Page 89 of Seasons of Love
It’s dark outside, and I can’t even lie to myself. I love my sister, but I’m a creature of habit, and I’d rather be home planning next year’s lessons.
A car pulls up to their driveway and someone gets out. A moment later, the doorbell rings and Alice rushes to the door, probably so it doesn’t wake the kids.
“Hey, glad you could make it,” I hear her say. “Follow me, and I’ll get you a glass of wine. Dinner will be ready in a minute. We’re just waiting for Max to come down.”
Alice comes into the kitchen and behind her is a man who, from the look on his face, is as surprised to see me as I am to see him.
Where’s Darius?
“I better do some introductions, right?” Alice asks, pouring a glass of my wine and giving it to the guy. “Tyler, this is my older brother, Ellis. He moved here a few months ago and teaches at the elementary school.” Then she turns to me. “Ellis, this is Tyler. He’s kind of a transplant from somewhere.” She makes a zip motion over her lips. “Don’t ask, he’ll never confess, but he’s lived here for so long I don’t think anyone remembers a Tyler-less time.”
Tyler holds out his hand, and I shake it.
“Nice to meet you,” I say.
“Likewise.”
Alice leads us to the dining room and insists on placing Tyler opposite me.
Thank you, sister, for not making this awkward at all.
I take the guy’s features in. He’s good-looking, but his eyes are weary. I notice we’re about the same height, but he carries himself with some reluctant confidence. It’s as if he’s used to being in charge but doesn’t know what to do when he’s in unknown territory.
“So, Tyler, what sins did you commit to have to endure my sister’s cooking?” I ask.
He runs his hand over his short scruff. “I don’t quite know, but if you know your sister, you know there was no way out for me. So here I am.”
I laugh. “Yeah, she certainly has a way of making you do things.”
Max sits next to me and leans forward on the table with a pleading expression. “Please say the food is good. I have to live here. I’ll buy you drinks next week.”
Both Tyler and I share a look and chuckle.
I’m not one for stereotypes, but Alice insists on serving everyone herself like she’s a fifties stay-at-home parent, which is so not her style. Tyler and I share another look. I hope the food is good because there’s so much on the plate I don’t think we could fake it if it’s not.
It’s not that Alice is a terrible cook. She’s just very adventurous, and it doesn’t always work out.
She raises her wine glass in a toast.
“To finding love in unexpected places.”
And that’s when Tyler and I stare at each other, realizing Alice has set us up.
“Babe…” Max pleads.
“What?” Alice asks with her most innocent voice. “Come on, let’s try the ragu.”
The food is superb—well done, little sis—and the conversation flows nicely. I always forget that without the kids, my sister is an actual adult sometimes.
Tyler and I share a few smiles, but I think we both know there’s no spark.
Alice is delighted that we’ve cleared our plates and leaves us with the excuse to slice up the cheesecake and make us all some coffee, while poor Max is once again sent upstairs to check on the sleeping kids.
“I’m so sorry,” I say to Tyler once we’re out of earshot. “She’s been trying to get me to start dating from the day I arrived here, but trying to set me up is a new level of crazy, even for Alice.”
Tyler raises his hand. “It’s okay. I was hoping for dinner with friends, and I can’t say it was too bad. I’m sorry, and I don’t want to be rude, but…” He shrugs and shakes his head.
“Yeah, me neither.”
