Chapter 6: Sunday Dinner

Grady arrived at five on the dot with a bottle of wine and a bouquet of grocery store roses.

He was wearing the pressed quarter-zip I had bought him for his birthday.

"Di," he said, and he kissed my cheek before I could turn it.

I stood in the hall with my arms at my sides.

Behind him the front door opened again, and Boone came in with a casserole dish, followed by Dex and Emmett.

"Sunday dinner," Boone said to nobody. "Gil invited us last week."

Dad came out of the kitchen drying his hands and looked pleased at the size of the crowd.

"The more the merrier," he said. "Grady, you remember everyone."

"Of course." Grady shook all three hands in turn, and I watched Dex's grip tighten.

We sat down.

My father took the head of the table, Grady took the seat beside me, and Dex took the one across, where he could see my face.

The roast went around.

Grady talked for ten minutes about a promotion he had almost gotten, and every sentence ended with a small laugh asking us to agree.

Under the table, a boot pressed lightly against mine.

I did not look at whose it was.

"So, Di." Grady turned to me and lowered his voice, though everyone could hear. "I've been thinking a lot since July."

"Have you?"

"I made a mistake. I was stressed, the wedding was a lot, and I said things I didn't mean."

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