The Last One(24)
“Yes, just one. Joseph. He’s younger than me.” She laid down her fork, lining it up with her knife.
“I wish I had a brother.” Bridget picked up a piece of tomato from her salad plate and popped it into her mouth. “Or a horse.”
We all laughed, and Ali shook her head. “Sweetie pie, I think you have a better shot at the horse at this point. If you’re finished eating, bring your plate over and then run upstairs for your bath.”
“But I want to talk to Meghan.” I heard the hint of whine and stepped in to save her from the wrath of her mother.
“Hey, squirt, she’s not going anywhere. You heard your mom. Get moving.” I gave her a light swat on the backside.
“Okayyyyy.” Bridget dragged out the last syllable and favored us with a sigh that was laden with drama. “Promise you won’t go to bed before I come back down?”
“I promise.” Meghan nodded with all due solemnity and picked up her plate as Bridget scampered away. Holding it in one hand, she leaned to pick up a bowl, and I tried not to notice how the neckline of her green shirt sagged, giving me a tantalizing glimpse of cleavage.
“Sit down, Meghan, you don’t have to help. Sam, you do. Get off your ass.”
Meghan kept clearing the table. “I like to be useful. Oh, and I have years of experience waiting tables, so I want to keep my hand in.”
“When did you work as a waitress?” Ali took the dishes from her and rinsed them under the water.
“Pretty much from infancy on. My family owns a restaurant on the beach in Florida.”
“Oh my gosh, really? How fun. What’s it called?”
“The Rip Tide. My great-grandparents started it, and now my mom runs it. Well, my mom and my brother and sister-in-law, I guess.”
Ali turned to grin at me. “Sam, isn’t that cool?” She slid more plates into the dishwasher. “Sam loves the beach. When he was a teenager, he wanted to move to California and become a surfer.”
I rolled my eyes. “I think I was ten.” I pushed my chair back. “I’m going to walk over to the stand and make sure they locked everything up.”
“Oh no, you’re not. Everything’s fine over there.” She closed the dishwasher and then leaned against it, hands on her hips. “I need to go up and make sure Bridge is actually getting clean in the bathtub and not just drawing with the bubbles.” She pointed at me. “You’re going sit right back down and do your best to be a decent person. Show Meghan that you’re not the total dick you might seem to be.”
“He doesn’t have to stay. I don’t need a babysitter.” Meghan softened the words with a smile. “I’ll just go unpack or something.”
I ignored her and addressed my sister. “Ali, you know I won’t sleep tonight if I don’t check on the stand. Cassie Demeyer might be a very dependable high school junior, but she’s not you. I’ll be ten minutes, tops.”
“Fine.” Ali smiled, and for the space of one inhale, I actually thought I’d won. And then she added, “Take Meghan with you. It’d be nice for her to see a little of the farm.”
“Ali.” I ground out her name. “Stop this. You’re not my mother, and you don’t have any right to try to teach me a lesson. Or make me pay for what I said.”
“Maybe that’s something you need to remember, brother dear. But I’m not trying to punish you. I just think Meghan might enjoy the walk.”
“I would.” Meghan surprised me by taking Ali’s side. I had expected her to want to be as far from me as possible. “And I’d like to scout out some possible places to paint while I’m here. Maybe see some spots I could take Bridget.”
“Fine. Whatever. God knows I can’t fight two stubborn women.” I strode out the kitchen door, letting the screen bang close behind me.
“Samuel Pierce Reynolds, our mother is rolling over in her grave right now.” Ali’s furious face looked at me through the open window over the sink. “You mind your manners.”
The door opened again, and Meghan stepped out. A light breeze stirred her hair, and the last rays of sunshine glinted on the red curls. She paused, regarding me steadily.
“If you don’t want me to go with you, it’s fine. I’ll just look around on my own. Your sister doesn’t have to know anything.”
“She’d know,” I muttered darkly. “She always knows.”
Meghan lifted one shoulder. “Well, I’ll go with you then, but you don’t have to talk to me. You can walk in front, and I’ll be quiet. I do know how to do that.”