“Hey, give me a break, okay? I haven’t even started on the D’Alessandro family yet. They buy for everyone. I’m making Joe help with that undertaking.”
“And so you should.”
“At least I don’t have to worry about what to get for his parents. Joe, Tony and Michael are chipping in to send their parents on a cruise after the first of the year.”
“Carla will love that,” Kelly commented, picturing Joe’s mother. A recently retired judge, Carla was still beautiful at seventy-one, and one of the most truly gracious women Kelly had ever met.
“So will Vinnie, though he probably won’t admit it,” Brynn said wryly, obviously very fond of her gruff but good-hearted retired-P.I. father-in-law.
Kelly reached for her purse and the package containing the new red dress she had not bought to impress anyone in particular. “Okay,” she said. “Let’s go shop.”
Brynn drew an exaggeratedly deep breath, as if for fortitude, and then stood. “Look out, bargains, here we come. And Kelly, if you see anything Shane might like, be sure and point it out.”
Kelly reached up to ruffle her short, wispy blond hair, using the gesture as a ploy to avoid her friend’s eyes. “I don’t know why you think I’d know what Shane likes, but I’ll let you know if anything grabs me.”
“You want another soda?” Shane asked Cameron as they lounged side by side on Shane’s couch, their eyes focused on a televised football game.
Without looking away from the screen, Cameron replied “No, I’m—damn, an interception!”
“Oh, man. He threw it right to the guy,” Shane said in disgust.
They watched the resulting touchdown in glum resignation. All in all, they were having a great time, Shane thought with a wry smile.
The fishing trip hadn’t lasted long. It had been quite cool that morning and the fish hadn’t been in the mood to be caught. After a couple of hours, Shane and Cameron had returned to Shane’s place, pulled out lunch meat, bread, chips, pickles and sodas, and had settled in front of the TV for an afternoon of food and football.
Lounging back against the couch cushions, Cameron laced his hands behind his head. “When is it you’re supposed to baby-sit your kid sister?”
“Dad and Cassie are leaving the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and Molly’s staying here with me for the next ten days.”
Cameron shook his head. “I can’t believe you volunteered for that. What do you know about taking care of little kids?”
“Molly’s hardly an infant. She turned twelve a couple of weeks ago.”
“Even worse.” Cameron shuddered. “Hormones and stuff. I’ve heard of twelve-year-old girls getting pregnant.”
“Not on my watch,” Shane answered flatly. He’d pound any randy kid who came sniffing around his pretty seventh grade sister, he vowed. Actually, that sounded like a pretty good plan to follow for the next ten years or so.
“Okay, so maybe that was kind of extreme,” Cameron admitted. “But you’ve got to admit you haven’t had a lot of experience with kids.”
“Molly and I lived in the same house from the time she was born until I left for college four years later. I’ve lived right next door to her since I built this house almost six years ago. I think I know her as well as anyone does. She’s never given my folks a day of trouble.”
“Yeah, well, who would give Jared any trouble? I still call him ‘sir’ and I don’t even say that to my own father these days. I doubt that the kid is as intimidated by you as she is by your dad.”
“Molly’s hardly intimidated by Dad. She’s got him wrapped around her little finger and she knows it.”
“Yeah, but I bet she never gives him any back talk, either.”
Shane had to concede that. As much as Jared doted on his little girl, he could be a stem parent when necessary. It had generally taken only a warning look to bring Shane in line, and the same held true with Molly.
Maybe Shane should be practicing some of those looks in the mirror.
Cameron glanced at the TV again. “Game’s over. I lost twenty on it to a guy at work.”
“Serves you right for taking a sucker bet.”
“Thanks for the moral support, pal.”
“You’re welcome,” Shane answered equably.