“Okay, now I really feel terrible,” Maizie said, wrapping her arms around herself.
Jayce grabbed her in a hug. “Not everyone is going to leave you, Maiz. I’m right here. So is Lindsay. I promise I won’t take that away.”
Tears fought for freedom, but she pinched the bridge of her nose. “Thanks, Jayce.” She hugged him back quickly before he changed his mind about forgiving her. “Be good to my best friend.”
“Be good to mine.” He squeezed her once more before letting her go.
“Ha. Fat chance of that.” Maizie bit her lip and looked away from her cousin’s knowing eyes.
“I’m sorry about what I said too,” Jayce said, and Maizie looked at him. “I just hate to see you run away from the good things in life.”
“Like what?” She scoffed. She didn’t run away from anything.
“Like dancing,” he said softly.
Tears pricked her eyes.
“And him.” Jayce nodded to the left of Maizie, and she turned, meeting the bluest eyes she’d ever seen.
“What are you guys talking about?” Christian asked with an easy smile.
Maizie froze.
“Maizie, will you take these to the table?” Aunt Julie shoved an armful of hamburger buns into her arms without waiting for her response.
“Sure thing.” Maizie turned away from the boys, grateful for an opportunity to escape. Not because she always ran away . . .oops.
Twenty-Two
Christian got a plate and stood in the line waiting for hamburgers but his attention was across the lawn where Maizie played on the grass with a chunky baby. Her smile for the adorable girl could light up the sky if the sun ever failed.
“Are you going to grill the hamburgers or eat one?” Eric asked.
Christian pulled his eyes away from his boss’s daughter. “I can grill if you would like to go eat.”
“I won’t turn down an offer like that.” He slapped Christian on the back and shoved the spatula into his hand.
Uncle Tom stepped up to the grill. “You got any on there that aren’t burned?”
Christian looked down at the ten medium-to-well burgers. He had only met Uncle Tom once, but the man wasn’t one for sarcasm.
“This one?” Christian lifted up one that wasn’t quite as brown.
“I like them bleeding.”
“Would you like it still mooing as well?” Christian asked.
Tom’s face remained unamused.
“I’ll take that one.”
Christian dropped the burger onto his plate, and Tom stalked off.
Uncle Dan stepped up to the grill next. “Believe it or not, he used to be the biggest trouble maker of us all.”
“Really?”
“Growing up changes people,” Uncle Dan said by way of explanation.
