The day Alex graduated couldn’t have been more beautiful, and the families had been polite when they’d gone out for a celebratory lunch before Alex headed off for the massive round of her friends’ graduation parties. While Alex was party hopping, Jenny double-checked her lists. Everything was set.
Jenny was determined to make this party perfect for Alex. This was the first big event she and Gabe had hosted since marrying, and it was her chance to impress both families and friends. It was the perfect opportunity to prove she wasn’t a gold digger and could do something nice for Gabe and his daughter. Jenny might not have been able to fit into the family holidays like she’d wanted, but this graduation was all hers. For once, Judith and Mom would be her guests, outsiders being invited into Jenny and Gabe’s world.
Alex had given her the guest list and suggested menu but was worried her mom would be upset she was breaking with tradition in wanting an assortment of ice cream bars for dessert instead of the big sheet cake. Jenny reassured her that they’d have a spectacular dessert table even Judith couldn’t fault.
The morning of the party, on their way back from tennis, she and Gabe picked up a carload of balloons she’d ordered. Jenny lined the driveway with blue, gold, and blue devil mascot balloons. She’d continued the blue/gold color scheme with all the tablecloths and paper plates. Ted looked up from unloading the popcorn machine she rented. “Where do you want this?”
“Patio off to the side near the porch, please. The popcorn, salt, and oil’s on the kitchen counter. Thanks.” She went in the house, calling out, “Gabe?”
He lifted her wrinkled list. “Eleven o’clock, start the grill and watch out for the pizza guy.”
“Do you have the—”
He flapped the envelope of cash she’d clipped to his list back and forth. “Got it.”
“Great. Hey, wait.” She rushed to the refrigerator and pulled out a veggie platter and platter of fruit kabobs. “Will you put these on the big table on your way out?”
Gabe bent and dropped a quick kiss to her lips, then tucked the envelope in his back pocket and took the trays from her. “Sure.”
The buzzer went off, and Jenny grabbed hot pads, and pulled trays of wrapped wieners from the oven. She scooped them on a big dish as Ted came in the sliding door. “Popcorn’s poppin’. Where are the bags for them?” He looked over her shoulder. “Mmm, I love those things.” He reached out and snatched one from the top.
“Careful. They’re hot.” Jenny tossed the spatula in the sink. “Bags are on the desk. You can leave them next to the machine.” She handed him the dish. “Put this on the table next to the mustard and catsup, please. Oh, and did you plug in the freezer next to the dessert table?”
“Yes, ma’am. First thing this morning like you asked.”
“Thank you,” she said in a singsong voice.
Jenny went to the refrigerator and pulled out her surprise for Alex, plates of graduation caps Jenny’d made with Reese’s cups topped with chocolate squares complete with Sour S’ghetti tassels. Jenny carried them outside, past the dinner table and freezer holding all the ice-cream bars to the dessert table.
She placed the plates on the tiered display in the center of a half a dozen tall glass candleholders full of Skittles, Reese’s Pieces, Starbursts, Lemon Drops, mini Milky Ways, Snickers, and Butterfingers. Off to the side sat a tiny six-inch token graduation cake. Jenny smiled. Perfect.
Alex, Judith and her family arrived right before the guests began to trickle in. Alex’s dropped jaw, bugged eyes, delighted squeal, and little jig when she saw the decorations and food spread was the exact reaction Jenny hoped for. She let Gabe serve the adults drinks in the kitchen and give a tour of the house, as she went off to make sure there were cups out and plenty of ice for the sodas.
Shortly, the kids poured in and the music cranked louder. Jenny picked up her camera and moved around the patio and yard capturing lots of candid shots of Alex and her friends. Her camera turned uphill toward her husband at the grill.
Beer in hand, Gabe flipped some burgers while talking to his cousin. Dressed in navy shorts, untucked pink polo shirt, and sandals, he looked relaxed and happy. Jenny framed the shot and clicked.
She threaded her way through clusters of teens, picking up abandoned plates and napkins and tossing them in the garbage can. She pulled the garbage can a little closer to where the kids might see it and use it. She climbed the steps from the yard to the patio and checked the buffet table.
Enough food for the stragglers. Her eyes narrowed in thought. Maybe a little more pizza. She lifted the cooler lid. More soda too.
Jenny took refuge in the kitchen, happy to escape the swimsuit-clad teenagers swarming her patio and yard. She must be getting old ’cause the music wore on her. She was partial to country, pop, and soft rock, not the rap pounding out of the speakers pulsing the patio.
Would it be totally uncool to ask Alex to change the music to something with identifiable lyrics? Probably. She doubted that Alex liked the music either, but a group of boys had taken control of her iPod a while ago. Since it was Alex’s graduation, she could tolerate it a few more hours—if she resurrected her earplugs.
Jenny took a hot pepperoni pizza box from the oven and placed it on top of the case of sodas. She pulled the screen door open with one bare foot. A cute, suntan guy walked around the side of the house, took one look at Jenny, stuffed his phone in his back pocket, and rushed forward.
“Let me help you.” He took the case from her.
Jenny lifted the pizza box off the top. “Thanks.”
“No problem.” He moved with the grace of an athlete. “You want these in here?” he nodded toward the cooler.
“That’d be great.”
He dumped all the sodas in the cooler and pushed them to the bottom under the ice. Standing back, he stood feet apart and chest out. He gave her a slow, confident smile and held out his hand. “Greg.”
The “not exclusive” Greg? Alex’s Greg?
“Jenny,” she shook his hand and pulled it back when he held it a second longer than necessary. I hope not.
“Looks like a great party.” He jerked his head toward the steps. “Wanna dance?”
“No, thanks.”
“Aw, come on.” He held out his hand.
Jenny shook her head, then looked beyond him to Alex who was coming up the stairs behind him. “Alex will dance with you.”
Alex glanced at Jenny, then smiled brightly at Greg. “Hi.”
“Hey, congrats.” He reached out and hugged Alex. “Great party.” He cocked a head. “I didn’t know you had a sister.”
“I don’t. Jenny’s my step-mom.”
He laughed. “Funny.”
“True.” Jenny held up her left hand and wiggled the fingers, showing off her engagement ring and wedding band.
The smile wilted from his face. “Oh.”
“Uh... I have to check on something in the kitchen. You guys have fun,” Jenny spun around and headed for the house.
Oh, no. No. No. No! Stupid boy. How much had Alex heard?
In the kitchen, Jenny gathered three empty pizza boxes and headed for the garbage. Alex came up behind her in the back hallway.
“What’d you say to Greg?” she asked in a low, tight voice.
“Nothing.”
She frowned. “Why’d he think you were my sister?”
“I have no idea.”
“He asked you to dance.”
“I’m sorry. But—”
“This is my party, just stay away from my friends.” Alex whirled and pushed past Ted.
“Hey!” Ted, carrying a platter of burgers, pulled up short to keep from running into Alex and bumped into Gabe instead. Gabe raised bags of chips and buns high to keep from getting crushed.
Gabe frowned at Alex’s disappearing back, then raised his eyebrows at Jenny as if asking what happened. She shook her head and waved him away.
Jenny went into the garage and sank against the door. She banged her head several times. S
tupid. Stupid. Boy. She blinked back tears. Damn it! After another minute, she blew out a deep breath, tossed the boxes in the recycle, and rejoined the party.
She and Gabe spent the next hour feeding the waves of friends that dropped in. Then Gabe captained the boat as the kids took turns tubing. The one bright spot was that Gabe’s uncle only stopped by long enough to say hi to Alex and hand her a card and fat check. After a mumbled complaint about the kids and loud music, George had a quick burger on the deck with her parents and then left.
As the afternoon wore on, her mother and father approached, with Michael in tow.
“We’re going to head on home now, honey. It was a great party. Thanks for inviting us,” her father said.
“You’re leaving?”
“The kids don’t want us hanging around,” her dad said, and then under his breath, “Things are getting a little wild out there.”
Jenny laughed. “It’s a party, Dad, and they are teenagers.” She put an arm around Michael’s shoulders and turned to her mom. “Thanks for coming, and for the little refrigerator you got Alex, Mom. She really liked it.”
“Well, I know you got a lot of use out of yours.” Mary looked around the kitchen. “The house is beautiful, Jenny. You did a wonderful job with it.”
“Thanks. Stop by anytime.”
Alex popped up beside her mom. “You’re not leaving already, are you?”
“It’s time the old folks got outta the way,” her mom said.
Alex put an arm around Jenny’s mom’s waist. “You’re not old, and you could never be in the way, Grams. You should stay.”
Jenny smiled, grateful for the easy rapport between her mom and Gabe’s kids—it was an unexpected bonus for them both. Who knew her mother would have taken to being a grandma? At least Jenny had given Mom one good thing—two counting Ted.
Her mom squeezed Alex. “We can’t, honey. I’ve got work to do around the house, Michael’s got to practice for tomorrow’s recital, and Grandpa’s got to pack. He’s traveling for the next ten days. Gotta make sure he has clean clothes.”
Alex looked at Jenny’s dad. “Where’re you going this time, Pops?”
“China then Australia.”
Alex’s eyes grew wide and sparkled. “Can I come? I’ll stay out of your way—you’ll hardly know I’m there. Please?”
“Me, too,” Michael piped up.
“You’re still in school, kid,” Alex dismissed Michael. “But I’m free until August.”
“It’s a long flight,” Dad said.
“How long?” Michael asked.
“Almost fourteen hours to Beijing, probably about nineteen from Detroit to Sydney.”
“Forget it,” Michael said. Michael got motion sick and wasn’t a fan of long flights.
Alex wasn’t so easily deterred. “I don’t mind.”
Dad’s eyes sparkled in amusement at her begging. “How about I bring you a souvenir instead?”
“Baby kangaroo?” Her face lit.
“Something like that.”
“Well, at least you should leave Michael. We’re about to take the jet skis out and then make s’mores.”
Michael turned to Mom. “Can I, Mom?”
Mom looked at Dad.
“Please?”
Dad looked at Jenny. “Jenny’s busy enough.”
“I don’t mind. It’s up to you guys,” Jenny said. She loved having Michael with them, and with Ted around, he’d be easy to keep track of. Wherever Ted was, Michael wasn’t far behind.
“I’ll watch him, Pops,” Alex said.
Dad looked at Michael. “Did you cut the grass like your mom asked?”
“Yes,” he nodded, eyes wide, smile bright.
“And you’ve got all your homework done?”
His smile faded. “Uhhh...”
“Next time, son.” Dad leaned over and kissed Alex on the forehead. “Congratulations, sweetie. We’re very proud of you.”
“Thanks, Pops. Have a good trip. See ya.” With a wave and an irritated glance at Jenny, she went back to her friends.
“Where’s Gabe?” Mom asked.
Jenny walked them to the door. “Seeing Judith, Dave, and the kids off. Judith got paged and has to get to the hospital, so Dave’s taking the kids home.”
Jenny waved goodbye to her parents and Michael. Returning to the patio, she checked the food supply one last time before preparing for her and Gabe to retire to the enclosed patio where they could watch the kids from a distance while enjoying some Pinot Grigio.
They’d promised Alex they’d stay out of the way, as long as things didn’t get out of hand. She took out a third glass; maybe Steve would join them for a game of cards. She picked up her phone and texted him. Up for Spades?
The back door slammed as Jenny popped the cork on the wine bottle. “Hey, Jenny, check it out,” Ted said, awestruck. “Steve got a motorcycle.”
“A wha—?” By the time she turned around, Ted was rushing back through the hedge. Boys and their toys. Jenny abandoned the wine, slipped her feet into flip-flops, and joined the men around a gleaming emerald motorcycle.
Ted grilled Steve about the various features, while Gabe stood to the side with his arms crossed, eyes narrowed, and his expression tight and guarded.
“Why a Kawasaki? I always thought Harleys were the top of the line,” Ted said.
“I don’t like paying for the Harley name, and I wanted a bike that wouldn’t need an oil well to maintain it. This Vulcan’s a beauty.”
“What kind of gas mileage do you get?”
“Fifty-five miles a gallon.”
“Wow, that’s great.” Ted turned shining eyes to his father. “Maybe I should get one to run back and forth to school. It’d save a lot of money in gas.”
“Won’t matter if you’re dead,” Gabe said.
Ted sent his dad an impatient look. “Come on, Dad. Motorcycles are safe.” He picked up Steve’s helmet and put it on. “These helmets are state of the art.”
Not the smartest thing he could have done to convince his father.
“Yeah, they’re real great. Instead of dying, your brain gets scrambled, and you live like a vegetable for the rest of your life. You’re better off dead.”
“They’re fun,” Steve said.
“No doubt. But up against a car or a tree trunk...you don’t have a chance.”
“You have to be careful,” Steve said.
“No amount of careful’s going to save your life in an accident.” Gabe pointed a finger at the gleaming bike. “They ought to be banned from the road to protect irresponsible fools like you.”
“They’re no more irresponsible than that gas-guzzling piece of crap Jenny drives.” Steve waved at their garage.
“Hey now!” No need to drag her car into this argument.
Gabe shrugged. “At least it’s safe.”
Steve crossed his arms over his chest, tsking. “Socially irresponsible. I’ll bet it only gets sixteen miles per gallon, if that, and God only knows what it’s doing to the ozone.”
“At least it doesn’t kill people.”
“Indirectly.”
Ted removed the helmet and reluctantly handed it back to Steve. “Come on, Dad, don’t you think you’re overreacting?”
Jenny watched in fascination as Gabe turned on his son. She’d rarely seen him this angry about anything, but his tense body and barely controlled snarl gave evidence to his hot temper.
“No. I’m not overreacting. And get that gleam out of your eye, if I ever catch you on a motorcycle... I... I...” He stuttered, at loss for words.
Jenny raised an eyebrow at Gabe’s unfinished threat. He looked like he was about to send his grown son to his room.
Still struggling to rein in his temper, Gabe’s hard eyes swept the two men. “The next time a motorcycle idiot comes into the ER, I’m gonna drag your butts in there and show you what those bloody morons look like. I hope you’ve got a strong stomach, because it isn’t pretty, and there’s usually not a whole
lot we can do for them.”
The group went silent. Steve and Ted contemplated the weeds sprouting in the driveway cement cracks while waiting for Gabe to cool down. Suddenly Steve looked up. Blue eyes twinkling, he looked at Gabe. “Guess that means you don’t want to go for a ride?”
Jenny smiled; trust Steve to find a way to alleviate the tense situation while at the same time poke fun at his friend.
Gabe’s features lightened as he answered with a pointed negative look.
“I’ll go,” Ted volunteered.
Gabe’s head whipped around to glare at his son.
Ted stared at Steve, ignoring his father.
Steve’s glance flickered between angry father and defiant son, temporarily at a loss. Jenny watched Steve carefully, wondering how he’d handle the tight spot Ted put him in.
“Maybe another time, Ted,” Steve said.
Jenny breathed a sigh of relief when Ted nodded in agreement, instead of pressing the issue.
Steve looked at Jenny. “How about you? Want to go for a spin? You can wear my helmet.” A glossy black helmet dangled from his finger.
“No, she doesn’t,” Gabe said, before Jenny could decline.
Eyes popping wide, Jenny looked at Gabe. “I can answer for myself.”
“Just making sure you came up with the right answer.” He raised his eyebrows and stared.
“The right answer?” She snatched the helmet from Steve’s hands and crammed it on her head, ignoring the way it pressed tightly against her braided hair. “I’d love a ride.”
Jenny marched over to the motorcycle. She looked back at Steve. “Come on.”
Jenny’s anger burned hotter when Steve glanced at Gabe before slowly joining her. “Jenny, I didn’t—”
“Let’s go,” she ground out as she struggled with the helmet strap.
He brushed her hands aside and tightened it. Conscious of Ted’s interested look and Gabe’s hostile glare, he lowered his voice. “Look, I was kidding. Gabe seems pretty pissed.”
“I’m not some simpleton he can order around. Let’s go.” She grabbed a bit of his knit shirt and turned him toward the bike.
“Okay.” Steve swung a leg over the motorcycle and started it.
She climbed on behind him, feeling quite competent, until she realized she didn’t know where to put her dangling feet. She leaned to the side away from Gabe, asking, “Feet?”
He turned and pointed down at the pegs. “Hang on and lean with me on the turns.”
Jenny nodded and rested her feet on the metal pegs. Squirming around till she was comfortable on the plush leather seat, she lightly rested her hands on Steve’s sides and put a circumspect six inches between them. Gabe thought he could make decisions for her, did he? She had two parents; she didn’t need another.
Jenny stared at Steve’s back, refusing to give Gabe the satisfaction of looking back. The motorcycle rumbled and vibrated between Jenny’s legs, then eased forward. The slight bump at the end of the driveway when they turned into the street made Jenny gasp. She lunged forward and clutched Steve’s waist until she was plastered along his back.
Love handles would have come in handy about now, but Jenny made do, grabbing fistfuls of shirt and skin, digging her nails in deeply. If she weren’t so afraid of falling off, she would’ve wrapped her legs around his waist too.
Steve yelped and pried one hand open, then patted it reassuringly. She probably looked ridiculous hanging onto Steve like a big cancerous lump on his backside, but she didn’t care; she closed her eyes and clung to his solid, warm back.
Surprisingly, after a couple of turns, Jenny relaxed and learned to flow with the movement of the bike. She bravely lifted her head from his back and even managed to lean back enough for air to whistle between them. Another block, and she lowered her hands to Steve’s hips, using them for balance more than a safety line.
Jenny smiled and sat a little straighter as their houses came into view. This time she braced herself for the bump at the end of the driveway, so she’d look like a pro biker babe to anybody watching. Ted was nowhere in sight, but Gabe sat on the back stoop.
In Steve’s garage, she dismounted, took the helmet off, and handed it to him. “Thanks for the ride.”
“Uh huh.” He put the helmet on the motorcycle then nodded his head in Gabe’s direction. “Want me to talk to him?”
“Naw. See ya later.” She walked away.
Steve nodded, then turned his attention back to his bike.
As Jenny approached Gabe, she tried to gauge his mood. Had his anger burned away as hers had? She sat down next to him, thighs touching.
“What’re you doing out here by yourself?” Jenny asked.
“Waiting for my wife.”
She didn’t know what to say to that. She didn’t want to apologize, yet it was a stupid thing to fight over.
“Have fun?” he asked in a casual tone.
She wrinkled up her face. “Not really.” Jenny paused. “I don’t really see the attraction. It’s kind of buggy and cold.”
“Yeah?”
“I wouldn’t have gone in the first place, but I really hate controlling people. Really pisses me off, ya know?” She bumped shoulders with him and looked in his eyes.
“Yeah, I do.”
“I don’t tell you what you may and may not do.”
“No, you don’t.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and then rubbed her back. “I’m sorry, Jen. I was out of line. I...” He shrugged. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“I’m not one of your kids, and I don’t respond well to you treating me as if I were.”
“I’m sorry.”
“’S alright. Speaking of kids, we should probably check on them.”
“They’re down by the fire pit making s’mores.”
“Never too old for s’mores. Wanna get some wine and watch a movie?”
“Sure.” Gabe and Jenny collected the Pinot Grigio, and headed for the study.
“That troublemaker Ted started all this asking for a ride. Steve should have said no,” Gabe grumbled as he poured the wine and handed it to Jenny.
“Ted was just yankin’ your chain. They both were. Steve would never encourage your kids to defy you,” she chided. Her lips curved in a soft smile. “And Ted’s a great guy. You did a good job raising him.”
Gabe took a sip of his wine, nodding. “He is a good kid—they both are.” He frowned at Jenny. “By the way, did I overhear Alex telling you to stay away from her friends?”
Jenny cocked her head. “She was miffed. Greg asked me to dance. He thought I was her sister.” Jenny giggled. “It can’t be easy having a step-mom as young as me.”
“Especially when she’s beautiful and looks like a teenager. It’s surprising Alex doesn’t hate you.”
She hurled a pillow at him. “It’s not like I act like her big sister.”
Gabe easily deflected her missile and set his wine down. “Didn’t say you did.” Grinning, he pulled her across his lap. “As a matter of fact, you’re more serious and responsible than I am.” He tickled her. “You need to lighten up. Have a little fun, lady.”
Shrieking, she squirmed off his lap, and with arms still around his neck, pulled him down to lie on her. She lowered her voice, seductively. “What’d you have in mind, mister?”
He growled deep in his throat. “After these kids go home. I’ll show you.”
Jenny wriggled out from under him. She unfastened her blouse, button by button, as she backed up to close and lock the door. “Why wait?”
“Hey,” Alex popped up behind Jenny.
Jenny jumped and pulled her top together. Geeze! “Alex. What’s wrong?” She quickly rebuttoned her shirt, then smoothed her hair.
“Nothing.” Alex’s narrowed gaze went from her dad to Jenny, but then her face cleared as if dismissing a thought. “Will you show us how to do the Electric Slide?”
“Just a minute, young lady,” Gabe said, “You owe—”
Jenny rais
ed a hand and flashed a quick frown to quiet him. “Now you want me to dance with your friends?” She raised one eyebrow. “You know...that would require me being around your friends.”
A gracious person would’ve brushed off Alex’s temper tantrum, but Jenny thought she needed to be called out on it.
Alex shifted her weight from one foot to the other as a blush pinkened her cheeks. “Yeah, I’m sorry I was rude to you earlier. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you because Greg was flirting with you.”
“I didn’t do or say—”
“I know. I heard.” She shrugged. “He’s a flirt.”
“I can’t do the Electric Slide to rap.”
“The guys are gone. We can put country on.”
“Okay, then.” Jenny smiled and looped an arm around Alex’s waist, before turning back to Gabe. “Coming?”
“You go on. Line dancing’s not really my thing.”
Chapter 14