“In that case, we better stay so you don’t go into sugar withdrawal or something on me. Come on. Let’s go tell Kristen we’re staying.”
They found Bo, Jen’s dog, in the kitchen. He sat on the floor near Kristen’s feet. As she worked, his eyes remained focused on the counter and the chicken Kristen was sliding onto kabob sticks.
“Hi Kristen,” Jen said, walking in the room. Immediately Bo left Kristen’s side and walked over to them. “How’s my boy?”
Jen bent down to pet the dog and missed the look of surprise on her sister’s face. Brett didn’t. Whatever conversation Jen had with her sister earlier, she hadn’t mentioned they were still together this morning.
Kristen washed her hands and walked toward them. “Hi Brett.” She extended her hand and smiled. “It’s nice to see you again.” Kristen shot a look toward Jen who was again standing up straight.
Brett nodded. “You too.”
She glanced at Jen again. “You’re welcome to stay. There’s enough food. Mom and Dad should be here soon.”
“We’ll stay for a little while. Do you need any help?” Jen answered.
Kristen wanted to grill her sister. He saw it in the woman’s expression. Instead she nodded toward the fridge. “If you don’t mind, the peppers need to be washed and cut up.”
Brett offered to help as well, but Kristen immediately turned him down. Since his cooking skills sucked, it was probably just as well. Instead he took a seat at the kitchen table and watched the two women. It was a bit like watching the odd couple work together. While Jen was tall with strawberry-blonde hair, her sister was just the opposite. If he had to make a guess, he’d say Kristen topped out at five feet, and she had light brown hair. He hadn’t met Dan, Jen’s brother-in-law, yet. Since Bella had such light hair, he assumed the guy must be a blond or something close to it.
At the counter Kristen whispered something. Up until then, he’d heard all of the women’s conversation. Whatever she’d just said, he wasn’t meant to hear. In response, Jen shook her head and then walked back to the fridge. “Brett, do you want some lemonade?” She glanced back over at him.
“No thanks.”
Jen poured herself a glass and was about to put the glass pitcher away when a man walked in from outside.
“Hey, Jen. Kristen said she invited you.” The man gave Jen a brief hug and grabbed the pitcher from her hand. “I’m glad you’re staying.” He looked in Brett’s direction and then back to Jen.
“Dan, this is Brett.”
He didn’t miss Jen’s brief pause before she said his name. She wasn’t sure how to label him. He’d have to clear that up later.
“Brett, my brother-in-law, Dan.” She gestured toward the blond man. “And the best grill chef in the world.”
“Keep giving me compliments like that and Bo can stay here anytime,” Dan said, before turning his attention in Brett’s direction. “Nice to meet you.” He set the lemonade back in the fridge and pulled out a beer. “Can I get you one?” Dan held up the bottle.
Brett didn’t recognize the label, but he wasn’t picky. “Sounds good.”
***
She looked out the kitchen window. Brett was sitting and talking with her family. Even Bo was with them. The dog had parked himself near Brett’s feet after Bella stopped feeding him pieces of her chicken.
“Since you showed up with him this morning, I’m assuming last night went well,” Kristen said. She stood at the counter loading the dishes Jen rinsed into the dishwasher.
Jen handed her sister another plate. “Very.”
“What, no other details?”
“Nope. But we do have plans for tonight too. There’s a town block party where he lives. We won’t be able to stay here much longer. And tomorrow we’re going to his cousin’s engagement party.”
She swallowed at the thought of meeting his family. It’d been a long time since she met even a boyfriend’s parents, never mind his aunts and uncles. Actually, now that she thought about it, she’d never had a boyfriend introduce her to his extended family.
Kristen added the last plate to the machine and closed the door. “Sounds like this relationship is at warp speed five.” Much like Jen, Kristen was a bit of sci-fi geek. “He looks pretty comfortable out there with Mom and Dad. With Dan and his parents too.”
She nodded and watched him laugh at something Dad said. “He does. Bella has even warmed up to him.” Before lunch and even during, her niece had sat and studied him, her expression surprisingly serious for a ten-year-old. Now she sat between him and Dan with a smile on her face.
“If you need us to take Bo again tonight, we will. Bella loves having him here. You know for her it’s the next best thing to having a dog of her own.”
“Is Dan still making her wait until she’s eleven?” Jen understood her brother-in-law wanting to wait until Bella was old enough to handle the responsibility of having a pet. However, she thought Bella had watched Bo enough in the past year to prove she could handle it.