stove right now,” Teresa sighed. “I’m hungry. I hope Will brings lots of pizza. I could eat a whole one all by myself.”
As if on cue, someone knocked on the front door, and then Will’s deep voice floated into the kitchen. “Pizza delivery.”
“We’re back here.” Kayla didn’t even have time to stand up before Will was in the kitchen.
“I wasn’t sure what kind everyone liked, so I got four different ones.” Will set them on the counter. “I’ll be right back with the ice, cups, and a gallon of sweet tea.”
“Need some help?” Noah asked.
“Nope. It’s all in one bag.” He disappeared out the back door and returned in a couple of minutes carrying a tote bag printed with Disney characters on it. “Don’t judge me.” He grinned. “My Sunday school class gave me this for Christmas last year. I think maybe the little girls won the fight on which one to buy. And if I had to guess, the little redhead named Zoe led the pack. Y’all remember Tammy Revas, who graduated with Teresa? That’s her mother.” He set a bag of ice in the sink and took out half a dozen red plastic cups.
Kayla got up with a groan and said, “Let me help with that.”
Noah followed her lead, picked up all the pizzas, and set them on the floor. “With no table, we’ll have a picnic.”
Will and Kayla brought cups filled with ice and tea and joined Sam, Teresa, and Noah on the floor. Kayla opened the boxes and said, “Dinner is served.”
“I forgot!” Will jumped up and pulled a roll of paper towels from the tote bag. “I even brought napkins. This white paint sure does make the place look lighter and brighter. I think I’ll go with white, too, when we start painting my new place. I’m pretty pumped about having a house.” He tore off a couple of napkins for each one of them. “I’ve lived in an apartment since my folks sold their place and went to the assisted living place. I’m pretty excited to think about putting some roots down.”
“I’m gettin’ too old for this.” Sam chuckled. “I’ll let you kids do that job and finish up here as well. Soon as I get done eating, I’m going home to stretch out in my recliner and moan about my sore muscles, but when y’all paint Will’s place, I’ll smoke a brisket and y’all can come over to my place to eat, but I’m not painting any more houses.” He finished off his pizza and got to his feet with a loud groan.
“I’d paint the White House for good brisket,” Noah said with a laugh. “But I thought you didn’t like to cook.”
“I don’t, but smoking or barbecuing ain’t cookin’.” Sam grinned as he waved goodbye to all of them and left by the back door.
Kayla couldn’t keep her eyes off Will or her mind off the kisses they’d shared after the reunion.
You never felt this way with Denver, the voice in her head reminded her.
No, I did not, but then Denver never looked at me the way Will does. I always felt like I was only a step up from him being my pimp. He never asked me to go out on the street, but he always took whatever money was left after the bills were paid, she thought.
As if he’d read her mind, Will said, “I was surprised to see Denver at the reunion with a new wife. How long have y’all been divorced? Don’t answer that. I have a habit of saying things before I think, and that was rude.”
“Not rude at all,” she said. “We never got married. We had lived together for nearly nine years when I finally left him. For several months, I was off the grid, as they say on the cop shows. Cash-only jobs, and for a while I was sleeping on park benches or in a bus station, anyplace where it was warm in the winter or cool in the summer. I was living with a homeless group under a bridge before I landed a job working as a housekeeper for a cranky old lady. Denver was a mistake, and I’m glad that he’s in the past.”
“I imagine all of us have made our fair share of mistakes,” Will said, not a flicker of judgment in his eyes at her revelation.
“I’m done.” Noah downed the last of his tea. “It’s time to start on the bedrooms and bathrooms. We sure appreciate the pizza, Will,