Page 22 of Always You (A Lilac Bay Novel)

“I guess we’ll be over in a few,” I said to my sister.

“Great! Would you mind stopping at Libby’s and grabbing a bottle of red wine? I only have white here. Unless you’d rather have beer?”

“We’ll get both,” I told her. “See you soon.”

I slipped the phone back into my purse and glared at him.

“We really need to work on your white lies, Andrew.”

“Hey, it’s not my job to lie to your sister. Besides, I could use a home-cooked meal.”

“Yeah, because it’s been so long since you Powells had a huge feast at your grandmother’s. Oh, wait—you have Sunday dinner there every week.”

He shrugged. “I’m a growing boy.”

Fifteen minutes later we arrived at my sister’s little house, armed with a six-pack of Bell’s, Michigan’s finest brew, and a bottle of Merlot. From the front porch I could hear two of the boys yelling—though the sound was too muffled to tell who it was or what they were fighting over.

“Hello!” I called, rapping at the front door. Rebecca was probably the only person on the island who locked her door during the day. She blamed her caution on the fact that her husband worked for the police force, but I had a feeling it had more to do with her TV habits. The girl watched way too many true crime shows.

“Mason, honey,” Rebecca called from somewhere in the house. “Answer the door!”

“I don’t want to!” he cried back. “Make Jayden!”

“Mason! You listen to me right now!”

“ButMom—”

“Oh my God,” I muttered. “This is off to a fantastic start.” I leaned in close to the door. “Mason, open this door or I’m going to let Andrew eat all the candy I brought you!”

“Aunt Riley!” he called happily. A moment later the door swung open to reveal my oldest nephew, a Nintendo DS in his hand. “I didn’t know you were coming!”

“Your mom just invited us for chili.”

He made a face. “Gross. I hate chili.”

“Me too!” Aiden echoed, appearing at his brother’s side. “It’s so gwoss!”

“Gross, dummy,” Mason said, pushing him. “Notgwoss.”

Aiden immediately burst into tears. “I’m not dumb!”

“Of course you’re not.” I bent to pick up the baby, plucking Mason’s DS from his hands as I pushed my way into the foyer. “You know you’re not supposed to call your brother names.”

“Aw, come on, Aunt Riley.”

“Go see if your mother needs help with anything,” I told him. “She sounds stressed out.” He made a face at me and I patted my purse. “Okay, I guess there’s just more candy for the rest of us.”

Mason stomped off towards the kitchen and I set Aiden down on the couch. “Here you go,” I said, handing him the DS.

“That’s a mean aunt move, right there,” Andrew said, shutting the front door behind him. “Taking the video game from one kid and giving it to the other?”

“He shouldn’t have called him a name, then,” I said. “He’s been doing that to both of his brothers lately. It’s bratty.”

“You would have loved me and my brother if you think that’s bratty.”

“Oh, I’m quite familiar with how bratty you and your brother are,” I told him. “You haven’t grown out of it at all.”

Rebecca stuck her head around the doorway to the kitchen. “Hey, guys!”