Page 122 of Finding Our Reality

Holt takes a swig of his beer. “I resent that. I think we treated you quite fairly.”

Cullen squints his eyes. “Forcing me to eat worms does not constitute treating me fairly.”

Ridge pushes the ballcap up on his forehead. “We did notforceyou. You did that all on your own. I can’t help it if you’d eat anything for money.”

Cullenwouldeat anything for money. I was there the night he ate a grasshopper.

“Speaking of friends,” I say, changing the subject, “why didn’t Anna invite any of her other friends or classmates? I told you it was fine to invite as many people as you want to the house, I trust you.”

Raylee shrugs. “It was Anna’s idea. She didn’t want Laura to feel like the odd man out.”

Ry shifts in his chair and rubs his fingers across his chin. “Oh, wow.” He clears his throat, trying to mask his emotion. “That was really nice of her. Thank you.”

Raylee smiles, watching the girls. “She gets that from Will,” she says with a wink at her husband. “Laura goes to Parkside?”

“Yeah, Brooke’s apartment is zoned for there.”

Raylee nods. “That’s a good school.”

“It is, but their testing scores have been on the decline for the past couple of years, so that’s a little concerning. Anna goes to Rockdale, right? That’s an awesome school.”

Test scores? Ry has time to study the test scores of our county’s public schools?

“You know, I’m on the board for the Parent Teacher Organization. Last I heard, there were still a few out-of-zoning spots open. There’s only two-and-a-half weeks before school starts back, but I could get you an application if you’d like.”

Ry leans forward, engrossed in the conversation like Raylee just told him she knows the real identity of D.B. Cooper. “Really?”

“Sure.”

“Thank you, Raylee.” Ry adjusts the ballcap on his head, pulling it down closer to his eyes so I can’t read his expression,but I know he’s happy. He sits back in his chair and possessively wraps a hand around my crossed legs. His fingers trace up and down my thigh. I can’t help but notice that all of the men in my life eagle eye his actions—Uncle Ray, Marcum, Holt, Will, Ridge, Cullen, and their dad, Jeff. If Ry’s intimidated by their stare, he doesn’t let on. Aunt Teresa discreetly pokes Uncle Ray in the stomach, making Nancy laugh.

The baby monitor crackles to laugh, and we all listen as Ty grunts and wiggles. You can hear the sound of his diaper scrunching as his butt bounces around in the playpen. “Uh-oh, someone’s missing the party.” Raylee scoots her chair back to stand up.

Nancy reaches across Marcum and shoos her hand in Raylee’s face. “Let me. I always loved getting the kids up from naptime.”

Raylee flips off the baby monitor as Nancy heads into the house. “You don’t have to ask me twice, Nancy.”

We spend the next two hours talking and relaxing. We laugh at the girls’ antics in the swimming pool, and their very elaborate game of mermaid. Holt has to throw some plastic cups and bowls in the pool for their pretend mermaid brunch. We videotape Ty eating Anna’s birthday cake with his fist. It’s an absolutely perfect day.

Until it isn’t.

I’m in the middle of a story about one of my recent TV jobs when Marcum interrupts me, nodding his head in the direction of the gate. “Ella.”

Turning around, I’m shocked to see Kristie standing there. She’s dressed in shorts and a tank top and a baggy cardigan. She looks embarrassed to be intruding on our party, but not too embarrassed to turn around and leave. Sheepishly, she puts one foot in front of the other, walking in our direction. We haven’tseen her since her little strip tease at the bar, and you can tell Will’s still not happy about it. He curses underneath his breath.

I push away from the table, but Ry doesn’t let me go too far by myself. He’s walking next to me, with his finger hooked in the back waistband of my shorts.

Kristie picks at her fingernails. “Hi.”

“Hey, Kristie.”

She looks past me to everyone gathered around the table. “Barbeque?”

I study her eyes. They seem clear and focused. I don’t think she’s drunk. “We’re celebrating Anna’s birthday.”

“Oh. I’m sorry for barging in.”

She may be sorry, but she doesn’t make any move to leave.

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