Ashes to Ashes (Burn for Burn 3)

Sighing, she says, “Umm . . . shit, I don’t know, Lillia. Reeve’s family is all dudes. Just, like, get a few gallons of cheapo Neapolitan and throw it at them, and they’ll lap it up like dogs.”

“Do any of them have any nut allergies or dietary restrictions?”

“Are you kidding me? Those guys don’t have freaking nut allergies. They’re animals. They grew up eating dirt and blood and roadkill. If any one of them had a nut allergy, the other brothers would beat it out of him.”

I stare at my phone in horror. Dirt and blood and roadkill? “You’re scaring me,” I whisper.

“Just buy the peanut-butter whatever and be done with it. And, Lil, after this dinner’s over, you and me are gonna have a talk. Aight?”

“Aight.”

*  *  *

I’ve never met a boy’s family before, like as a girlfriend. Not that they know I’m his girlfriend. But still.

Before I can ring the bell, Reeve’s already opening the door for me. He’s wearing a navy-blue turtleneck sweater that I’ve never seen before, and his hair is combed nicely. He takes the cake out of my hands, sets it on the entryway table, and sweeps me into his arms for a bear hug. He lifts me up in the air for a second before he puts me down. “I’m so glad you’re here,” he says, smiling big.

I try to smile back, but I’m so nervous. I can hear the TV on, and men’s voices shouting at it. Reeve picks up the cake box with one hand, and with the other hand he leads me into the kitchen, where his mom is taking dinner rolls out of the oven. I’ve met Mrs. Tabatsky before a bunch of times, at football games and when we’ve all hung out over here. And then at the hospital when Reeve got hurt.

She’s wearing an apron, and when we walk in, she beams at me. “Hello, Lillia. I’m so happy you could join us for dinner.” She has a faint Boston accent.

“Thank you so much for inviting me, Mrs. Tabatsky,” I say, talking too fast. “Is there, um, anything I can do to help?”

“No, honey. Just make yourself comfortable with the boys.” To Reeve she says, “Reevie, take her coat.”

Reeve sets the cake box on the counter and helps me out of my coat. “What’s in the box?” he asks me.

“It’s a cake,” I say.

“That was so thoughtful of you,” Mrs. Tabatsky says. “And it’s from Jean-Jacques, no less! Ooh la la!”

Reeve rolls his eyes and puts his arms around his mom. “My mom’s not used to the finer things. Don’t worry, Mom. When I’m big-time, I’ll buy you as many cakes from Jean-Jacques as you want.”

Mrs. Tabatsky laughs. “Lillia, you’re my witness. He said as many cakes as I want! So, what kind of cake is it, anyway?”

“It’s a peanut butter–chocolate mousse,” I say, and both their eyes light up. For the first time I notice that Reeve has his mom’s eyes.

*  *  *

Reeve has three brothers. The oldest is Luke, who I’ve only met once or twice. Luke set a bunch of sports records at our school—he played football and baseball, and the newspaper called him Jar Island’s Bo Jackson. He played football in college, but he got injured, so now he works with Reeve’s dad at the landscaping company. Next is Pete, who moved off island pretty recently. Then Tommy, who I know the best, because he’s only a couple of years older than us. Tommy used to get in trouble all the time at school. The stories about him are legendary. During gym, when Tommy was only fourteen, he used to take Coach’s car out for joyrides. He did it for a month before he got caught.

Reeve’s dad and his brothers Tommy and Luke are sitting in front of the TV, drinking beers and watching a hockey game. Of Reeve’s three brothers, Luke looks the most like Reeve. They’re both dark-haired, green-eyed, have the same proud nose. Tommy has lighter hair, and he’s shorter but more muscular.

Fun fact: Tommy was both Rennie’s and Kat’s first kiss.

Reeve and I stand in the doorway for a few seconds before Reeve shoves Tommy’s knee and says, “Make room for Lillia.”

Tommy stuffs a handful of potato chips into his mouth and scoots over, and there are crumbs scattered over the couch cushion. I’m trying to decide if I should sit on them and pretend I don’t see or if I should clean them up, when Tommy winks at me and sweeps the crumbs onto the carpet. Reeve glares at him. “I just vacuumed in here, you Neanderthal.”

Tommy ignores him. He pats the cushion, and I sit down next to him. Reeve squeezes in on Tommy’s other side. Tommy raises his eyebrow at me. “So are you and my little brother a thing, or what?”

I almost choke. “Nooo. We’re just friends.” I look over at Reeve, but he’s looking straight ahead at the TV.

“Just friends, huh?” Tommy leans closer to me. “Nah, I don’t think so. The kid is whipped over you. He spent hours cleaning up the living room before you got here.”

Reeve is scowling. “Really?” I say.

From the La-Z-Boy Luke chimes in, “Oh yeah.” He takes a swig of beer. “He had the Swiffer out and a duster and a f**king can of Pledge.”

“Shut it, you guys,” Reeve warns. He’s getting red, which is so adorable, I can’t even.

Tommy’s just getting started. “You know how long it took Reevie to get his hair looking like that tonight?” Tommy pretends like he’s looking in the mirror, primping and smoothing down his hair, which makes me giggle.

Reeve says, “Tommy, what are you even doing here? You moved out, remember?”

Tommy reaches over and messes with Reeve’s hair, and Reeve shrugs him off. “Aw, is Baby Reevie getting embarrassed in front of his girl?”

“Yeah, I’m embarrassed that I’m related to you,” Reeve retorts, his eyes focused on the TV screen. “And she just told you, she’s not my girl.”

“Then I guess she’s fair game.” Tommy winks at me. “What do you say, Lil?”

I know he’s only teasing, but I can feel myself blush.

“Don’t waste your breath, Tom,” Reeve says. “Cho only talks to guys with IQs in the double digits.”

“No wonder she ain’t with you, then.” Tommy reaches over and play-slaps Reeve upside the head, and Reeve launches himself at Tommy and they start wrestling around. I jump up so I don’t get caught in the fray.

Mr. Tabatsky looks over at me from his armchair, unfazed. “You’d think they were raised in a back alley,” he says. “How are your parents doing, Lillia?”