On Her Father's Grave (Rogue River #1)(13)

She mentally forgave James for inviting Eric. For all she knew, Eric had been attending her mother’s big dinner gatherings for the last ten years.

She’d been out of the loop.

“Let’s eat, let’s eat!” Patsy came out of the house with three large bowls of different salads. Carly trailed behind her with a pitcher of iced tea and a basket of rolls. Carly’s young daughter, Brianna, carefully carried the butter. “Stevie! We can’t eat without utensils!”

The men jumped to help her mother and pull the ribs off the grill. Stevie ducked back in the house and found James’s wife, Debra, washing her little boys’ hands at the kitchen sink. She handed the boys a towel and gave Stevie a hug. “Good to see you, hon. I’m so glad you’re back to stay.”

Debra had been tight with Stevie and Carly since high school. She’d told them her sophomore year that she intended to marry James one day. The sisters had thought that was disgusting. Didn’t Debra realize James never changed his socks and left the toilet seat up?

Tonight Debra’s eyes were red-rimmed, making Stevie take a second look at her. “You okay, Deb?”

Debra rubbed at her nose. “Yes, just my damned allergies.” She didn’t look Stevie in the eye.

Stevie nodded. If Debra wanted to share, she would. When she was ready.

Stevie pulled open the utensil drawer and started counting out forks, spoons, and knives. She followed Debra out to the deck. Her little boys sat at the side table with Brianna, who instantly went into little-mother mode even though she was only two years older than Debra’s oldest. Stevie passed out the silver and sat down between Carly and Eric with a relieved sigh. She was starved.

Patsy beamed from the head of the table and started passing dishes.

Stevie swallowed hard. There was someone missing. Family dinners would never be the same again without her father. She saw a shadow pass over her mother’s face and her smile faltered. Carly grabbed Stevie’s hand under the table and squeezed.

His absence was keenly felt. His quiet tall figure in contrast to their mother’s petiteness and sparkling personality. They’d balanced each other perfectly. Patsy was a firework: she burned hot and bright with her emotional reactions. Bill Taylor had been calm and steady and slow to anger. A rational man who frequently annoyed their mother with his inarguable logic.

One chair was still empty and a small dash of panic struck Stevie. Had her mother miscounted? And unintentionally included her father? She heard Carly’s intake of breath as the same thought struck her.

“Was Zane going to make it?” Patsy asked James.

“He said he would,” James answered around a bite of roll. “Maybe something kept him at the station.” He looked at Stevie and raised a brow.

“Uh . . . I left an hour ago. There wasn’t anything going on that I knew of.” That cleared up the mystery of the extra chair.

“I heard you’d been hired at the police station,” Eric said. “Won’t that be a bit slow-paced for you?” His kind green eyes smiled at her.

Stevie’s heart did a subtle flip; she’d always loved his eyes. “I hope not. I’ve had enough excitement to last me a couple decades. Slow and quiet sounds awfully good.”

“It’s good to know you’re back,” he said. “Growing up, I know most of us wanted to get away, but when someone comes back, you know they’ve truly learned how great a place this is.”

“Too bad there was a death your first day on the job,” said Bruce with his mouth full.

“No work talk!” exclaimed Patsy. “Especially police work. You know the rules.”

Their father hadn’t been allowed to discuss his work over the dinner table. Dinnertime had been for talking about classes at school and current events.

“What did you learn in science today, Bruce?” Carly asked, imitating their mother’s typical inquiry when they were kids at the dinner table. Snorts and laughs filled the table.

Patsy threw up her hands. “All right, I get it! Just keep death and gossip out of it, okay?”

The slider to the deck was drawn open and Zane stepped out. “Sorry I’m late. Paperwork. I hope you don’t mind that I let myself in.” He kissed Patsy on the cheek and looked right at Stevie.

Small sparks shot through her limbs. Zane had changed out of uniform into loose shorts and a casual collared shirt. His dark hair was slightly rumpled, like he’d just drawn a hand through it.

“Of course not, Zane, you’re family,” Patsy answered. She turned speculative eyes toward Stevie.

Oh, no.

Stevie knew that look. Mom was in matchmaking mode.

Christ. I’ve only been in town a few days.

Stevie froze. Who’d actually invited Eric? Her mother or James? She looked at James, but he was focused on his ribs.

She really didn’t need this now.

Zane raised a hand of greeting to the rest of the family and nodded at Eric.

“Hey, Zane. I guess we’re both eating good tonight,” joked Eric.

“I’ve been thinking about barbecue all day. I could smell it the minute I stepped out of my truck.” Zane pulled out the empty chair and sat, placing himself directly across from Stevie, holding her gaze and flashing a grin that warmed her to her toes.

Why didn’t he tell me he was coming for dinner?