“Badass,” Parker said, doing an all-air fist pump before reaching for his cell phone and leaving the living room in a rush.
“Mom, I wanna go,” Presley said in a distinct whine, never lifting her head from her cell phone.
“Parker, what did we say about the language while Landon and Robert are here?” his mother scolded, but Landon knew Parker didn’t care in the least. He and Parker were too much alike. He didn’t even have to look to know Parker was already inviting all his friends to the Hilton for whatever impromptu party he planned. “Get your luggage in your room, son. I’m going to talk with Robert. It’s so exciting, you bringing your first friend home.” She hugged him again and started toward the kitchen. He saw the bag Robert had been holding lying on his father’s La-Z-Boy and grabbed it.
“Let me take it. You go with them,” his uncle suggested.
“I need to go wrangle Parker before all of Houston’s invited to the hotel,” Lori said, heading off after her son.
“Mom, I wanna go,” Presley said again, right on her heels.
“Lori, you all take the hotel. I’ll take your room tonight,” his uncle said, following them down the hall. Landon didn’t say another word. He’d let them decide. It was better not to leave Robert alone with his parents for too long.
“What an incredible meal. I was sorry to see Robert walking in the door and immediately drawn into the kitchen, but my goodness, you two created delicious goodness,” Karen said, dabbing the napkin to her lips, sitting back in her chair in the dining room, her dinner plate almost empty.
“We always eat meat. I’m surprised how much I enjoyed the vegan dishes, Robert. You have a true talent,” Uncle Michael said, taking another bite of the panzanella.
“I didn’t do much. It was all Tony,” Robert said, placing his fork at the edge of his finished dinner plate, not wanting to mess up the clean linen tablecloth. “It’s rare to see a carnivore so willing to try meatless options.”
Landon abruptly stood with his empty plate in hand and reached to take Robert’s. The move was part of their normal routine. Landon always insisted on cleaning after Robert prepared their meals. Robert just wasn’t certain their routine should hold tonight. He wanted Landon to spend time with his family. After hours together, he could see they were all so connected with one another. Robert took hold of his plate and reached for Landon’s, but Landon held on tight as Robert started to stand.
“Let me. You stay.”
“No way,” Landon said. The struggle of the dirty plates became real until Robert shifted his gaze toward the family who had gone utterly silent, gaping at the two of them. Robert’s engrained sense of manners kicked in, and he let go, giving Landon the win. When Landon noticed their shell-shocked expressions, he barked out a loud laugh. “It’s not that big a deal.”
“I’ve never seen it before,” Karen exclaimed as if Landon had suddenly grown two heads.
“I’m pretty sure I second that,” Michael said, pushing back in his seat, finding humor in the whole scene.
“Thanks, Uncle Michael. You’re supposed to be on my side.” Landon reached across the table for his father’s plate. “You done?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
Landon took his dumbfounded father’s plate then went for his mother’s. His uncle readily lifted his to Landon, having no problem with Landon taking his dirty dishes.
“Are you planning on washing those?” Karen asked, still seemingly unsure what she was seeing. Robert couldn’t help his own quiet chuckle at their reaction. Apparently the helpful, generous man he’d grown to love beyond anything reasonable wasn’t necessarily that same man his family had always known.
“I will later, if that’s all right. I thought it would be easier to talk without the dirty dishes in front of us,” Landon explained.
The suggestion Landon would indeed clean the dishes, he just wanted to wait until they finished talking, had them all speechless. The perfect comic relief Robert needed to grow comfortable again. He took his seat, pushing backward, and reached for his wineglass. Landon started around the table, stopping beside Robert’s chair.
“I’ll bring more wine.”
“Thank you.”
Landon’s loving gaze slid over his face. His mister was happy, which made Robert happy. Landon winked as if he’d read Robert’s thoughts and started for the kitchen.
“You’ve been good for him,” Karen said when Landon disappeared around the corner into the kitchen.
“I can still hear every word you say,” Landon called out in a fake irritability.
“He’s been good for me,” Robert replied, taking a long swallow of his wine to help hide his humor.
“How did you two meet?” Karen asked as her cell phone started vibrating on the table. She lifted it then turned it for the table to see. The phone showed a picture of Lori, Presley, and Parker playing in the hotel’s swimming pool.
“They’re having fun. That’s wonderful,” Robert said, reaching for the cell phone. He tapped a finger on the screen as it began to darken to get a better look at Lori. She was beautiful. She and Landon looked so much alike. “They’re great kids.”
“That’s debatable,” Tony said, giving one of his regular gruff grumbles. “Until your car’s gone at two o’clock in the morning.”
Karen slapped her husband’s arm. “You hush. They don’t want to hear all that right now, and it only happened once.”
“Once with each one of my kids and grandkids.” Tony gave a pfft, rolling his eyes as he called out, “Landon, have you told Robert about the time you took our car for a joy ride?” Tony reached for the almost empty bottle of wine and topped off his glass to the brim, the memory seeming to need some
