“I did no such thing!”

She widened her eyes before narrowing them to angry slits. “Yes you did. I told you three weeks ago I wasn’t going. And you acted like you didn’t hear me. I told you two weeks ago, ten days ago, a week ago, three days ago, yesterday. And you thought, oh, let’s be sure Nathan and Anne are there so she can’t say no. Well I’ve got a news flash for you, tightass, I’m not going. You all have a good time.”

“Why are you being like this? It’s a damned picnic and a football game! My family loves to go, we do it every year without fail. You think you’re too good for a football game?”

Hurt welled in her stomach. She put her shoes on and grabbed her purse. “If you think I’m the one who thinks she’s too good for anything you don’t know me at all. Go to your f**king snobby game and your f**king snobby picnic and while you’re at it, try noticing for the first time in your shiny life just who isn’t there. And you tell me it’s them who feel too good.”

She pulled at the door but he leaned against it, keeping it closed. “This is something you have to tell me, Tate. How can I understand if you don’t tell me?”

“I have told you! I’ve told you six times I don’t want to go. You don’t listen. Now let me leave. I don’t want to be here right now.”

“Too bad because I want you here and I want us to work this through. This is our house now. Why don’t you want to go?” He drew his knuckles down her cheek gently.

“Why do I have to give you an explanation to make it valid for you? Do I ask you for an explanation? When you say you don’t want to do something do I make you? Do I demand you explain why? Do I disregard everything you say and try to manipulate you into it?”

He sighed. “No. You’re right. I just want you to be with me. I won’t go if you don’t. It’s a family thing, I want you at my side. You’re part of that now. I want to show you off, I want to have you part of those memories. Please?”

His voice was so sad she knew she couldn’t hold onto her anger any longer. Knew she didn’t have it in her to refuse. She leaned her forehead on his chest. “All right. I’ll bring baked beans and potato salad. I’m sure your mother is frying eighteen chickens and Maggie is making pies.”

He tipped her chin up so he could see her face. “Your pies are better.”

“I’m not usurping Maggie’s spot. She’s the one who makes pies and cakes and stuff and she’s really good at it. Stop making trouble. You’re very spoiled you know.”

“I do. Thank you for agreeing to come. Will you make that pasta salad too? The kind with the feta cheese in it?” He fluttered his lashes and she sighed.

“Pushing your luck.”

“I know. But I’ll make it worth your while. We’ve got about twenty minutes until we have to go…”

She growled but allowed him to guide her back toward their bedroom.

Hell had a name and it was the Homecoming game. Well, no probably the game was purgatory and the picnic would be hell. She could hardly wait to see.

“You look like you sucked on a lemon.” Shane seated himself next to Tate and Cassie grinned around him, waving her hello.

“Do I? Because I was only thinking happy thoughts. Do you think I’ll be able to fly?” Tate asked in a sing-song voice.

Cassie snickered and Shane allowed an upturn of one corner of his mouth.

Matt squeezed her against him. “You know how sexy I find it when you get all snarky, don’t you?” he murmured into her ear and she laughed.

“It’s hard to take a grown man who still wears his high school colors to a game seriously.” She arched a brow at him and the green and white he wore.

Shane laughed aloud at that. He squeezed her from the other side, kissing the top of her head. “It’s not that bad, darlin.”

“Hmpf.”

But they’d surrounded her, blocking all routes of escape. Chases and Murphys all around her. Well, Tim and William had begged off, the traitors. They had wives and kids so they got to stay home. She’d get even for that. There were two drum sets with her niece and nephew’s name on them for Christmas. She prayed Liv would hurry up and go into labor so they could leave.

It wasn’t that she didn’t like football. She did in fact. She enjoyed the game a lot. It was the atmosphere at the game she hated. Her kind had never been welcome at Homecoming events, that had been spelled out, bolded and underlined as she grew up.

She’d shielded the others the best she could, taking the brunt of the abuse but her memories of all the tears they’d shed over it still lay inside. Beth had told her it didn’t matter now, that she’d made it all right and they’d be there for each other but judging by the hostile looks she was getting just then, it wasn’t going to be an easy night.

“Walk with me to get some sodas and stuff?” Matt kissed her nose and winked.

Feeling claustrophobic and hemmed in by the wall of Shane Chase to her left, she agreed. He led her out and down the bleachers toward the concession stands.

Matt loved the way Tate looked that evening. Her hair hung loose, a wide, shiny red band holding it away from her face. Her sweater matched the band and the skirt was long and flowing, just to the ankles of the seriously sexy high-heeled boots she had on.

“Venus, have I told you how sexy you look tonight?” He stood behind her in the line, his arms wrapped around her shoulders, holding her to him.