Page 10 of Jack of All Trades
That earns me a real laugh, the second one of the day. I'm starting to think of them as victories.
"Low bar, Morrison."
"I'm a simple man with simple standards."
She rolls her eyes, but the tension from a moment ago has dissipated. "Speaking of the party, we should finalize the guest list. You mentioned your brothers. Are they all coming?"
"Yep. Even Michael, who usually needs six months' notice to clear his calendar. And David's between games, so his timing works out."
"What about Ethan? Rex talks about him sometimes. Says he's... intense."
I snort. "That's one word for it. Ethan's... complicated. Army changed him. But he'll be there. He likes Rex."
"And they're all okay with hosting a party for my brother? They don't even know me."
"You're Rex's sister," I say, as if that explains everything. And to me, it does. "That makes you family by extension. And the Morrisons take care of family."
Maya looks at me for a long moment, like she's trying to decide if I'm being sincere. Whatever she sees in my face must convince her, because she nods slowly.
"Okay. So that's you, your three brothers, me, Rex, and his five closest biker friends. Anyone else?"
I consider the question. "Maybe Maggie from The Nail? Rex has known her forever. And Tom from the garage where Rex worked when he was younger. They're still good friends."
"So, about a dozen people total," Maya says, making another note on her phone. "Perfect. Intimate but not too small."
"Sounds right." I check my watch. "It's past one. Are you hungry? I could make sandwiches."
She shakes her head quickly. "No, I'm fine. And I should get going. Rex thinks I'm at the grocery store again, and he's already suspicious."
"You're not a very good liar, are you?" I tease.
"Actually, I'm an excellent liar when I need to be," she retorts. "But Rex has always been able to see right through me."
"Must be a brother thing," I say, thinking of how easily my own brothers can call me on my bullshit. "Nothing gets past them."
We gather the decorations we've selected and carry them back to the house. At the front door, Maya pauses.
"I should get these to my car," she says, holding the string lights and banner.
"Let me help you." I follow her to her rental car, a sensible sedan that looks out of place in Pine Haven, where most people drive trucks or SUVs.
"Thanks for today," she says, not quite meeting my eyes. "For showing me the space and helping with the planning."
"Anytime." I mean it more than she probably realizes. "We make a good team."
Maya looks up at that, a skeptical expression on her face. "We've spent a total of three hours together, Morrison. That hardly qualifies us as a team."
"Yet," I say with a wink. "Give it time."
She shakes her head, but I catch that almost-smile again. "I'll text you about the food details later."
"Looking forward to it."
As she gets into her car, I have a sudden thought. "Hey, Maya?"
She looks up at me through the open door. "Yes?"
"What are you doing tomorrow night?"
