Page 19

This morning I’d put four New York strips in a gallon-sized Ziploc with Worcestershire sauce and garlic to marinate all day. I put the plastic baggie in the sink and take the cast-iron skillet out from under the cabinet and put it on the stove.

“Did I see you riding up behind him on the three-wheeler just now?” Mindy’s green eyes sparkle even more with the deep tan in her olive skin, and I know she knows.

“It was so dang hot today. I just showed him the Bates reservoir.”

“I see… Is that why your clothes are all damp?”

“Sort of. How’s things at the nursing home?” I take out a bunch of asparagus and give them a quick rinse, changing the subject.

I have no idea what’s going on between Taron and me, so I can’t be expected to explain it to my best friend.

Mindy pushes a lock of spiral-curly brown hair behind her ear and saunters to where I’m quickly cutting the hard ends off the stalks. She really is stunning. “Your aunt’s doing good, considering.”

I pause mid-slice, my eyes flying to hers and fear trickling into my chest. “Considering what? Did something happen? I was planning to come see her—”

“She’s fine!” Mindy puts her hand on my arm. “She’s fine… I just meant considering, you know... she’s in her own world.”

“Oh.” I spin around and grab a small package of mushrooms, quickly wiping them with a damp paper towel before dicing them. “I’m glad you’re there with her.”

I’ve known Mindy all my life. Her family and mine have always been close, and her mom was one of the main people to step up and make sure we made it through the worst winter of our lives—along with my dad’s older sister Doris, who’s now in the Pine Hills nursing home, where Mindy works as an administrative assistant.

“Not that she knows it.” Mindy slides the woody ends of the asparagus into her palm and tosses them in the trash. “Did you get your class list for fall yet?”

“Not yet. Did you?” I quickly remove the steaks one by one, giving them a light coat of salt and pepper before putting them in the hot skillet.

After a quick sear on both sides, I remove them and add the asparagus and mushrooms to the pan, sautéing them quickly. Once they’re ready, I return everything to the pan and put the whole thing into the preheated oven.

“Girl, I swear, you need one of those TV shows. You must be the fastest good cook I know.”

I wave her away as I take a paper package of dinner rolls from the refrigerator. They have three little lines in the tops, and I put a quarter-pat of butter on each one before popping them into the oven as well.

“It helps Sawyer and Leon are pretty clear about what they like and what they don’t like.”

Her eyebrows rise. “Rachel Ray has nothing on you.”

The rich aroma of cooking steak fills the air, and I switch on the vent. “They’ll be in here soon. Did you get your schedule?”

“No. Bea Johnson said she and Mavis got theirs today. I just wanted to be sure I didn’t do something wrong.”

“Well, if you did, I did too!”

We’re starting at the small college in town this fall, along with several of our friends, and I’m thinking it’ll be a good distraction with Sawyer away and Leon in school… and my brain still trying to figure out what to do with the Taron situation.

The back door opens, and three men charge in like a herd of buffalo. The kitchen is suddenly very crowded with all three of them crowding for plates and asking what’s for dinner.

Mindy waves from the back of the room. “I’m taking off. I expect the full story on this later.” She points over Taron’s head behind his back, and I narrow my eyes.

If she gets me in trouble with Sawyer… but my brother’s way more focused on steak than what my best friend is doing. Taron’s right behind him, and I think men forget about romance when they’re hungry.

After dinner, Taron recruits Leon to help him clean up the kitchen while I “take it easy.” Sawyer acts like this is a ground-breaking idea, and I internally shake my head. I know Sawyer feels bad Leon has no clear memories of our parents. I feel bad about that too, but not so bad I’d let my youngest brother grow up to be a spoiled brat.

With a sigh, I head to the shower. We’re all beat after this day, and the next two weeks will be no different. Still, I’ve got work to do before I can sleep.

A few hours later, I’m sitting on the floor in my bedroom watching a YouTube video about how to make peach body lotion when a soft tapping on the window almost jumps me out of my skin.

Akela’s head pops up, but her ears soften just as fast.

Taron is outside my window grinning in his naughty-boy way, and my insides clench. Holding up a hand, I wait to see if anybody’s coming before going and slowly raising the glass.