Page 11 of Mine to Keep

Seth had mentioned something about Jamison acting like a child, and Jamison had asked Seth what he’d do ifhe’dfound out that one of his kids wasn’t his. Seth didn’t take too kindly to that thought but reminded Jamison that while the truth may have come out, nothing else had changed. His mother still loved him just the same, and so did his father and the rest of the family.

The only thing that was different was that Jamison had someone new in his life to get to know, and that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Jamison didn’t like hearing that, so he’d stormed off.

A childish move. However, all Jamison wanted was to be acknowledged. To be heard. He wanted his family to recognize his feelings instead of expecting him to blindingly move forward.

Seth held up his hands. “Okay, fine.”

“I’m sorry,” Jamison said, not wanting this dinner to blow up before it started. He not only owed it to his dad to be on his best behavior; he also owed it to himself. Things could not continue this way. Not with his brothers. “It’s been a long day. I don’t mean to take out my exhaustion on you.”

“Enough said.” Seth crossed his legs and leaned back. “So, what do you think of Lanie?”

Jamison appreciated that Seth could change the subject without missing a beat. “This is only like the third time I’ve been around her, and the first time I’m spending any real time with her. I haven’t had a chance to form an opinion, but she seems nice, and Dad is happier than I’ve ever seen him.” What mattered to Jamison was his father’s happiness, and based on what Jamison had seen so far, his dad was downright giddy.

“Farrah likes her.”

“That’s always a good test.” Jamison smiled. For the first time in a long while, he felt like his old self around his family. “As I recall, Farrah used to like me more than she liked you.”

“Oh, no you don’t.” Seth shook his head vehemently. “Just because my wife went out with you on one date before she and I got together doesn’t mean she had any real feelings for you. As a matter of fact, if memory serves, she asked you to take her home before the date really got off the ground because she thought you were me.”

Jamison laughed. Hard. It was a full-out belly laugh. “That’s a true statement.” It felt good to joke around with his family like old times, but he wasn’t about to get too comfortable. The second he did, the topic of his mother and Steve was bound to come up, and then things would get ugly.

They always did.

“Don’t get up,” Farrah said as she stepped through the sliding glass doors, holding a tray of cheese and crackers. “I wouldn’t want either of you boys to hurt yourselves.”

“Is that a passive-aggressive way of asking me to help?” Seth set his beer on the table and stood. “What else needs to be brought out?”

“There’s a platter of shrimp cocktail.” Farrah glanced over her shoulder. “And all the meat that needs to be grilled.”

“What can I do to help?” Jamison asked.

“Sit there and look cute because you do that better than my husband.” Farrah plopped down in one of the seats.

“Are you kidding me?” Seth curled his fingers through Farrah’s hair and tugged. “I’m so much better-looking than him.” He planted a kiss on Farrah’s lips.

“And a better kisser.” Farrah winked. “Now, go help your dad. It’s both your turns to do everything. The last time Lanie and I got stuck cooking while the two of you yahoos watched the game.”

Jamison took a swig of his beer. He decided that it was best to stay out of this one.

“That’s right.” Lanie appeared on the patio, holding a bottle of wine and a couple of glasses.

His father stood at her side with two more glasses, setting them on the table. “Seth and I will take care of dinner while you all get to know one another.”

Jamison wanted to remind his father that he’d known Farrah since they were in middle school but decided that wouldn’t be a good idea since the entire idea behind this evening was for him to spend time with Lanie. Perhaps Farrah would be a good buffer in case Jamison decided to go off the rails.

That was always a possibility.

“I’m happy to sit on the sidelines for this one.” Jamison took the wine bottle and the corkscrew. “Is everyone switching to red for dinner?”

“Hell, yes,” his dad said. “My steak demands it.”

“Since when do you give a shit about what wine goes with a good steak?” Jamison asked.

“Since he started dating me,” Lanie said proudly. “The first time we went out, I was mortified that he was drinking a white and ordered a porterhouse steak. How embarrassing.”

“Then I guess we’re going to toast to a good woman.” Jamison hoped that wasn’t too weird to say, but by the smile on his father’s face, it wasn’t at all.

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