Page 90 of Almost Always

“Are we ready to eat?” Wyatt asked, the widest grin on his face.

At everyone’s nods, he returned to the grill. Daisy stole a kiss before Rafferty was gone as well, then she got up to help Roe set the table. Lanterns hanging on the pillars and beams of the porch provided some light, but they lit candles. Everything about the Bower home had a rustic vibe that she loved, but could never imagine for herself. Even the table was handcrafted by one of Wyatt’s friends, the texture was rough and uneven. She’d dined at that table with the Bowers before, she’d gotten stupid drunk with Roe on that patio too and that evening was another fantastic memory she’d recall for years to come.

The men brought the food over and they took their seats, refilling drinks and pouring out water. There was everything you needed to make your own burger or hot dog, there were also random cuts of meat that had been grilled to perfection, plus a salad that she’d helped Roe make soon after they got there.

In short, the dinner spread was perfect.

“Wait, she thought rainbows actually ended in pots of gold?” Wyatt asked through his laughter.

“You know what, Bower, I don’t think I like you anymore,” Daisy shot back, attempting to frown, but struggling to keep it straight.

They’d been swapping stories about their lives and childhoods all through dinner. Even though she knew so much about Monroe and Wyatt, she sat back and let them repeat it for Rafferty’s sake. Because he didn’t want to be left out, he started sharing stories about her and their time in New York. While she knew that he was telling them the stories lovingly and with a hint of nostalgia, to people who didn’t know their history it would sound silly.

Like the fact that the first time she followed a rainbow and didn’t find a pot of gold, she was so upset, she refused to speak to him for the rest of the day. Of course he embellished the story to suit his needs that evening, but she loved watching him tell it. It had been so long since she’d seen the way his eyes lit up like that. And the fact that he and Wyatt already had a shorthand was absolutely killing her.

“Maybe I should tell them about the time you kidnapped Mr. Delgado’s cat, hotshot,” she said, toying with the ends of his hair.

Rafferty coughed loudly and stopped laughing, eyes wide and pleading with her. It wasn’t even that bad a story, but it would seem that way out of context.

“Yes, weneedto know about the catnapper!” Roe howled.

“Come on, darlin’, we don’t need to tell themeverything.”

“Shut the fuck up, that’s what he calls you?” Roe said as her laughter petered out. “Rafferty, my man, you’re basically a walking wet dream for my friend here. Did you know that?”

Daisy narrowed her eyes. “Monroe Gardenia Bower.”

“Oh honey, she full-named you,” Wyatt whispered, eyes wide.

Rafferty glanced at her, eyebrow arched. “Wanna fill me in?”

She shook her head, but Roe wasn’t done. “We met at a singles event and most of the guys kept calling us ‘baby’ and ‘gorgeous’ and other silly terms. There was this guy that called her ‘sweetheart’ and she liked it. But then, someone called herdarlingand she just about died. Maybe even came a little on the spot.”

Daisy blushed, but continued to glare at her best friend. She could feel Rafferty’s eyes on her, but refused to look at him. “You’re a dead woman.”

“I’ll haunt you from the afterlife.”

“Hero,” he whispered and she heard her friend suck in a sharp breath. This time, she did turn to the man beside her. “Wanna tell them about the catnapping?”

He kissed the top of her head and she looped her hand around his arm as she settled in to tell the Bowers the story. How after months of visiting Mr. Delgado’s bodega every day and being harassed by the cat, Rafferty sent her in to distract the old man while he grabbed the cat and ran eight blocks while being scratched up. Wyatt and Roe stared at them in shock for most of the story, until she told them that Mr. Delgado called the police and gave them Rafferty’s description so they could find him and bring the cat back.

“So I come back hours later with his grandparents and there he was, sitting on the bench outside the bodega with cuffs on, and being stared down by two amused police officers,” she said, ending her story.

“In my defense, that cat was asking for it.”

“Dude, it was acat. That’s their entire personality,” Wyatt countered with a snort.

“It was a fucking demon cat, man. It would rub up against Daisy and claw at me. Tore a lot of my clothes too.”

“You know, I thought you were a good guy and worthy of my best friend. But I dunno,” Roe added, tilting her head as she pressed her lips together to fight her smile.

“Anyway, Mr. Delgado didn’t press charges. He banned us from the bodega for life and Mr. Ames grounded him for three months,” she said, grinning up at him.

Rafferty shrugged. “Worth it for the way it made you laugh.”

“Ugh, stop it. That’s disgustingly cute and I can’t handle it.”

Daisy laughed, but didn’t stop snuggling into Rafferty’s side. His lips stayed against her head as Wyatt regaled them with another story about him and his brother that made the catnapping sound tame. Monroe contributed a story as well before Rafferty told them about the time the two of them got lost in Central Park for hours. By then, the sun was slowly making its way down and the temperature had dropped slightly.

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