"Isn't it almost dark out?" Magnolia asked. "How is he still golfing?"
"It doesn't have to make sense, dear," Diana replied.
"How about a drink?" Linden asked from the doorway, several bottles of wine and beer cradled in his arm.
"Yes, please," Rob said, holding up his glass. "Whatever you're pouring, give it to me."
"You make it seem like your life is dreadful and requires drowning in any available liquor," Magnolia said.
"That is not it at all, my love," he said. "More like I just spent half an hour talking someone out of hosting a gender reveal party."
"But everyone knows we're having boys," Magnolia said.
"I know." Rob nodded aggressively. "I know. She wants to do it anyway. At the very minimum, there will be a baby brunch."
"What the hell is a baby brunch?" Magnolia asked.
Rob stared at her. "Does it even matter?"
"Oh my god," Magnolia groaned. She elbowed Ash. "Can't you just get married and distract her?"
Ash shook his head at her belly. "You got yourself into this. Get yourself out."
Linden pulled the cork on a bottle of red wine and filled Rob's glass. "To your health, my friend."
"What do you have for beer?" Zelda asked.
"I grabbed that white ale you liked last time," Linden said, showing her the label on a growler. "Does that work for you?"
"Oh yeah." She held up the wineglass beside her plate. "Should I get a different kind of glass?"
"I'll get it," Ash said to her, dropping a kiss on the crown of her head as he stood. To Linden, he said, "I'll take a glass of red."
"Red for Ash, red for Dad," Linden said to himself, "ale for Zelda, Diet Pepsi for Mom, black cherry seltzer and a splash of ale on the side for Maggie because she's weird and needs to smell beer, stout for me. That's everyone. Good. All set."
"What about Jasper?" Magnolia asked, her brows pinched up like she was deeply offended on my behalf. "You didn't mention her."
He stepped away, grabbed a bottle off the sideboard table. "I've got Jasper covered." He dropped a hand to my shoulder and held out the bottle to me. "Is this what you want tonight? Or something else?"
It was my bottle. The same one I'd had the night he visited me on the back porch. The same one he'd pulled out of his refrigerator the night we ate stew and popovers, the night I'd assumed it was a great big coincidence.
"That's perfect," I managed. My cheeks were hot. So hot. They had to be glowing red right now. "Thank you."
"No problem, Peach."
"There you are," Diana said as an older man dressed in golf gear bustled in from the hall. "We almost sent out a search party." She gave me an aggrieved frown. "Jasper, this is Carlo. My very tardy husband."
"Sorry I'm late, sorry I'm late," he said as he settled into his chair at the head of the table.
"Where have you been?" Diana asked. "Your round was supposed to finish two hours ago."
"The group ahead of us was moving slowly. Everything got backed up." He lifted his hands and offered a sheepish shrug. "I'm glad you didn't wait for me."
"You know I don't wait around when the food is hot and ready," she replied. "Especially not when we have a guest. Carlo, say hello to Linden's friend, Jasper."
He glanced around the table as if he needed a minute to find me in the sea of faces. As soon as he did, I felt something twist inside me. Something ominous.
"Good lord, you're the woman from the television. The one with the senator from Georgia."
I'd forgotten. For the past few days, I'd put Timbrooks and my hot-mic moment out of my mind. I'd forgotten long enough to be caught off guard and now I couldn't move. I couldn't even breathe.
"Dad," Linden warned.
There was a long, pulsing moment when everyone was completely silent. It was like the quiet between dropping a glass and when it hit the floor.
Then it shattered.
"I knew you looked familiar," Magnolia shouted.
"Wait a second. You're the one who said—about the senator?" Ash asked.
"How do you even know my brother? I don't understand how they know each other," Magnolia said to Rob. "Nothing makes sense right now."
"Watch yourself, Maggie," Linden said.
I was frozen stiff. Didn't move, didn't blink.
"What did I say?" she asked. "I said I don't understand anything and I just want someone to explain how you know this woman who is the modern day Joan of Arc, as far as some circles are concerned."
That seemed unlikely. Highly unlikely.
Ash wagged a finger at his sister. "Honestly, yes."
"Let's pass the rice, please," Diana said. "I don't cook rice so you can eat it cold."
I nearly laughed at that because I already loved this lady and her whole no bullshit except for the bullshit I want vibe. If I hadn't been completely frozen in panic, I would've passed the shit out of that rice for her.
Linden leaned in, his arm hooked over the back of my chair. "Are you okay?"
I nodded. That was the best I could do.
"I had no idea," Ash said with a slow shake of his head. "That day at the house, I had no idea."
"Are we talking about the candidate who dropped out of the presidential race? Like, a couple of weeks ago?" Zelda asked.
"Same one," Magnolia said to her. "Can we back up a second? What are you doing now, Jasper? What brings you to Massachusetts? And how do you know Lin?"
Rob lifted his wineglass. "It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am."
Carlo leaned forward, resting his forearms on either side of his plate. Diana rolled her eyes at that but didn't comment. Then he said, "Thanks for knocking that blowhard out of the race. I couldn't stand him."
After a beat, I laughed—hard. "You're welcome. I think."
"Okay, I really need the full story," Magnolia said. "Everything. Tell me everything."
"There is food on the table," Diana said. "And I did not invite Jasper here for you to grill her with your questions, Magnolia Lynn. As you're all well aware, we do not conduct business talk during supper. That goes for"—she glanced to me, her eyes politely dazed like she wasn't sure how to describe the squall I'd brought to her home—"political matters too."
"But I really want to know," Magnolia argued. "So does Dad."
"That entitles you to nothing," Linden said. His tone was absolutely lethal. I was actually surprised his family was still staring at us and not falling over, dead.
Suddenly, the freeze thawed enough to allow something inside me to click into place. I dug deep to find the smile I used to put others at ease, and the sweet, lilting tone that made everything I said sound gentle and complimentary. "I'm happy to offer some insight, aside from the pieces I've already shared publicly," I said with a self-deprecating laugh. "Though I couldn't bear to let this fabulous meal go cold."