to us than that, but I have great instincts. I doubt everything but my gut.”
“There was Pamela,” she reminded him.
“It didn’t feel like this,” he said. “And there was Brad...”
She gave a short laugh. “Nothing like this.”
* * *
The second week in November, Beth hosted a dinner so they could meet Beau. She chose a Sunday because there would be no photography jobs and she guarded the date. She cleaned like a wild woman and rode Chip and the boys hard. She was going to make her best dish, which happened to be a pretty ordinary slow-cooker lasagna that tasted wonderful. Along with that, fresh spinach salad with red onion, mushrooms and hard-boiled eggs. She’d make jalapeño poppers to start—guys loved those. And Lauren promised to bring a cake for dessert.
It wasn’t a complicated meal, but it took Beth two days to get ready. She wasn’t sure exactly why. It wasn’t so much to impress this new guy Lauren said was wonderful. It was more the anxiety of hoping this wasn’t another mistake for her sister. If this was a good guy, she wanted it to work. True, Lauren had only been on her own a few months, but she’d left her marriage and been alone for years. Only Beth knew how truly lonely her sister had been, especially when both her daughters were living away from home.
“No, you’re not wearing that,” she said when she saw Chip dressed in sweatpants and an oversize Giants T-shirt with grease stains on it.
“You said it would be casual,” Chip argued.
“That’s not casual,” she said. “That’s the vagrant look. I put your clothes on the bed.”
“Seriously?”
“When your friends and family come to dinner, you can dress yourself,” she informed him.
She had also put out clothes for the boys. For once in their lives they didn’t grumble or argue because they could tell she was on a tear and life wasn’t going to get any easier until this “introduction dinner” was behind them. Beth put a little extra time into her own prep. Although she kept her hair short and easy, for this party she used the blow-dryer and applied makeup. Even eye makeup, which she never wore because looking into the camera made it smear and glop. She put on a sleek black pantsuit, one she reserved for their nights out. On her way to the kitchen she stopped off at the man cave, straightened up, sprayed air freshener all around.
When she went into the kitchen she saw Chip leaning against the counter, drinking a beer. He tilted his head toward the great room. Stefano and Ravon sat side by side, hair combed, faces scrubbed, wearing the clothes she had put out for them. Ravon held on to Morty’s collar so he wouldn’t run around like a dog. Which he was.
“Look at you,” Chip said to Beth. He grinned lasciviously. “Maybe they’ll go home early.”
“I’m counting on your manners.”
“What happens if we just act normal?” Ravon asked.
“I’ll make your life hell,” she said.
The doorbell rang.
“Showtime,” Chip said. And Beth whacked him in the arm.
Lauren, Beau and Drew came in. Lauren was carrying her cake. She looked like she always looked, slacks pressed with a crease, boots with a heel, cashmere sweater. “Wow,” she said. “Look at the Shaughnessy family. We going to church tonight?”
“Funny,” Beth said. “Hi,” she said, sticking out her hand to Beau.
“Beau and Drew, meet my sister, Beth, brother-in-law, Chip, nephews Ravon and Stefano. And Morty,” she added. Morty was straining at the hold Ravon had on his collar. He desperately wanted to jump on the company.
There was hand shaking, smiling, welcoming.
“Nice place,” Beau said.
“Great yard,” Drew said, stretching his neck to look through the patio door. “Is that a basketball hoop out there?”
The boys nodded. “We’re not allowed to have fun tonight,” Stefano said. “Or she’ll make us pay.”
Drew loved it. “Not if I talk you into it. Show me the back. Come on. And let go of the dog before he passes out.”
Chip put a hand on Beau’s shoulder. “Let’s get you a drink.”
“I’ll take one of those,” he said with a nod toward Chip’s beer.
“Thank God you got here before she made us paint and reupholster,” Chip said.
The table was set, the lasagna was ready and staying warm, the poppers were ready to go in the oven. Chip took Beau outside with the boys and lit the fire pit. The men were going to bond.
“Beth, you went to a lot of trouble,” Lauren said.
“I did,” she admitted.