Page 76 of Rafe: Sins of the Father

“I haven’t decided. Maybe smothered pork chops.”

“Oh, man. Those are the best. She makes them in a cast-iron skillet. They’re seared to a golden brown and then simmered with mushroom gravy. The meat is so tender. I’m drooling here, Ma.”

Crystal cuddles against her son’s side and looks at me, patting his chest. “The boy likes to eat, honey. I hope you can cook.”

“Um, not exactly.” I bite my lip.

Crystal waves her hand. “No problem. I’ll teach you a couple of his favorite recipes. As long as you have one or two in your repertoire, there’s not a fight they won’t fix.”

“Ma, don’t make her embarrassed,” Rafe says. “I’m sure her cooking is awesome.”

“There’s more to life than cooking, Rafe,” Crystal says. “And it doesn’t all fall to her. You do your share.” She leans toward me. “Wolf taught him how to grill like a champ, so you make him cook for you sometime.”

I grin. “Oh, he definitely should cook for me. I agree.”

We talk and laugh about stories from when the boys were little.

“One time, Rafe and Kyle decided to steal two shopping carts from the grocery store,” she says. “They wanted to race them down a hill near our house. When they came to the cross street, Kyle’s cart slammed into a passing car, and he was lucky to escape with only scrapes. Rafe’s cart went into a drainage ditch and he dislocated his shoulder.”

Sutton enters the kitchen, and Crystal loops her arm through hers. “Come here, Sutton. This is Tori, Rafe’s girl. Tori, this is the birthday girl, Sutton.”

“We’ve actually met already at the clubhouse.” I extend my hand. “Happy birthday, Sutton.”

“Thank you. I’m glad you could come, Tori.”

For a minute, it’s awkward, and then Rafe gives her a hug.

“Happy birthday, Sutton.”

She pulls back. “Thanks, Rafe. I heard you have a new job.”

“Yes,” I cut in. “My father’s lumber mill. Sawyer Lumber. Maybe you’ve heard of it?”

“Can’t say I have, but I think that’s wonderful. Is that how you two met?”

She meets Rafe’s eyes.

“Yep.”

“We actually couldn’t stand each other when we first met,” I spurt out, then kick myself. This beautiful woman makes me nervous and self-conscious. She’s leggy and probably has two inches on me. And with her standing next to Rafe, they look like the perfect magazine couple.

Or maybe it’s the way he’s staring at her.

“Really?” Sutton says. “How’d that change?”

“Oh, I, um… got into some trouble, and Rafe raced up the hill to save me.”

“Save you?” She looks from me to Rafe. “My, what a hero he is.”

Kyle comes to the archway. “Sutton, come on. They’ve got some presents for you.”

When they leave, Crystal follows them out, and Rafe and I are alone in the kitchen.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know what made me say all that,” I murmur, looking everywhere but at him.

He nudges my chin with his finger. “Hey.”

When I meet his eyes, he’s grinning.

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