Myeyebrows draw together. “Hey,Isaw you whenIcame into whatIthought wasLancasterBusinessSolutions.Whydidn’t you say you wereJace’sbrother?”ThenIturn toJace. “Whydidn’t you introduce us?”
Jaceholds out a hand towardLedgerlike he’s presenting him, and his mouth opens like he’s going to say something but nothing comes out.SoIlook atLedger.He’sscratching the side of his jaw, looking down.Ishe… embarrassed?
Helooks up again and grimaces. “Iwas the one who stole your purse.”
“What?”
“Thatday at the outdoor mall.”
“Thatwas you?”
“Youprobably didn’t recognize me becauseIwas in disguise.”
Jacerolls his eyes. “Hewas wearing a fake mustache and hat.”
“Thatwas probably it.”Thatwasn’t it— he’d been running away from me, soInever saw his face (or his fake mustache).ButIimagine it would take a lot to disguise someone who looks likeLedger.
ThenJace’smom, whoI’velearned isEvelyn, comes over and takes my hand in both of hers. “Hello, dear.It’sso lovely to see you again.”
Ithank her for inviting me into her home and compliment her on how pretty it is and she tells me how sweetIam.Thenshe announces that dinner is ready and goes over to the oven to take it out.
Assoon as she’s out of earshot,Iwhisper toJace, “WhydoIalways get the sense that your mom could charm a diplomat, escape from a top-secret facility undetected, and kill someone seventeen different ways using only a spork, and do it all before noon?”
Jacegives me a little smile.
Myeyes go wide. “Oh, wow.Iwas only kidding.Butshe can actually do all those things, can’t she?”
Hegives a little shrug.
“Withaspork?”Ihiss.
Weall gather around the table andEvelynplaces a pot roast in the middle, surrounded by potatoes and carrots, along with a salad and freshly baked rolls, and everyone dishes up.Ihave to say, the pot roast rivals anyI’veever eaten.
Theconversation during dinner includes a lot of questions about my family, whereIgrew up, college, my work— basically a history of my life up until today.AndthenJace’ssiblings tell embarrassing stories about him andIlearn more aboutJacethanIever thoughtI’dbe able to learn today.
Forinstance,Ilearned that he cut his own hair in third grade in an attempt to impress his crush. (Yes, it was, of course, right before school pictures but no, it didn’t actually backfire.Thegirl checked theYesbox on his “Doyou like me?” note.)
Ifound out that he broke his leg when he fell out of a tree while trying to rescue a kitten from a tree. (Becausethis man’s protectiveness started young and extends to all living things.)
AndIdiscover that he may or may not sleepwalk. (Jaceclaims he went outside in the middle of the night to save the garden gnome— while fully awake— because he had a dream the little guy was in trouble.So, apparently, the protectiveness extends to non-living things, too.)
Inturn,Itell about how my mom, despite my protests, thoughtIshould channel my adventurous tendencies toward a sport, and she signed me up for soccer.Andhow my celebratory dance at actually kicking the ball whereIaimed it turned into a slip and a wild recovery when the ball was kicked immediately back to me, resulting in my impressively fast and furious flailing arms and legs, a sprained ankle for me, and a black eye for the unfortunate opposing team member standing close to me.
Aswe are all laughing,Irealize that it had totally worked for me to think about how meetingJace’sfamily couldn’t be worse than whenLivimetFelipe’sparents becauseIam calm and totally enjoying myself.
Jace’syounger brother,Miles, says, “RememberhowJacewas takingGermanin high school but he had a crush on that girl who was takingSpanish?”
“ItwasEmma,”Charliesays.
“Yes—Emma!”Emersonsays. “Hespent an afternoon learningSpanishso he could impress her by saying to her ‘Youare beautiful,’ but instead of saying ‘Erespreciosa,’ he said… what was it, again?”
“Erespescado,”Blakeanswers.
“Sohe called her a fish!”Ledgersays.
Ilaugh so hard, especially since all five ofJace’ssiblings got in on telling the story.LittleHeidiseems to be a social laugher because she’s laughing just as hard asIam.
Jacepulls his phone from his pocket and types something, keeping it below the table, butIdon’t realize he’s typing it to me until the soundIhave set for his texts goes off.Ipull it from my back pocket to see that he’s sent,Thinkingof you.You’requite the catch!Witha little fish emoji after it.Idon’t even come close to holding back the laugh that erupts whenIread it.ThenIfreeze the second it hits me that the text soundIhave set forJaceis the trilling first notes of theMission:Impossibletheme song.
