“You’re looking good on the ice, Ty.”
“Thank you, sir.” Ty smiled at Gavin’s father, Jimmy Riley. Jimmy had heart surgery several months back, and ever since he’d been robust and healthy, had lost weight, and laughed more than anyone Ty knew. It was like getting a second chance had showed him how great life was.
“Don’t call me sir. Makes me feel old.”
“You are old, old man.” Mick, who sat on the sofa next to his dad, nudged him in the ribs.
Tyler wondered if Mick’s dad’s surgery was a motivating factor in the whole relocation thing. Almost losing someone you love could make you alter a lot of life decisions.
“You think I’m old, boy? Ha. Not too old that I can’t kick your ass in a game of Horse.”
Tara entered the room, crossed her arms, and rolled her eyes. “Here we go.”
“I’m young enough to take both of you with one hand tied behind my back,” Nathan chimed in.
Jimmy tilted his head back and laughed. “You’re teaching that boy well, I see,” he said to Mick.
Mick grinned. “Doing my best to make a smart-ass out of him.”
“Mick. Language,” Tara warned.
“And a quarter for the cuss jar, Dad,” Nathan said.
Tyler sat back and soaked it all in. The warmth, the obvious love they all felt for each other. This was what it was like when people genuinely cared for each other. No tension, no walking on eggshells, no pretending things were all right and everyone was happy when they weren’t. Because everyone in this house was happy.
“Dinner will be served as soon as Jenna gets here,” Kathleen said as she entered the room. “She’s just waiting for her relief to show up at the bar.”
Tyler had wondered if Jenna was going to be here. Now he knew.
She breezed in about twenty minutes later, tossed her purse on the table in the entryway, and flung herself onto the sofa next to her mother. Her mom kissed her cheek.
“Rough day?”
Jenna shrugged and propped her feet on the table. “Nah. Casey was late, as usual, but it wasn’t a busy day, so no big deal.”
Jenna greeted everyone, and her gaze landed on Tyler. She arched a brow. “What are you doing here?”
“Waiting to eat the great dinner your mother prepared. And Gavin invited me.”
Jenna shot Gavin a glare. Ty smirked.
“We played basketball earlier today, so I invited Ty to dinner. You have a problem with that?”
“Why would I care who comes to dinner?” She shrugged and pushed off the couch. “I’m going to get a drink. Anyone want one?”
She left the room and her mother rose, too. “I’ll go check the roast and put the potatoes on now that Jenna’s here.”
“I’ll come help you, Mom,” Tara said.
“Me, too.” Liz got up to follow, and Ty figured that was a signal for girl talk to commence, either about him or about the wedding. Or maybe both.
“What’s going on with you and Jenna?” Gavin asked.
“Nothing. I tried to get her to go out with me. She said no.”
Mick snorted. “She hates sports and any guy who plays them. Except her brothers, of course.”
“Dude. She barely tolerates us and we’re family.”
Mick nodded at Gavin. “True.”
Ty tilted the bottle of beer to his lips and took a long swallow, then nodded. “Yeah. She made it pretty clear I didn’t stand a chance.”
“Do you like her?”
Ty shifted his gaze to Nathan. “Yeah, I like her.”
“Then go for it.”
“Kind of like beating my head against a brick wall, kid.”
Nathan dragged his gaze away from the soccer game that was on to focus his full attention on Ty. “So? Dad always tells me not to give up on something I want.”
Ty didn’t plan to give up, but he wasn’t going to have this conversation with a teenager and Jenna’s brothers. “I’ll give it some thought. Thanks for the pep talk.”
“Anytime.”
Mick grinned over Nathan’s head at Ty. “He’s right. She’s stubborn, but we kind of like you.”
“We do, though I don’t know why,” Gavin added with a wink. “And God knows she never goes out. Give it a shot.”
“She said she was seeing someone.”
“She’s lying,” Mick said. “Tara said she’s not bringing anyone to the wedding. If she had a guy, she’d have a date. As far as I know she’s going solo.”
Interesting.
JENNA HID OUT IN THE KITCHEN WITH HER MOTHER until the last item had been dragged into the dining room. Then she had no choice but to join the family—and Ty—in there.