Page 59 of Beaten

“Game’s over boys.” Dad chimed in, “Unless you can play like civilized adults.”

I heard AJ grumble, “Where’s the fun in that?”

“What was that, Janerek?” His grin lessened the threat in his question.

“Nothing, sir.” AJ was only willing to push my dad, his boss, so far. Even if he didn’t seem upset. Funny how he never worried about that with me or Jack.

I’d been so focused on not getting yelled at that I hadn’t noticed Beth or her five-year-old son, Chase, until I heard him giggling. He loved it when dad got all authoritarian with us. I think it’s because we all stand at attention like the obedient soldiers we are whenever he used that tone.

“Beth, Chase, glad you could make it.” I walked over and hugged Beth before picking up Chase and swinging him around. “You’re getting so big. I won’t be strong enough to lift you if you keep growing.”

He hugged me back, giggling, then asked, “Where’s Auntie Meg?” He was squirming to lookaround me, so I put him down and pointed him in the right direction. He ran towards her, squealing.

Meg had met Beth, one of my mom’s closest friends, when she started working at Grannie’s, mom’s coffee shop, and they’d became fast friends. One night, Beth needed a babysitter on short notice and Meg had volunteered. She and Chase had been ‘bestest friends’, as he liked to say, ever since. Meg adored him as much as he adored her.

Jack grabbed Chase and lifted him up just before he barreled into Meg. “Whoa there, little buddy, let’s not knock Auntie Meg over, okay?”

“Okay.” He sounded impatient. “Put me down.”

Beth yelled, “Chase! Manners.”

“Please?”

“As you wish.” Jack winked at Meg as he placed Chase on his feet.

Meg went to one knee so she could hug him. “Hey Chase. What’s up?”

“I got a new coloring book and dinosaurs…” Chase talked up a storm, going a mile a minute. Meg listened patiently, indulging him until he got bored.She’ll be a great mom someday.

Beth made the rounds, greeting, or meeting, everyone. Then, as we watched Meg help Chase cheat at bags against Jack, I happened to look at Beth. She wasn’t watching Chase. She was staring across the game, at Doug.Really?I looked at Doug to see if he’d noticed, but he was busy checking the ribs.

Chapter 27

Emily

Icouldn’t stop thinking back to Jamie putting his hand on my lower back as he introduced me to Beth's son, Chase. He hadn’t left it there long, just long enough for me to miss it after he moved it.

And for his parents to notice. Neither said anything, but Mary’s eyes sparkled with joy.

Doug announced, “ribs are done,” as he carried over a tray heaping with slabs of barbequed meat. My mouth watered as the sweet smell wafted over to us. Everyone commented on how good they looked and smelled as we took our seats. Doug set the tray down, then bowed his head in appreciation as he soaked up our rowdy applause. AJ carried over a second tray and placed it on the other end of the table before sitting down next to Ashley.

Once again, there was enough food to feed a small army. We heaped our plates with ribs, cornbread, potato salad, andcorn on the cob. I savored every bite, and anytime I heard Craig’s voice scolding me, I looked at everyone laughing and stuffing their faces, and reminded myself that he was wrong. It didn’t matter if I indulged, or even over-indulged, on a good meal. No one here would judge me, and my value as a person wasn’t tied to my waist size. It was the perfect meal. Somewhere between my first and second piece of corn bread—I had to have two because Beth had made regular and jalapeño and it would have been rude not to try both—my anxiety about me and Jamie dating started to fade away. The steady flow of wine might have helped, but mostly it was the warm, welcoming atmosphere.

Jamie’s phone interrupted my thoughts. “Hey Eric, you’re just in time, come around the back and grab some food.”

We all scooted to make room for the two part-time SSI workers who’d just arrived. Jamie introduced me and Ashley to Sammie and Eric, which felt a little weird, since they’d been sitting outside my house, shadowing me, but also made perfect sense because we hadn’t actually met yet. It was nice to officially meet the people who sat outside my house day after day, keeping me safe.

After dinner, we played more bags, and this time everyone behaved. Chase insisted on teaming up with Meg. When I told Jamie I thought Chase had a crush on her, he agreed, saying, “Jack likes to tease Chase about trying stealing his girl.”

Ashley and AJ challenged me and Jamie to a game. I tried to decline, because I legit sucked at most games that required hand-eye coordination, but they wouldn’t let me.We lost, despite Jamie’s high point count. Jamie handled AJ’s trash-talk like a champ. I was too, until fear swept through me. Would Jamie be upset that we lost? Craig hated to lose at anything, and would get angry, especially if he thought it was my fault. And Jamie and I definitely lost because of me.

Jamie must have sensed my worry because he held my hand and said, “We’ll get ‘em next time.” My shoulders dropped about two inches as the tension drained from them.Hedoesn’t care that we lost.Hejoked about how bad I was as we walked away, whispering that he couldn’t wait to give me private lessons. I blushed, hoping the private lessons would include physical contact.

Chase wanted to play against his mom, so Beth asked John to be her partner. At one point I thought I saw Doug watching Beth, no, not watching, staring. But I dismissed it, somehow I couldn’t image stoic Doug having a thing for happy-go-lucky Beth.

I challenged Ashley and AJ to a rematch with some wine-induced smack-talk. Ashley promptly told me I talked a big game for someone who had to rely on her partner to score all the points. Jamie laughed and told her he’d happily help me kick their asses and let me take all the credit.He’s so sweet.

We won, by one point.

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