Page 17

He’d made it clear, all those years ago, that I was not to go anywhere near his little sister. Now I had multiple reasons to stay away: I wasn’t good enough for her. She was my employee.
I stared hard at the grill as Liv called to Maya, “Should I try the Slip ‘N Slide?”
Dear god, the woman was teasing me.
“Do it, Livvy!” Maya cheered.
Livvy?
Now I had to look. Maya didn’t give anyone nicknames. But now she was grinning at Liv as the woman shimmied out of her denim shorts. I bit down on my knuckle, hard, glad there was a grill between me and the girls.Get it together, Fletch.
Liv’s curves bounced as she bounded toward the Slip ‘N Slide and launched herself down the yellow vinyl, her ass jiggling seductively the entire way.
If I bit on my knuckle any harder, I swear I’d taste blood.
I physically turned my body away from the girls and looked at the countryside.Grass. Sky. Flowers. Clouds.
Liv’s jiggling ass.
The roar of a diesel engine shocked me out of my trance.
Rhett was here.
Within minutes, he was walking my way, carrying a case of beer and wearing his trademark shit-eating grin. “My long-lost friend! I thought you’d abandoned me,” he drawled, ever one to make an entrance. “Holy shit, you have a Slip ‘N Slide!”
I chuckled, feeling lighter already. In the city, with a wife and kid, Rhett seemed so different from me living his wild single life. But now I realized I was the one who was different, shutting down all the fun parts of my life to live the way I thought I should. “It’s great to see you,” I said earnestly. “And watch your mouth.” I waved my spatula toward the girls. “There are ladies around.” Never mind the thoughts that were going through my head(s) earlier.
Rhett ran forward and picked up Maya, spinning her around.
She squealed, pounding on his back. “UNCLE RHETT!”
Liv gave me a questioning look. I only shrugged.
Rhett and I may have visited only a couple times a year since Maya was born, but he sure did make an impression.
“It’s so good to see you, kiddo!” Rhett said, setting her down. “How old are you now? Don’t tell me.” He scratched his chin. “Sixteen?”
Maya giggled, shaking her head.
“Ugh, nineteen?”
She laughed. “NO!”
“I remember. Twenty-one.” He sent me a wink.
“I’m eight and you know it,” Maya said.
Rhett chuckled. “That’s right.” His voice grew stern. “Now, I heard you’ve been giving my sister some trouble.”
Maya fidgeted uncomfortably, and the tips of my ears heated. What all had been said to Rhett about my daughter’s behavior? Were they both judging me for my failures as a father?
Rhett extended his fist for her to bump. “Keep it up.”
Maya tapped her knuckles to his, and Liv shoved his shoulder. “Grow up,” she told her brother playfully. Then she went to get a towel, wrapping it around her shoulders, but the fabric did nothing to cover up her tantalizing cleavage. A cleavage I’d felt before.
I closed my eyes.You’re a fucking doctor, you pervert.
“Need any help on the grill?” Rhett asked.