Chapter Nine
I stare at the clock, sitting on my couch. It’s too early to call Isaac—he’s still in class, so I pick up the phone and text Kinsey.
You awake? I write.
About to go into work. What are you doing up this early?
Stressing.
My phone rings immediately.
“Hi,” I say. “Porter and Zoey invited me to dinner tonight.”
“Okay…” Kinsey replies, wind blowing on the phone line so I know she’s walking to the shop. “And why is that stressing you out?”
“They want me to bring Isaac,” I say, leaning my head back on the couch. Kinsey is silent for a second.
“Are you going to ask him?” she inquires.
“I guess,” I say. “I mean, I should, right?”
“You know my opinion on this,” she starts, “but if things on changing on your end, then I think you need to tell me.”
“Isaac invited me to his sister’s wedding,” I add. “And I agreed to go.”
“Holy shit,” she says. “You really are in love with him. What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know,” I say. “Talk me out of it.”
“Nope,” she says, and I hear the jingle of her shop door. “If this was a fling, I absolutely would, but Phoebe, you realize you’ve never said you loved anybody? This is huge.”
“You don’t think I’m making a mistake getting involved with him?” I ask.
“Uh… not anymore. You may have jumped into bed with him, but you can handle that. This is something else, and girl, you deserve it. Is he too sweet?”
“He’s a fucking dreamboat,” I say, making her laugh. “He got take-out from Le Che and we ate it in the backseat of his Range Rover.”
“He has a Range Rover?”
“Yep. And then I slept at his place last night again.”
“Again? Okay,” she says. “Can I come to this dinner? I need to meet this guy.”
“No way,” I tell her. “I don’t need you trying to seduce my brother. Ry is going to be a dad.”
“Mm…” she says, and we both laugh.
My next call is to Reggie, and both he and Claire agree to cover me at the bar in exchange for a few extra shifts next week. They seem to be making pretty good money in tips, and I’m relieved. A happy staff is a happy bar.
Isaac is in class, and then he’ll be the prosecutor’s office until six. I text him about the dinner, and he immediately responds.
So you’re asking me to meet your family? he asks.
Stop, I write back, although I laugh. Are you coming or not?
Phee, I wouldn’t miss it for the world. I’ll pick you up at 7:30.
+++
“How do I look?” I ask as I get out of the passenger side of Isaac’s car. He laughs, and comes over to take my hand.
“Didn’t I already tell you’re gorgeous?” he asks.
“You always say that, but I wanted your honest opinion.”
He tugs my hand and pulls me into an embrace, his hands locked at my low back. I stare up at him, once again caught up in his blue eyes.
“Phee,” he says seriously. “I think you are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met. That work?” He smiles, and I nod that it’s acceptable. He leans down to kiss me, and there is the click of a door opening behind us.
“Well, hello!” Porter calls out good-naturedly. I spin around quickly, nearly tripping over my boots in the grass and look at my brother, deeply embarrassed to be caught kissing.
For his part, my brother is grinning, and just at that moment, Zoey comes rushing out onto the porch, squinting in the low light.
“Is that him?” she asks loudly, as if we’re not standing in front of her. “Is he cute?”
“Oh, my God,” I murmur, even though Isaac laughs quietly behind me.
“This is Isaac,” I tell Zoey, pushing him in front of me. Zoey squints like she can’t see him in the light of the porch.
Isaac steps forward and shakes her hand, telling her it’s nice to meet her. Before saying the same, Zoey shoots a glance at me in an exaggerated “nice job” size-up, and then invites us inside. After a warm hello to my boyfriend, Porter falls into step next to me as Zoey takes over hostess duty with Isaac.
“You dressed up,” Porter says in a low voice as we walk behind them. “Are you impressing us or him?”
“Fuck off,” I say, and Porter laughs.
“Ah,” he replies. “So him.”
I slap his chest, and then I see Ryerson out of the corner of my eye. My brother hangs back a moment, taking in Isaac and judging him pretty openly. He must not find anything offensive, because he goes right over and introduces himself. I’m nervous for Isaac, but as they talk, I realize the shy guy from the bar isn’t always shy.
Isaac is more than charming, making them all smile as he murmurs a joke too low for me to hear. Even my brother Emerson laughs, and that dude is seriously wound tight. But Isaac is easily accepted and I know that his shyness was just for me. I was the one he was intimidated by.
As if he can read that I’m thinking about him, he glances over his shoulder at me, and flashes me a private smile. My shoulders relax, and I want nothing more than to run my fingers through his dark hair and stare into those beautiful blue eyes for the rest of the night.
“So Phoebe has a boyfriend?” a voice says. I turn, and I gasp when I see it’s my brother Jude.
“Holy shit, Jude?” I say, and immediately pull him into a hug. “When did you get to town?”
“Last night. I told them not to tell you. Wanted it to be a surprise.”
“That was a dick thing to do,” I say, pushing his shoulder. “Where’s Sondra?”
He scrunches his nose like he hates the topic of conversation, and turns away. “She’s modeling somewhere in London, last I heard.”
“Oh,” I say, pouting my lip. “I’m so sorry.” In reality, I’m not. Sondra was a total bitch, but she happened to be one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen, so I figured Jude was sort of helpless in that. Turns out, I was right. He looks miserable.
“How long are you staying?” I ask.
“Not sure. Maybe for a while. Ryerson is going to help me get a place, and I’ve been doing some photography jobs in the area until a better offer comes along.”
I look at Jude, annoyed that this isn’t the first time I’ve heard this line. His whole life is “waiting for something better to come along.” It’s why he ended up with Sondra—he thought she was the better. I can’t imagine the heartache my brother has left in his wake.
“Just don’t be an asshole,” I say, and then smile as Zoey comes over to hand me a beer. Jude sniffs a laugh and says hello to Zoey before she disappears to continue helping Porter interrogate my boyfriend.
“Look I have to go rescue Isaac,” I tell Jude. “Come by the bar tomorrow, yes?” I say, staring toward the kitchen.
He says that he will, and I take a long sip of my beer, surveying the crowd as I pass into the kitchen. My oldest brother, Emerson, nods a hello at me, his wife Eliza draped under his arm, talking quickly to someone I don’t recognize—another cop, probably.
Emerson has always had his shit together. But when he met Eliza, my normally boring brother was suddenly a romantic. And she’s totally normal, not a wild bone in her body, and yet together, they seem to be having constant fun—like they’re in on some private joke together.
Isaac is still talking to Porter, Ryerson listening, and I feel pretty guilty for bringing him. I had no idea my brothers would be this hardcore into grilling him. No idea it would be such a family affair. But Isaac doesn’t look deterred, smiling easily, and seeming to be answering every question without pause.
I grab a beer out of the cooler, and walk over to the three men. Ryerson notices me first, and grins.
“There she is,” he says, probably to make me feel like they’d been talking about me. Porter and Isaac turn, and I hold out a beer to Isaac. He takes it and murmurs a thank you, watching me with those gorgeous eyes.
“It was so nice of you to bring your boyfriend by, Phoebe,” Ryerson says. “How’d you get such a nice guy?”
Isaac looks at him, his brow furrowed as he tries to decide if my brother is just messing with me. I’m a little humiliated by the word boyfriend, but I go with it.
“He has good taste,” I reply, and Isaac smiles and moves closer, his arm against mine. I want to look at him, gaze at him really. I worry I’m being too clingy, but then Isaac’s hand slides onto my back, and then causally around my waist. I lean into him, and listen as Ryerson tells us about Cheyenne.
“She’s been super sick,” he says, his joking gone. I see worry crease the skin between his brows. “The doctor has her on some new medication to help with the morning sickness, but I swear, she can’t stop throwing up.”
“Then why are you here?” Porter asks.
“She forced me to come,” he replies. “Told me I was hovering. Frankie Miller and Rayanna are over there now, hanging out with her. Holding her hair back while she pukes or something.”
“Frankie her ex-husband?” I ask.
“Yeah, it’s weird.” Ryerson smiles because I already know all about Cheyenne and her ex, how they’re lifelong friends and Ry had to accept it. Luckily, Frankie is remarried, and Cheyenne is having Ryerson’s kid, so he’s not jealous. I think he’s probably glad Frankie is there to take care of her now.
“So…” Porter starts dramatically, and my stomach lurches slightly. “Isaac here said he’s taking you to a wedding in Arizona. That’s nice.”
“His sister is getting married,” I say, but don’t look at Isaac.
“Since we’re doing so much family stuff,” Porter continues. “I thought you both might consider coming out on the boat next after you get back. We can go out on the lake, Zoey will pack sandwiches and beers. It’ll be fun.”
“Sounds good,” Isaac says, sounding appreciative. But I’m worried about how much “family time” we’re spending together. Is Porter pointing out how serious this is getting? And how quickly?
I take a nervous sip of my beer, and glance around until I see Zoey heading toward the bathroom.
“Excuse me,” I say, and smile at Isaac, telling him I’ll be right back.