Page 251 of Things Left Unsaid

“Once a soldier, always a soldier, but…” Whistling, she pulls back. “I wonder what the uniform will look like.”

Because that’s such a Tee thing to say, I burst out laughing.

Her lips quirk at my reaction but she muses, “Callan’s eyeing up the triplets like they’re going to throw water bombs at him.”

“They promised to be on their best behavior.”

“Ha! So, they’ll only throwwaterballoons at him, then? Not ones filled with dog shit?”

“Ugh. I don’t want to remember what happened the last time they did that.”

She snickers. “Doesn’t take much to remember. It was worth it. That bitch deserved to have her car covered in turds?—”

“Lydia Armstrong died, Tee,” I chide.

“I know, but she was still a bitch.”

I whack her arm. “Be nice.”

“Be nice about the woman who never let you walk past her without calling you horrible names? Ha. I don’t think so.”

“She didn’t deserve to die like that,” is my stout retort. I grab her hand and drag her over to the grill. “It’s time to meet the rest of the family, kiddo.”

Her fingers tighten around mine. “Parker said she contemplated making it up here then decided she’d rather stick pins in her eyes.”

I snort. “How did I end up with two drama queens for best friends?”

Over burgers and potato salad, hot dogs with homemade relish, and a steak as thick as my fist, Tee eventually calms down. She mostly avoidsGrand-mère,who deigns to speak with Lindsay and Ida, and sticks to hanging out with the triplets, Mia, and me.

Callan stays near the grill with Colton. I know he’s pissed because I heard them arguing before Tee showed up, but I figure it’s a comfort thing. Especially with the triplets on his home turf.

Cody and Cole are in cahoots, sitting and glowering at Colt while eating the food he prepares.

I try to be the butterfly—chatting with Mia, buttering upGrand-mère,making sure Tee and the triplets aren’t getting up to mischief, hovering beside Callan and Colt in an attempt to smooth over troubled waters.

It’s exhausting.

I hate hosting.

But… it’s also nice.

Really nice.

These are my peeps, after all.

“You haven’t eaten anything yet. Go and be with your family. I’ll play hostess.”

The words have me spinning on my heel because, not for the first time today, Lindsay is being pleasant…

“It’s fine,” I hasten to assure her.

But she shakes her head. “Christy is only out here for a short while and God knows if we’ll ever get your grandmother over to the Seven Cs again.” She pats my shoulder. “Anyway, I’ve never been the hostess at any family event where Clyde couldn’t ruin it. It’ll be a novel experience.”

Though I grimace, it’s not like I can refuse. Nodding, I thank her and then retreat to the grill.

Seeing that Callan drifted over to his other brothers and left Colt alone, I murmur, “Did you two finally stop arguing?”

“Is that even possible with Callan?”

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