“No one grills a turkey, Herb. Standing outside in thirty degree temperatures with your Budweiser like it’s the Fourth of July.”

“Roxie likes my mesquite turkey. Don’t you Roxie?” Dad cal ed.

I closed my eyes and when I opened them, Hank’s face was al I saw.

“Have you changed your mind yet?” I whispered.

Slowly, he shook his head.

“Give them time,” I finished.

“Wel ? Roxie? You like my mesquite turkey, don’t you?” Dad asked.

I put my forehead to Hank’s chest for a second then lifted it away.

“Yeah Dad, I like your turkey.”

It was true. I did. It was great turkey. The best.

The bel over the door went and I peered around Hank’s shoulder to see Al y, Malcolm and Kitty Sue walking in.

My eyes widened, my body stil ed and I stared at Hank who moved, placing an arm around my neck, holding me reassuringly tight against his side.

“Did you cal them?” I asked Hank.

“Um… that would be me,” Indy said from behind me.

Good God.

“Roxie’s movin’ to Denver,” Daisy told Al y.

Al y’s eyes got bright. “Righteous,” she said.

Malcolm’s gaze settled on me and his eyes crinkled.

“I’m so pleased,” Kitty Sue smiled.

“Holy f**kin’ shit,” Tex boomed and I looked at him and his grin was so big, it split his face.

“Don’t look so damned happy,” I snapped at him as he pounded out from behind the espresso counter.

“I heard your Dad was here,” Malcolm said to me as he came close and kissed my cheek.

My eyes lost their scowl and I nodded to him with a weak smile. “Right here,” Uncle Tex said, pushing Mom and Dad forward.

“What’s going on?” Mom asked.

“This is the rest of Hank’s family. You already met Lee.

This is his sister Al y and his mother and father, Kitty Sue and Malcolm,” Uncle Tex did the introductions.

“Sweet Jesus!” Mom cal ed. “Sweet, sweet Jesus. I’m so happy to meet you.”

Mom went forward on a rush and gave Kitty Sue a big hug. To my shock, Kitty Sue didn’t recoil and not only accepted the hug but hugged Mom tight in return.

“I’m Herb. This is my wife, Trish,” Dad said, thankful y going the shaking hands route with Malcolm.

“Good to meet you,” Malcolm said.

They dropped hands and Dad took Malcolm in. “Your boys been lookin’ after my girl,” Dad told him.

Malcolm nodded. “That’s right.”

For a few beats, Dad and Malcolm just looked at each other. Something passed between them, something I could feel. I felt the tears sting my eyes and I pressed deeper into Hank. Al y’s gaze came to me and she winked. I smiled at her and felt the tears subside.

“Means I owe you a beer,” Dad said quietly.

“I’d like that,” Malcolm replied.

“I know. Let’s have a party!” Al y announced.

I was beginning to realize Al y didn’t need much of an excuse for a party.

“My party is tonight,” Daisy pointed out.

“We’l have it Friday night,” Al y said.

“Works for me,” Indy put in.

“Me too,” Jet said.

“You makin’ those caramel chocolate brownies?” Uncle Tex asked Jet.

“What caramel chocolate brownies?” Dad asked.

Uncle Tex turned to Dad. “Loopy Loo’s brownies beat the f**kin’ shit out of your turtle custard sundaes any day.”

“Them’s big words, big man,” Dad threw down the gauntlet.

“Fuckin’ better believe it,” Uncle Tex declared.

“You’re on,” Dad replied.

“I better make the brownies,” Jet mumbled.

I noticed everyone had drifted over, Lee, Eddie and the rest of the Hot Pack.

“You boys have tuxedos?” Daisy asked.

Al their eyes turned to her.

Even Daisy blinked under the force of the Hot Pack Stare.

“Okay,” she gave in. “I’l let you al in with suits.”

“Tuxedos?” Mom asked.

“Formal party, my house, tonight,” Daisy announced.

“Everyone’s invited.”

Mom gasped, then she uttered the immortal feminine words, “I don’t have anything to wear.”

“That’s okay, Trish. I’l take you shopping,” Kitty Sue offered, having missed most of the show and not having any idea what she was letting herself in for. I should probably have warned her but there was no time, Mom was forging ahead.

“Herb, we better go now. We need to get you a suit. I hope we can find somewhere that does one-day tailoring,” she said to Kitty Sue, linking her arm through Kitty Sue’s and leading her to the door. “We need to go somewhere to get logs and blankets. And we need to find a big grocery store. Maybe a Kmart, or better yet, a Target. They have ritzier stuff. Hank needs some stocking up.”

“Logs?” Kitty Sue asked.

“I don’t want Roxie freezing to death during one of your blizzards,” Mom explained.

The bel over the door jingled as they walked out, Dad throwing an eye rol over his shoulder as he fol owed, carrying his latte.

Once they’d gone, Hank curled me so I was facing him and I looked up.

“I gotta go to work,” he said.

I nodded.

“What time’s Daisy’s party?” he asked me.

“Seven o’clock. Come with your bel y empty, I’m havin’ a secret buffet in the kitchen for VIPs,” Daisy answered before walking away.

I put my arms around Hank as he watched Daisy walking away.

“The Rock Chicks have claimed you. You’re stuck now,” he said, looking down at me.

“Funny, I was thinking that about you, being stuck I mean.”

He rubbed his nose against mine, clearly not feeling stuck.

When his head came away I said, “I need to talk to Annette, tel her what’s going on and I need to cal my clients. I don’t think I’l lose any of them. I don’t need to be in Chicago to do my work. After I got that award I recruited clients outside Chicago, in Des Moines and Cincinnati.

They should be cool. I need –”

“Award?” Hank cut in.

I waved my hand between us. “Nothing, it was just some design award.”

He grinned at me.

The way he was grinning made me feel funny, al warm inside, like I’d done something great.