Page 89 of Take My Heart
‘Hey, Kate.’ Sawyer smiles at her. ‘What can I get you?’
‘I liked that stout I had the other night.’
‘Good choice. That’s Gina’s favorite too. I’ll be right back.’
While he goes to get the drinks, Jason joins us at the table. ‘You must be the new tenant,’ he says to Kate.
‘That’s me.’
‘I’m Jason. I’m sure Brody told you about me.’
I lean over to Kate. ‘The brother I said was a pain in the ass?’
‘Hey!’ Jason shoves me.
‘Boys!’ I hear my mom say. ‘Be nice.’
I look behind me and see Mom and Dad walking up to the table.
‘Well, look who’s here,’ Dad says, pretending he didn’t know we’d be here. ‘All our boys.’
Mom smiles. ‘I hope they have room for us.’
‘Right here, Mom,’ Nick says, pointing to the chairs across from Kate and me.
As soon as my parents sit down, my dad looks at Kate. ‘And who is this pretty young lady?’
‘Kate, the girl who’s been staying with me,’ I say, even though he already knows this.
‘It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Kanfield,’ Kate says, sounding very formal. ‘And you as well, Mrs. Kanfield.’
‘Oh, honey, call me Martha.’ She points to Dad. ‘And that’s Carl. I assume you know everyone else?’
‘I think so,’ Kate says, looking around the table.
Sawyer returns with our beers. ‘Dad, you want the usual?’
‘Nah, I think I’ll have something lighter tonight.’
‘This one’s light,’ Nick says, holding up his glass.
‘I’ll go with that,’ Dad says.
‘What about you, Mom?’ Sawyer asks.
‘Give me that milk one.’
‘Milk stout. Got it.’ He takes off.
‘So Kate,’ Mom says, getting ready to start her investigation of a girl I’m not even dating. ‘Tell us about yourself.’
‘Well, let’s see, I grew up in Chicago, went to college there, and now I work as a financial planner.’
‘My brother and nephews live in Chicago,’ Mom says. ‘I think you met one of them last week. Didn’t Nash stop by?’
Kate nods. ‘Yes, he did. He dropped some supplies off.’
‘You put them to use yet?’ Dad asks me.
