“Yes, that’s right. Max.”
I watched Max and the baby. He looked so natural, so perfect holding her.
It broke my heart.
“There really isn’t much to do,” Isa said, coming back into the kitchen. “I already put plates and utensils on the table. Do you want to get us drinks?”
“Sure. What would you like?” I asked.
“I’ll have water. Pierce will have a beer. There’s bottled water and Coronas in the fridge. We have tons of stuff, so just get whatever you and Max want. I sent Pierce to Costco yesterday and he came back with everything they had,” she laughed. “There are red plastic cups in the pantry if Max is still crazy about those.”
I laughed, grabbing the drinks. “So the plastic cups have been around for a while then?”
She nodded, pushing a set of gold bangles up her arm. “As long as I’ve known him. Pierce is the same way, unless it’s a Corona out of a bottle. I don’t get it, but it’s an easy way to make him happy, right?”
“Exactly. If I get an extra point for having those stupid cups around—good for me.”
Isa laughed as she took a pan out of the oven. “Men are simple creatures, really.”
“Is that recipe simple? Because that smells so good,” I noted, taking in the spicy goodness floating through the air.
She smiled wide. “It’s my grandmother’s recipe. One of those old-fashioned ones that you can’t find anymore. I’m so glad I was able to get it written down before she passed away. Her cookbook is one of the first things I’d grab if my house caught on fire.”
“Do you like to cook?”
“I do. But I make Pierce take me out to dinner once a week. Just because we’re married doesn’t mean he is gonna get out of wooing me,” she raised her eyebrows. “Gotta keep them working for it, you know what I mean?”
I laughed nervously. “Well, Max and I aren’t serious like that. But I see what you’re saying.”
She pulled back the foil, steam billowing out of the pan. “How long have you two been together?”
“Oh, a year or so, I guess.”
Isa leaned against the stove and looked at me. “That man of yours is one helluva guy. You better snatch that one up, let me tell you.” She shrugged her shoulders. “If you want him, that is. Someone will scoop him up if you don’t watch it.”
Her words scraped me to the core because they were true and I knew it. I couldn’t fathom seeing Max with someone else. The mere thought made me want to go wild or ‘ape-shit crazy’ as Cane would say.
“You know what? Forgive me. It’s none of my business. I have had a hard time keeping my mouth shut. Pierce says I have no filter,” she laughed. “Let’s take this stuff to the table.” She handed me a tray and I placed the drinks on it and followed her.
“Ah, Isa. That smells so good,” Max said as we got close. His hair was all rumpled from being under his hat and I just wanted to run my fingers through it. “You didn’t have to go outta your way to do this, ya know.”
She sat the pan on a mat and swatted Max’s shoulder. “Of course I did! I’ll put Jos in her high chair.” She reached for the baby but Jos buried her face in Max’s shoulder.
“Mwax!” she said, her voice muffled.
Isa laughed. “She’ll get it all over you. Just be warned—she’s trouble at the table.”
“She’s fine. You won’t ruin my shirt, right, Jos?”
She lunged for the silverware as I took my seat across from him.
“Who all have ya seen so far?” Max asked as we got settled in and began spooning the food onto our plates.
“My parents and my brother. A couple of guys from college.” Pierce lifted his fork to his mouth. “Your mama brought by a casserole this afternoon. She looks good.”
“Yeah, she’s doin’ real good. Dad’s retired now, so they just go around on their golf cart and they’re all into taking cruises these days.”
Isa unscrewed her water bottle. “Your mama is just a sweet thing. And Brielle, too. She’s supposed to be by tonight, actually.” She glanced at the large wrought iron clock on the wall.
Brielle, Max’s younger sister, was the feminine, younger version of Max with long, shiny dark hair and wide eyes. Max was very protective of her. I could tell he wanted me to get to know Bri, but she had an invisible wall built around her. She very clearly did not want to get to know me. I got the feeling she didn’t like me much and I wasn’t sure why, but we didn’t see each other often so it really didn’t matter.
“She doing okay?” Pierce asked, taking a drink of his beer.
“Yeah. She’s doing well. She’s been working for a dentist for a while now. She lollygagged around long enough and Dad finally had to tell her he was gonna stop paying her bills. That straightened her up pretty quick.”
“Is she still hanging around Samantha?” Pierce asked, smiling.