Page 13 of Worth the Rush
“Hey, where’s my kiss, Winnie?” Rhett shoots me a dirty look at that. I love pissing him off. I actually attribute him finally making his move with her to me pissing him off. Winnie smiles at me and winks. She’s always down to play a game with me.
“Rhett, calm down. I haven’t kissed Alder in…” She pauses as if she has to think about the fact that we have never kissed. Rhett’s jaw may not survive how hard he’s clenching it. A laugh bursts from me. “…ever!” Winnie finishes, and we’re both laughing as Rhett takes a breath. “I love that you still get jealous even though I’ve agreed to marry you,” she tells him, waving her hand that now holds a big shiny diamond on her slim ring finger.
“Ha ha. You guys are hilarious,” he finally gets out.
“We really are,” I agree. “How is engaged life? Are you making your big house a home?” I ask, knowing Winnie has already started all the renovations.
“It’s turning out so beautiful, Alder! You’ll have to come have dinner with us and see it all,” she confirms.
“Absolutely, just say when.” I let her know.
“Never,” Rhett chimes in, and it makes me laugh again.
“Okay, tough guy. Need help carrying any of Winnie’s baked goods?” I don’t even mean for that to sound as suggestive as it does, but I’m cut another dirty look from my little brother. “The cinnamon rolls! Come on, Rhett. Mind out of the gutter.” Again, I’m fighting the urge to roll my eyes.
“Dinner will be ready in just a few minutes!” Mom’s voice carries from the other room. Mary Holloway is one of the best people you’ll ever have the pleasure of meeting. She and Dad are easily the blueprint for marriage and commitment. I walk around the corner and see everyone starting to gather in the kitchen. Dad is getting something from the oven, and when he turns around, I catch a glimpse at his apron. Tonight’s is “This Guy Rubs His Own Meat.”
“Dear god, who bought Dad that apron?” I ask, not sure if I even want to know.
“That would be me,” Mom says. No. I definitely did not want to know. We all laugh though. I love that my parents are still in love with each other. Some kids grow up saying “eww, gross” every time their parents hold hands. That would have been exhausting in our house.
“Hey, Baby Lo.” I hear Rhett greet our sister.
“Rhett, I’m twenty-seven. Baby Lo has run its course.”
“Never!”
“No, it hasn’t!”
“It never will.”
The whole family chimes in on that, even Hazel. I chuckle.
“Sorry, sis. Baby Lo stays,” I tell her, and she shakes her head but grins. She’s a really good sport. Being eight years younger than Rhett, she got just about anything she wanted. With three older brothers who let her paint their nails and do their hair, she didn’t want for much. Knox even let her put makeup on him when she was maybe four. That never happened again, but the fact that it happened at all is a smallmiracle. He’s such a fucking grouch, or he was. Then he had Hazel, and now we see his soft side more.
“Dinner!” Dad gets our attention, and we all go to sit at the big table in the dining room. It’s set with red napkins and gold candlesticks. It looks like Christmas exploded in here. There’s a big window at the head of the table that normally looks out over the countryside. Now, there’s a fifteen-foot tree you’ll have to look around to see that view. Tom and Mary Holloway love the holidays. We all do. There’s the tree lighting ceremony in town, and the high school always puts on a production ofA Christmas Carol. This year two of the boys on the hockey team are in it, so we’ll all be there in the front row to support.
Mom and Dad have always instilled a good sense of community in us kids. We support this town when we can and know we can count of them when we need it. I needed it in the past and they really came through for me. Losing someone can change you, and when I went through the darkest year of my life, there was no shortage of helping hands.
“Alright, everyone, dig in,” Mom announces, and we start filling our plates.
“How are things at the bakery, Winnie?” Lo asks from across the table.
“Really good. I’m excited to have a booth at the Tree Lighting Festival. I have so many holiday recipes to try out and a spiced plum cider I’m going to have,” she tells her animatedly.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you—” she starts in on asking her about ideas she has for the hotel, and I look over at Knox. He’s helping Hazel cut up some of her food while Rhett makes faces at her, making her giggle. I smile. I may not have been looking forward to coming here this afternoon, but being here with them has been what I needed.
After our meal is finished and all the plates have been taken to the kitchen, my dad stops me on my way back from taking some trash out.
“Alder, how are you, son?” I could tell him that I’m fine, but he’d see right through it.
“Better now that I’ve gotten to spend time with all of you, but it’s hard knowing Ray would have been here with us. I miss him and I don’t know if the guilt I have will ever subside,” I admit. I know the accident wasn’t my fault, logically, but sometimes logic doesn’t stand a chance against the ache that death leaves in your soul.
“I don’t think it will ever be easy, but just know that we’re all here for you. Always.” His steadfast declaration isn’t the first I’ve heard from him.
“Thanks, Dad. I’m doing okay,” I let him know. “I do need to get going though. It’s getting late, and I don’t want to hit any black ice at night.”
“Alright, be safe getting home. Love you, son.”
