Page 113 of Show Off

“Is this seat okay?

She glances around, and I cross my fingers she won’t object. “As long as Korain’s okay with it.” She turns to my uncle and smiles. “Can you see well enough from there?”

“See what?” He looks at me and I pray he won’t spoil the surprise.

Who am I kidding? The man knows how to keep a secret.

“I have a perfect view,” he says as he pulls out a chair. “Of the bride and groom, and of all the special toasts.”

“Oooh, toast!” Lana grabs a tiny shrimp toast with scallion-chile sauce off a passing tray. “Yum.”

My uncle smiles as he watches us sit. “Seeing the two of you together warms my heart.”

“Aww, thanks.” Lana settles into her chair with a smile. “I love that you decided to stay. Family’s important.” She looks at me. “Did I tell you my parents plan to settle full time at their Cherry Blossom Lake house?”

“No kidding?”

Lana looks bemused. “Dad says it’s the perfect spot to co-write their marriage self-help book.”

Christ on a cracker. “I wish them well with that.”

“I’m sure you do.” Lana grins, but she’s not snarky about it. It’s true I’ll never be besties with Laurence and Shirleen.

But her dad and I golf together sometimes, and Shirleen pulled me aside at the last family gathering. “I’d like to apologize again for what I did that day. On Jamila’s show?”

“It’s okay.” I knew what she meant without spelling it out. “I wasn’t my best self that day, either.”

“Guess that’s something else we have in common.” Shirleen’s eyes misted as she watched her husband across the room. He stood laughing with Lana, a hand on his daughter’s shoulder. “That, and loving Lana.”

It’s a good place to start, finding common ground with the Judsons. With my possible future in-laws.

The chair right beside me scoots out, and I look up to see Mari. “Are these three seats taken?”

“Join us,” Lana says, and they do.

Korain lifts his beer stein at Mari’s husband. “Is this one of yours?”

“You bet.” Griff points to his daughter’s drink. “Also brewed the pink lemonade soda.”

“Which is delish.” Soph takes a big gulp of hers and then sighs. “Can I go see Sawyer?”

“Sure.” Mari points toward the room at the end of the hall, which serves as the wedding daycare. “Give him a kiss and then hurry back. Dinner’s being served soon.”

Not for another ten minutes. I glance at my watch, wanting to time this right. To have everything go perfectly tonight.

“You got a hot date?” Lana leans close, hair tickling my nose. “You keep checking your watch.”

Busted. “Just confirming the timeline on the meal service.”

“Once a chef, always a chef.” She kisses my cheek, blond hair tickling my chin. “What are you most excited to taste?”

I give her a meaningful look as pink stains her cheeks. “Besides that,” she adds, and I smile.

“Maybe the potato gratin with tart apples and herb-infused cream.” That’s nowhere near the most exciting thing this evening. “How about you?”

“The chowder parade looks appealing.” She points to the table in the corner, where all five of my first-choice chowders sit waiting in big black kettles. The chefs came from around the state to serve their starred creations, which was Ji-Hoon’s idea. “If I hadn’t already tried all of them, I’m not sure where I’d start.”

Accepting champagne from a passing waitress, I hand Lana a flute. “To weddings,” I say, ignoring my brother’s big grin at the table behind us. “Can’t beat a good party with sex at the end.”

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