Page 15 of Give Me Forever

Outside, we set the meat on the grill. Declan was the man of the hour. He'd started putting on the potatoes first because they needed more time to cook. We were going to take turns at the grill because cooking for so many people was overwhelming.

I sometimes still couldn't believe that every single one of my brothers had a significant other. Over the past few years, I'd flown in for most of the events, like birthdays or big celebrations, such as when Travis sold his previous business— a successful software company. It felt like every time I came to visit, one more brother had gotten hitched.

"Until it's my turn on the grill, I'm going to check on Paisley," I said.

"Good luck," Tate replied before focusing on Declan. "Make sure the meat is overdone for Lexi, okay?"

"You only told me about fifty times," Declan replied.

I burst out laughing. "Okay, someone has to write this thing down in a calendar. The time when Tate was even more overbearing than Declan."

Lexi smiled, coming up to us. "Don't hate on him. He's a bit overprotective since I'm pregnant."

"Yes, obviously.”

“You're a doctor. You should be on my side," Tate said.

"Cooking the meat is good. I'm hazing you for reminding Declan fifty times."

Lexi winked. “He’s a little extra sensitive right now."

"Roger that." I winked before heading to Paisley. She was sitting in a patio chair with her iPad in her hand.

My parents and grandmother were sitting on a bench close to the grill. Tyler and his fiancée, Kendra, were chatting with Liz, Declan’s fiancée. Luke and Megan stood a few feet away with our cousin Reese.

The only ones missing were Travis, Bonnie, and my niece, as well as our cousin Kimberly, who was in Paris—for now. Travis had convinced her to work with him to expand his hotel from a single unit to a chain. She was returning in a few months to help him with events and expansion.

"Hey, Paisley. How are you?" I asked.

She looked up at me. I could see the change in her from just half a year ago when she would light up and look at me like I was the most interesting person in the room. Now she was simply curious.

"Hey, Uncle Sam."

"So I've been talking to your dad, telling him that I want to take you out for ice cream, and he told me you like to do more interesting things these days."

She sat up straighter, pulling her knees to her chest. "Yes, I do. Ice cream is for kids."

Way to make me feel old."Tell me, what would you like to do together?"

"Can I choose anything?" she asked.

"Sure. Why not?"

"I want to go shopping for makeup."

I blinked, jerking my head back. "That’s not my area of expertise."

"You don't have to know anything. You just have to take me there, and the ladies at the counter will help."

"Is your dad okay with this?"

"He told you to take me out somewhere I want, didn't he?"

"This feels like a trap," I said out loud.

Paisley pressed her lips together.

"Itisa trap," I added.

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