Page 27 of With You Forever

Sal laughs and Luke snakes his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his chest. “Don’t listen to your uncle,” he says to Cash. “I can play a little violin.”

Seth cackles, his rumble of a laugh surprising even him. “Kid, your dad’s a liar.” He raises an eyebrow at Sal. “He ever tell you how he popped every string on my fiddle?”

Sal gasps, twisting in Luke’s arms to look up at him. “No. But now it’s a story I need to hear.”

“Asshole,” Luke says, giving Seth a glare.

Seth opens his mouth, but before he can launch into specifics, there’s the clatter of the screen door. Lacey struts in on her high heels.

He grins. “Saved by the princess.”

Lacey smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. She looks weary and frazzled, standing with her arms folded tightly beneath her breasts.

“How’d the fitting go?” Sal asks, sliding Lacey a glass of wine.

Lacey shrugs. “Fine.” She walks to Seth, gives him a kiss, and then steals Cash from his arms. “I didn’t have time to try the dresses on,” she says, burrowing her face in Cash’s shoulder and inhaling his scent. “I saw them and they look beautiful, but I just ... I’ll go back.”

Sal gapes at her dispirited sister. Seth finds himself doing the same thing.

Lacey passing up a dress fitting ain’t happening.

Seth watches Lacey’s hand grip the stem of the wineglass Sal’s passed her. It’s shaking.

He puts his hands on her shoulders. “You okay?”

“I’m fine, Seth,” she says softly, but she’s staring down at Cash. A long beat of silence. Then, like she’s kicking herself into another gear, she snaps to attention, her shoulders soldier-straight. “Should we eat? Here.” She passes Cash to Luke. “I’ll help set the table.”

Then, with a toss of her long blond hair, Lacey grabs up the salad, turns on the ball of her high-heeled shoe and struts out of the room. A woof rumbling out of him, Winston skitters after her.

Seth meets Sal’s worried eyes, but slowly they all follow Lacey into the living room.

Luke puts on another record. More wine is poured. Luke, Sal, Seth and Lacey sit at the long table, dinner finished, the night noise swelling around them. By Sal’s elbow sits the baby monitor, where, on-screen, Cash sleeps easy in his crib upstairs.

A little wine, a little whiskey, and Lacey’s relaxed. The incident from earlier today out of her mind.

Well, almost.

She needed this. This great night with her family, relaxing. Forgetting. Not so serious for once.

Luke sits back in his chair, stretching his arm across Sal’s shoulders, and says to Lacey, “Seth says you saw the land.”

“I did. I love it.”

Sal smiles, claps her hands together in delight. “We’re going to be neighbors.”

Lacey laughs. “Get ready to be sick of me.”

“Too late,” Luke teases, and she sticks her tongue out at him.

Lacey hugs her hands to her chest. “I can already picture the bathroom now.”

Seth cackles, then straightens up and takes a sip of his whiskey. “Already got bids from some architects too.”

The table falls quiet. Luke and Lacey blink. “Already?” Lacey asks. It’s news to her.

“Sure did, princess.” He gives her a cocky grin that curls her toes. “We can get to drawin’ up the plans any day now.”

“A weddin’, a house?” Luke whistles. “That’s a lot, Seth.” He looks worried, but Sal squeezes his arm.

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