Which knowing Brian and the time clock he’s on, will be in another ten minutes.
Laney and I set the table and help Mom move the bowls and platters of food. The kitchen is small, with a round table that seats five. It’s always cramped, so our dinner plates hang pretty much on the edge when we eat. Still, all of us crammed in together, elbow to elbow, while we talk, laugh, and eat good food will always be some of my favorite memories.
We’re all seated and passing plates to be filled when Brian bounds up the stairs. He moves to me first, bends to kiss my cheek, then does the same to Laney. “And how are my two prettiest sisters today?”
“We’re your only sisters,” Laney points out.
“Well, if I had other sisters, you two would be the prettiest,” he assures us with a charming wink, and we can’t help but laugh. Brian’s the funny one. Always with a smile on his face and good intentions in his heart. It’s why, despite our frustrations, he’s still very much loved.
For the next half hour, the clanking of utensils on plates mix with conversation and laughter. Dad passes out another round of beer, but I decline. I never drive after drinking more than one, but Laney accepts, stating her intention to stay and watch the four PM Steelers game with Dad and Brian. I’d love to do the same, but I have some reports to catch up on this afternoon.
“Have another beer,” Brian encourages me. “And stay and watch the game with us.”
I shake my head, intent on telling them that I have work obligations, but Laney totally throws me under the bus. “She probably has plans with her new man.”
Utensils still halfway to mouths, it goes deadly quiet as all eyes turn to me. Mine move over to Laney in a death glare.
“A new man?” my mom inquires, her eyes lighting up. She thinks I’m getting in that range where I should be getting serious and start thinking about marriage. Not that she thinks a woman has to be married to succeed in life, but she wants grandbabies and she does believe people should be married before they come along.
I’m not prepared to tell my family about Cage yet. True, Laney met him, but that was just the circumstance of being in the same place at the same time.
But given how new our relationship is, I’m almost afraid if I dare to acknowledge us as a couple, it will jinx the whole damn thing.
“Who is this boy?” my dad asks, his voice going an octave deeper as he prepares to show his overprotective side.
Laney answers for me, looking to my mom. “His name is Cage, and he’s unbelievably gorgeous.”
That’s about the extent of her knowledge, though.
“What does he do for a living?” my dad presses.
My gaze moves across the table. “He sells cars.”
“Seriously, Jaime.” I look over at my brother, who’s smirking. “A car salesman? You can do better than that.”
“At least he has a job and is independent,” I snarl back.
Brian’s face goes beet red, but he doesn’t retort. He can’t because he doesn’t want the spotlight shining on him. I think his greatest fear is my parents will wise up to the fact they are enabling him to be a lazy bum, and they’ll force him out one day.
“Is it serious?” my mom asks with an eager smile as she leans in a little. She was disappointed when I broke up with Terry because he was an attorney, and she envisioned little attorney grandbabies one day.
Of course, when I told her he cheated on me, she was ready to send Dad and Brian out with a baseball bat to handle the situation. I assured her it was handled with a book to the bridge of the nose, and my dad and brother beamed at me with pride.
Mom asks a good question, but I don’t have the answer.
Besides, “serious” is such a subjective term. I mean, I thought I was serious with Terry, but I wasn’t heartbroken over our relationship’s demise.
I like Cage so much better than I ever did Terry, yet it’s so new, I don’t know if I can say it’s serious. This past week, both of us were busy with work we only got to see each other twice. Cage more than made up for it by whisking me up north of Pittsburgh to a little rental cabin he found, and we had a blissful weekend together. There was a lot of relaxing, good food, and well… a lot of damn good sex.
We left there closer, I think. Not that we actually said words to that effect, but we were both regretful the weekend was over. We lamented our work schedules for the upcoming week before the Thanksgiving holiday. That must mean something, right?