I glance at Nora, who looks entirely too unperturbed. Can she not read the room? The tension is maddening. The glances are terrifying. And the unknown is slowly making me sweat out of my shirt.
Then again, I’ve always gotten along with my sister, so the Chance siblings’ dynamic is untouched territory for me.
“Do not answer that,” Cooper says, speaking with enough venom that Nora crosses her arms over her chest. From the look she gives him, Cooper is going to have to climb back from that little mistake. “Drop the cake shit, Palmer. It’s been settled. This is my date with Nora—focus on yourself.”
“Are you going out with her just to get your way?”
“Are you serious with that?” Cooper fumes.
“Can you two stop?” Ford leans in, startling me with his commanding voice.
“Ford, don’t,” Larkin says. “Let them do their thing.”
“They’re being obnoxious.” Ford glares at his siblings. “You two are ruining everyone’s evening.”
“Everyone’s or yours?” Palmer asks. “No one else in the restaurant seems to care what’s going on over here in this small circle of hell.”
I pick up my water glass and take a sip. Circle of hell indeed.
I need to help turn this around, bring it back to us, settle Palmer, who seems to be rattled and ready to dig her claws in.
Everyone just needs to take a big, deep breath together.
Reaching out, I grab Palmer’s hand. “Hey, why don’t you tell me what’s good here. What should I order?”
She glances at both of her brothers and then back at me. Her expression softens, and she nods. “Sorry,” she whispers and takes a deep breath. “Okay, you’re going to want to try the roasted brussels sprouts with bacon; they are—”
“Smelly,” Cooper says. “Unless you want everyone, yourself included, to smell like dirty socks when you leave here, don’t get them.”
“That’s not true at all. They don’t smell like a dirty sock, and it’s one of their best dishes. They wouldn’t still have it on the menu if it made people smell,” Palmer retorts.
“I’ve smelled like a sock before,” Ford says quietly, surprising me.
I glance over at Larkin, who has a furious look on her face. “Ford, stop.”
“Sorry,” he says.
Palmer chuckles. “Already have the upper hand—nice, Larkin.”
“Hey,” I say to Palmer. “Focus here.”
“Right. Sorry.”
“And look who has the upper hand over there,” Cooper says. “At least I know Nora owns me.”
Nora lifts her glass to the group. “Cheers.”
How on earth can she be so calm right now? At this point, I want to crawl into my own scrotum from the tension bouncing around among everyone.
“Do Mom and Dad know you’re seeing Dr. Beau?” Cooper asks Palmer.
Palmer keeps her eyes on her menu. “Haven’t had the chance to tell them.”
“Really?” I ask, a little surprised.
“You haven’t told your parents about Beau?” Larkin asks.
“I’d be interested to hear what they have to say,” Cooper says, and his tone makes me incredibly uneasy.
“Why do you say it like that?” Palmer asks.
“Cooper,” Ford says from across the way. He shakes his head in warning. “Drop it.”
“Drop what?” Palmer asks, looking between her brothers.
“Is there something your parents don’t like about my brother?” Larkin asks. Ford attempts to take Larkin’s hand, but she pulls away. “There’s nothing wrong with Beau. He’d be a great catch for your sister.”
“I’m aware. He’s great for her. Let’s go back to our dinner.”
Larkin crosses her arms over her chest. “No, I would like to hear Cooper explain what’s wrong with my brother.”
“Nothing’s wrong with him,” Cooper says. “Dr. Beau is a great guy.”
Thanks for that. Doesn’t help the massive pools of sweat gathering under my arms.
“So why would you be interested to hear what your parents have to say about them dating?” Larkin asks.
Cooper picks up his water glass and looks Larkin in the eyes. “You know, because of the fire.”
My stomach plummets, and the fear on Palmer’s face matches the fear that’s coursing through my body.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
NORA
Talk about an absolute dumpster fire.
I’ve known the Chance family for a while, since our parents are friends, so I’ve seen my fair share of their fights. I’m willing to bet most of the island has heard the hushed bickering in the back of their store or seen the uncomfortable glares the siblings give each other around town.
But this night . . .
Man, oh man, it is next level.
Larkin fluctuates between anger and the desperate attempt to get Ford to ignore what’s going on between his brother and sister.
Ford’s eyebrows are doing the cancan over there. Angry, then date mode. Angry, date mode. Up, down. Up, down.
Palmer started out with a vengeful confidence that screamed “insecurity” the minute we showed up, but now she’s wilting like a flower in the heat.
Beau . . . well, Beau looks like he wants to pull his scrotum over his head and hide.
Cooper is swirling the ice in his water glass like an evil mastermind, lost in his defense of pulling the attention away from him, which makes me slightly sad. He’s made such progress in growing into a new man and being able to communicate effectively. What is it about his siblings that makes him take two steps backward in his progress?
And me. Well, I’m trying not to outwardly show how my nipples have inverted from the awkwardness that has descended over the three cramped tables.
From an outsider’s perspective, I might look cool and calm, as if this isn’t bothering me, but that’s not the case. I’m trying to discern where this is all going so I can mentally prepare for what’s to come.
“What, uh . . . what about the fire?” Palmer asks.
“Good evening,” the waitress says, stepping up to us. “How are we doing?”
“Vodka and tonic, please,” I say, not even waiting for her spiel. Mama needs something to ease the discomfort settling over her shoulders. Alcohol, I need all of the alcohol.
Cooper glances at me and then at the waitress. “IPA. Could you bring those out first and then we’ll work on the menu?”
“Sure thing.” She moves over to Palmer and Beau. “Good evening—”
“A bottle of wine. I don’t care what kind, just bring me a bottle,” Palmer says.
“And an extra wineglass,” Beau adds.
“Sure, and for food . . .”
“We’ll get back to that.”
“Very well,” the waitress answers nervously and then moves over to Ford and Larkin.
“Water is fine for me,” Larkin says.
“Me too,” Ford says.
Ooof, talk about a stiff table. Yikes.
“And are you going to wait on the food?” the waitress asks.
“Unfortunately, we haven’t had a chance to look at the menu thoroughly,” Ford answers.