“Dad always steals the ginger-ale.”
“Lexi and I love it—”
“—but not as much as he does.”
“Nobody loves it as much as he does.”
“Nobody! But the chili—”
“—that’s what’s got Max and Caden forgetting all about you—”
“—which shows how good it really is.”
“What an entrance, Lexi!”
I lower my voice to whisper, “That was crazy.”
“Everyone was staring at you guys! You looked scared.”
“I did not!”
Her eyebrows hike. “You did!”
“What about him?” I jog a thumb.
“Gage was as cool as always. I was impressed!”
Even now I find him comfortably watching me. “You weren’t freaked out by that?”
“It was fine.”
My head swings back. I want to call out the stones on either side of his neck, but all I can manage is a shocked, “Fine?!”
He touches his navy blue Henley’s button, shrugging, “Yeah. I knew you had a big family.”
Cocking my head I smirk, “Oh and when you know things, you’re fine.”
My bait unbitten, Gage scans the party. “So who is everyone?”
“Oh man,” Sammy smiles, “I’m skipping this part,” and leaves us alone while I launch in, connecting the dots by pointing to family members I’ve previously described so he can attach faces to names.
As I describe them he keeps up, comprehension lighting his crocodiles in a way that makes me believe he’ll remember what I’m saying. He has few questions, until finally, “Is the chili as good as you say?”
“See that line?”
He chuckles, “Gotcha.”
Our fingers lace together. “But there’s one person who can’t stand in it. Let’s keep her company.” We cross the grass, negotiating our way through tables that are filling up. “My great-grandmother is a centenarian. She grew up during the second World War. Great-grandpa Jerald passed long before I was born.”
Gage says under his breath, “That’s not good,” as we get closer.
“She talks about him a lot. Yet somehow she still smiles,” I give his hand a squeeze before letting go to hug her. “Hi Grams!”
Her southern drawl is music in my ear, “Lexi, you look lovely today!”
Straightening up, I smooth Zoe’s green dress I retrieved from Brad after we got back together that last time. “Thank you, Grams. This is Gage.”
“Hello, Mrs. Cocker.”
Bright blue eyes narrow on him as she tilts her head left, then right. “You are even handsomer up close!”
His cheeks redden, much to my surprise. “And you, Mrs. Cocker, are just as charming and beautiful as Lexi told me you were.”
Her fragile, translucent hand reaches for his strong one. “Gage, I’m going to offer you a little warning. This one has fire in her blood.”
“Yes, Ma’am, I know.”
Grams’s blue eyes brighten even more. “I can see you do.” She pats his hand before releasing it. “Just don’t call her Alexis.”
Not in on the joke, Gage looks at me.
I cock an eyebrow. “Uh oh! Is there something you don’t know?”
His crocodiles narrow and he confides in her, “Your grand-daughter thinks I have a fear of not knowing things.”
“Great grand-daughter,” Grams corrects him.
He smirks, “Oh, she’s great alright.”
Not sure if that was sarcastic or genuine.
Hmm…
Chapter Twenty-Seven
GAGE
L exi’s computer genius cousin carries up a plate. “Grams, I’ve got you covered.”
“Aren’t you sweet, Ethan, Thank you!” With her hands comfortably clasped, the gentle-mannered centenarian waits for a plate of fried red potatoes, parmesan sprinkled corn-on-the-cob, and a crispy shrimp kabob, to be set before her.
I ask, knowing its legend, “No chili?”
“I’m afraid my stomach objects to beans these days.” She sighs. “Such a pity.”
“Mine never did,” Ethan offers, puffing his chest like a superhero. “But too bad, stomach! You’re gonna take a beating.”
“I don’t subject my body to what it doesn’t want, because…” Her blue eyes glitter, “I’m smarter than you are.”
The man of many patents laughs, and I’ve gotta admit, with his shaggy brown hair, blue jeans and bluer sneakers, plus a graphic t-shirt that reads ‘There is no roof’ — Ethan Cocker isn’t what I expected when Lexi showed me his mansion.
She reaches up to fix his hair, “My body has no problem with beans. Or legumes, as Paige always calls them.”
He swats her away. “Cut it out, Lex! I like my hair like this. Who’s the…wait. What did you call him, Grams?”
“Hunk!”
Ethan laughs, “Just wanted to hear you say it again.” He shakes my hand. “What’s your actual name, Hunk?”
“I’m Gage.” I give him a firm handshake. “Let’s drop the hunk, okay?”
“Nah! I think I’ll call you Hunk from now on.” Heading off, he shouts, “If you end up sticking around. Which I doubt.”
Lexi’s fire flares up and she almost calls him a name, but glancing to Grams, grits her teeth instead, “That wonderful human being.”
“That’s better, child.”
I chuckle, “Mrs. Cocker, you want to give me some lessons?”
“Time, Gage, time and consistency. That’s all anyone needs to know how to behave.”
The redhead at my side isn’t sure how she feels about this particular wisdom, grumbling, “I’m more hungry than I thought.”
So am I, now that I think about it. We had one hell of a morning and only some coffee on the way here. Meeting her extensive family distracted me. Didn’t expect such nice people.
I tip my head to her Grams. “If you’ll excuse us, Mrs. Cocker.”
She brightens, straightening up on her two pillows to beam at me, saying wistfully, “When you did that, I could almost see a fedora tipped on your head like they wore back in my day.” Her attention switches to something behind me and I turn my head to see Lexi’s grandfather, the ex-Congressman, carrying two plates that make my stomach growl.
There’s that chili I smelled in the kitchen and have heard so much about. Can’t wait.
But didn’t he know Ethan had this covered?
“Mom, can I get you more ginger-ale while I’m up?” He sets them down opposite his mother, and I realize Nancy Cocker — Grandma Nance, as they call her — is working her way over to him, brown eyes warmly checking in with her guests before she relaxes to eat. The
