Family Ties

”

We stopped at the liquor store after the mall and gave the clerk Trip’s name. That didn’t work, so we gave him Wren’s. He nodded, went to the back, and returned with a dolly. We loaded two cases of wine and two of liquor in the back of the Cruiser. He stopped me before I could close the tailgate.

“One more load.” He returned a few minutes later with another four cases of wine.

I was a bit worried about how I’d pay for it all, but he simply handed me an invoice to sign. It was made out to “Hilliard’s Steakhouse,” and I almost laughed when I realized that Wren had opened a wholesale account under the name of one of her father’s restaurants.

No wonder she and Trip made our monthly budget go so far!

We hit the grocery store next, and it was more of a regular shopping trip.

On the way home we picked up Chinese takeout, since we weren’t in the mood to cook and were pretty sure Wren wouldn’t be either.

She was feeling better but not a hundred percent, so dinner was more subdued than the night before.

She and Trip called it an early night and went up to bed shortly after. Christy and I opened a bottle of wine and spent a couple of hours on the couch, just reading and occasionally chatting. I finally closed my book and looked at my watch.

“Think I’m going to head up,” I said. “I don’t want to take you for granted, and I don’t want to assume, but…”

“Of course I’ll sleep with you.” She smiled and replayed it in her head. “I like saying that.”

“And I like hearing it.”

“It feels kinda weird standing here without clothes,” she said as she dabbed white cream under her eyes, “but it makes things a lot simpler.

I don’t have to avoid my lingerie or wait for my skin to dry before I put on pajamas.”

“I know what you mean,” I teased. “I have the same problem.”

“Funny, ha ha.” She gestured at the array of cosmetics. “I’m doing all this for you, you know. I want to look nice and feel nice and smell nice for you.”

“I’m not complaining,” I said. “I’m just… amazed.”

“Well, you can blame Sabrina.

I really didn’t understand proper skincare until I met her.”

“I don’t think I’ll ever understand it.”

“Laugh all you like,” she said, “but you’ll thank me in ten years.”

“So… you think we’ll still be together in ten years?”

She blushed but then looked uncertain. “Don’t you?”

“I still have a lot to tell you,” I said. “About myself.”

“Well, I haven’t run away so far.”

“That’s true. But some of the things might be… pretty hard to get used to.