Page 123 of Someone to Watch Over Me

Iris lets out a shout. “Oh my God! It’s Tom Terrificat my house!”

When she comes toward us, I see that she’s wearing a blue T-shirt that says #TeamTomTerrific in white letters across the chest, and I lose it laughing.

“Stop it,” Tom mutters as Iris wraps him up in a big hug.

“Welcome to my home, to the Wild Widows family, to the craziest bunch of assholes this side of the nuthouse.”

“QuotingChristmas Vacationmight just get me to forgive you for the shirts.”

“I didn’t do it,” Iris says, full of innocence.

“Why do I feel like none of you are going to take credit for it?” I ask Iris as I hug her.

“They just showed up in a box at my front door one day. What was I to do but unpack and distribute them?” She gives Tom a big grin. “We already love you, so I hope you’ll take the ribbing in the spirit in which it’s intended and not run for your life from us.”

“I think I can handle it,” he says, “if it means I get to spend tonight and every night with Lexi.”

Iris fans her face. “And you wonder why we had shirts made.”

“You guys,” Christy says, “this is Trey.”

“I have to hug you,” I say.

He holds out his arms to me.

“It’s so good to finally meet you. We need #TeamTreyTerrific shirts, too.”

“Don’t give them any ideas,” Trey says as he shakes hands with Tom. “I take it you’re the terrific one?”

Tom grimaces. “You make a girl’s coffee every day for a year and your reputation gets ahead of you.”

“Well played, my friend.”

“Tell him whatyoudid, Trey,” Christy says, beaming in a way I’ve seldom seen.

Her obvious happiness makes me feel emotional. I save Trey the embarrassment. “He’s the one who volunteered with teens to get a better handle on how to relate to Christy’s kids.”

“Oh,” Tom says, “that, too, was very well done. There should definitely be T-shirts.”

“And here I thought we might be friends, man.”

We all laugh as Joy comes in, carrying a massive pot that I hope is her jambalaya.

“Is that the magic stuff, Joy?”

“Would I bring anything else for you savages?”

“Yes!” I give her a fist bump. “You guys are in for a treat.”

“Lexi and Tom Terrific, this is Angela Radcliffe,” Roni says.

I hug Angela because that’s what we do. “Welcome. I’m so sorry you’re here.”

Angela laughs as she returns my hug. “I’m sorry to be here, too, but happy to meet you all. Roni has sung your praises, and from what I’ve seen so far, I’m going to love it.”

“It’s the worst club to join, but if you’ve got to be one of us, it’s a good group to get through it with.”

“That’s what Roni has told me.”

---