute, my heart warming that Tyler would make me sound so sweet. Growing up, our relationship was always a good one, but I imagined he’d be telling Sandra all the bad parts he remembered instead, like how I left.
Sensing my hesitancy, Tyler steps in. “Let’s all go inside. I smell chicken. Is Cam grilling again?” He leads us up the front steps and reaches for the door.
“Cam’s making chicken, shrimp, and steak,” I say. Tyler’s eyes grow wide. “I’ve discovered that he really loves to grill. Jules said they have grilled chicken at least twice a week.”
His nose scrunches, making me and Sandra laugh. “That’s a lot of chicken,” he says under his breath. “At least he made steak and shrimp too. I will definitely be partaking. That’s a man’s meal right there.”
I giggle. “Is Tyler always like this?” I ask Sandra. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen him.”
“Like what?”
“Silly, goofy, forgetting his word filter?”
“Only … always,” she says, grinning up at him.
“I guess some things never change, then.”
“Who’s changing?” Tyler asks, bopping me on the nose. “Not me. That’s for the birds too.”
We step inside. Mom and Dad crowd Tyler and Sandra as soon as they enter the house. I squeeze past them to check on Juliet. I find her in the kitchen with a pot of boiling noodles on the stove.
“Need some help? What are you making?” I ask her, peering over her shoulder.
“Just macaroni and cheese for the kids. Can you grab the milk and butter from the fridge for me?”
I half expected her to deny my help as she usually does, so I jump at the chance to do something useful. It takes me a second to find where she keeps the butter.
“Here you go,” I say, sliding them onto the counter beside the stove.
“Thanks.”
“Where are the boys, anyway? I haven’t seen them since I got here.”
“They’re playing upstairs. Cam got them a new train set, and they’ve been obsessed.” She waves a spoon in the air. “By the way, next week is a good week for us to do family photos, if you’re still okay with taking them.”
I pounce on the opportunity. “Next week will be perfect. I have a few shoots lined up for the beginning of the week, but I’m completely open after Tuesday.” I grab a grape from a bowl on the counter and plop it into my mouth. “Do you have an idea where you want the photos taken?”
“Just out by the lake,” she replies over her shoulder, stirring the noodles as they soften in the boiling water. “I was thinking on the dock if the weather is good.”
I envision a scene in my head of the boys standing with Cam and Jules at the end of the dock, the water lapping gently as the wind blows the trees.
“Let me check the weather for the week. Hold on.” I grab my phone from my back pocket and scroll to the weather app.
“Looks like Wednesday is nice. The afternoon will be pretty cloudy, which is actually great for photos because the sun doesn’t cast shadows.
And if it ends up being sunny anyway, the sun will be behind the lake in the evening, which is also ideal. ”
“Okay, Wednesday evening it is. I’ll tell Cam.”
“Make sure he comes with a big smile.”
“Oh, I will. If he doesn’t cooperate, I’m pushing him in the lake.” She grins back at me.
Mom and Dad finally step into the kitchen with my brother and his girlfriend. Tyler places the charcuterie board on the counter and gives Juliet a hug. Sandra hugs her next.
Cam opens the sliding glass door from the back porch. “Tyler!” he booms. “How’s it going, man? I’m glad you could make it.”
“Hey, Cam.” Tyler and Cam hug, slapping each other on the back. When he pulls away, Tyler has a frown on his face. “Wait a second. We’re missing someone, aren’t we?” He looks around, confused.
When his eyes meet mine across the room, he points at me. “I heard my baby sister got married!” He’s so loud. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone on a boat in the middle of the lake could hear him.
I hold up my left hand, my rings shining on my finger. “Going on eight years soon.”
“Eight years?!” His eyes practically fall out of his head.
Cam bumps Tyler’s chest with the back of his hand. “She’s been married almost the same amount of time you’ve been dating Sandra.”
Behind me, someone says, “Better put a ring on it, man. She won’t wait forever.” I turn toward the female voice that said that.
It was Sandra. She raises a brow and smirks. I like this girl a lot.
“You know I love you,” Tyler says to Sandra, walking to her and grabbing her hand. They follow Cam out to the grill, closing the glass door behind them.
Ten seconds later, Tyler pokes his head back in. “Really though, where is this husband I’ve been told about? I heard he’s a stud.”
Mom makes a choking sound. “Tyler. Be polite.”
“What? That’s a compliment.”
“He’ll be here soon,” I say, grinning at my brother. “His flight got canceled yesterday, and the next flight here wasn’t until this afternoon. He should be here before dinner’s ready.”
“He better be. I didn’t drive all this way just to see you,” he teases. I throw a grape at him. He catches it in his mouth, smiles wickedly, and slides the door closed.
I gape at Mom, laughing. “He didn’t grow up at all, did he?”
Dad replies first. “He loves attention, and he doesn’t take anything too seriously.”
“It’s a blessing and a curse,” Mom mumbles.
I sit at the counter. “What do you mean?”
Dad takes the seat beside me, and I slide the bowl of grapes closer to him. “Tyler is a very hard worker, great at his job, but he still acts like a kid in a lot of ways. Sandra wasn’t completely joking when she said she wouldn’t wait forever.”
“They’ve really been dating for almost eight years?” I ask
“They broke up once,” Juliet announces from her spot at the stove. “But besides that, yes.”
“Why hasn’t he proposed yet?” I ask them.
Mom shrugs. “I don’t know if he’s ready for the commitment yet.”
“Seven years is a big commitment,” I mumble.
“Tell me about it,” says Dad, putting his hand in the grape bowl.
I turn my body toward Juliet with a conspiratorial grin. “We’ll have to create an intervention.”
“A what?” She scoops macaroni and cheese into bowls. “What have we got to do with it?”
“We’re the sisters. We’ll corner him. That poor girl needs our help to land our brother for good.”
“I think she’s got it under control. She just announced to the whole room that she won’t wait on him forever. Seems like enough of a push to me.” I hum noncommittally.
A knock sounds from the front door, and I jump to my feet. “I’ll get it!”
Luke is smiling when I open the door and see his beautiful face. His blond hair falls over his forehead, and his light blue slacks match the color of his eyes. Brown boat shoes match a brown belt, and his white polo shirt is tucked in with the top two buttons undone.
He looks absolutely gorgeous. As soon as his hands reach out, I throw myself into his arms. He smells like stale air from the plane, but the soft skin on his neck still holds onto the spicy ocean scent of his cologne.
“I missed you,” he says against my hair.
“I missed you too.”
“Sorry I didn’t get back yesterday like I was supposed to.”
“It’s okay,” I say, stepping back. “You can’t control the weather.”
“I wish I could. For you.” He kisses me, and I feel like I’m floating through space and time. His kiss is familiar and comforting. It reminds me that everything is as it should be.
“Let’s go inside,” he says. “If we’re out here too long, they’ll be wondering where you went.”
I beam at him. “Tyler’s here. You’re going to love him. Oh,” I say, like an afterthought. “I’m starting an intervention to get him to propose to his girlfriend, Sandra—they’ve been together for seven years! Can you believe it? And you’re going to help me.”
“Help you?” He laughs as we walk through the dining room. I lead him, tugging him behind me, not wanting to release his hand just yet. “First I need to meet these people,” he says.
“They’re outside.”
Mom’s and Dad’s faces light up when they see Luke, and Juliet shouts up to the boys that he’s back. Little footsteps sound on the floor upstairs. When Levi and Archie run around the corner, they’re carrying colorful toy trains in their little hands.
“Uncle Luke!” they cry, eyes big and smiles wide.
“Look at our new trains,” says Levi. “Dad got them for us.”
“Mine is green,” Archie adds.
Luke crouches to their height, taking a blue train from Levi’s outstretched hand. “These are awesome. Your dad is really good at picking out toys.”
“Yeah, he’s the best.” Levi takes his train back, smiles, and chases Archie into the living room.
“Food will be ready soon!” Jules shouts after them. She turns to Luke. “I’m glad you could make it tonight. The boys haven’t stopped asking about you since you left.”
He puts a hand to his chest. “I’m flattered. I didn’t realize they were so attached.”
“Well, what can I say?” she says. “You’re the cool new guy. For now. It’ll wear off.”
“Hopefully not too soon. I kinda like it.”
“Don’t go getting a big head,” I say, kissing him on the cheek. “Come on, I’ll introduce you to my brother.”
We walk out to the back porch and I make introductions.
Luke shakes hands with Tyler and Sandra, and I notice Tyler grips Luke’s hand a second longer than necessary, like he’s sizing him up.
But, to my relief, they get along instantly, Tyler cracking jokes while Luke laughs along.
Cam joins the conversation as he flips the chicken and tosses shrimp onto the grill.
Seeing the three men together like this fills me with so much joy. I didn’t know what coming back to Maple Lake would look like, what the family dynamic would feel like, but I’m happy to say that I couldn’t have imagined it being as delightful as this.