Naughty Neighbor - Lauren Runow Page 0,56

Either it’s a show or these two really are in love.

Penelope is looking at them wistfully. “Someday, I’ll get to where they are. I’m still waiting for my Mr. Right. Now, Lacey, if you can just tell me where I can meet a man, you’ll be more than my favorite author. I’ll be your best friend.”

I let out a loud laugh. “Well, you could start by knocking on your neighbor’s door.”

Both girls grin as they glance each other’s way.

“Chicken’s on the grill,” Louis announces. “Does everyone have a drink, or can I get anything?”

Jake walks through the back door with two drinks in his hands. “Dad, take a load off. I’ll finish everything.”

Louis brushes him off. “You go sit with your girl. Besides, I can tell by the holes in your pants that you’ve already been working too hard.”

Looking down at his charcoal jeans, Jake explains, “They’re stylish.”

Louis points his utensil at them. “They cost too much to have holes in them.”

With a shake of his head, Jake laughs. “That’s the point!”

He heads toward his mom, who’s standing at the outdoor dining table, and grabs the plates from her hands.

There’s a sweet nature to Jake. He’s both caring and helpful. I’ve always seen him as this player from next door. Knowing now how charismatic he is in any situation paints him in a different light.

We all casually hang out while we wait for dinner to be ready. Wayne blends in as if he’d been around them his whole life. If I were to see them for the first time and someone asked me who I thought was family and who I thought had married in, I wouldn’t be able to tell.

They all talk and laugh like they’ve known each other their entire lives, and Louis acts the same with his son-in-law as he does his daughters. When I see him tease Wayne for his new haircut, I’m both shocked and happy that he doesn’t take offense or think it’s weird. He treats Louis just like he would his own father by cracking a joke about him going bald.

I guess I’m surprised because I’ve never had family like this. I have no siblings, no dad, and my aunts and uncles or grandparents live far away, so I only see them on occasion. Just saying people are your family doesn’t make them the true definition. Charisse and Melody are more my family than my blood relatives are.

Milène is telling everyone a story of how she stood up to her daughter’s teacher the other day when I hear Penelope yell out, “Liar, liar, chickallo dire. There’s no way you said that to her.”

Milène holds her arms up in defense. “I swear. I was so mad.”

I look at Penelope, trying to hold back my laugh. “What did you just say to her?”

Penelope and Milène burst out laughing as Wayne fills me in, “You’ll learn they have a lot of, what they call, ‘Jakeisms,’ ” he says, holding up his fingers as quotation marks.

“Jakeisms?” I ask, confused.

“Yes, there are tons of them,” Wayne says. “I never hear him say them, but they bring it up all the time.”

“So, when Jake was younger, he thought he knew all the lyrics to songs and things that people would say. Only he didn’t. He used to watch this show where they would say, ‘Liar, liar, pants on fire.’ So, one day, something was happening, and Jake busted out with, ‘Liar, liar, chickallo dire,’ ” Milène says.

“But those aren’t real words.” I squint my eyes, trying to figure out his logic.

“Exactly! That’s why we still say it to this day. He for sure thought that was what the kids on TV were saying.”

Milène covers her mouth like she’s been caught saying something she shouldn’t have. When I follow her gaze, I see Jake coming back to join us with a smirk, shaking his head.

“Are you guys seriously telling her about liar, liar, chickallo dire?” he asks.

Everyone laughs.

“Hey, we were just having a conversation, and I called Milène out. It was Wayne here who said it was a Jakeism.” Penelope states matter-of-factly.

“Way to throw me under the bus,” Wayne teases.

“So, what other Jakeisms are there?” I ask.

“No!” Jake says quickly, pointing to everyone but trying to hold back his grin.

Milène scoots over to me, whispering in my ear, “Don’t worry. You’ll learn a few more by the time the night’s over. Just pay attention.”

“Will you get away from her?” Jake shoos her away. “Dinner’s ready, so come on. Chow’s on.”

I