“What’s up, Nat?” My brother Tony gives me a hug.
“You let him get out of the house like this, Jer?” I point a thumb at Tony and Jeremy laughs out loud.
Tony ruffles my already messy hair, ignoring my joke.
“So, who you’re making Mom’s special salad for?” he asks, popping a pickle in his mouth.
“Just for a barbeque.”
“So, not getting married?”
“Maybe next Saturday.” I shrug, making them both laugh. They’re both aware my wedding is a thing of fantasy, like a unicorn or the Tooth Fairy.
Mom’sspecial salad turns out better than expected. The lemon gives it just enough acidity, the saltiness comes mostly from the parmesan cheese, and it’s perfectly crunchy, courtesy of romaine lettuce, croutons, and red onions.
With a big bowl in my hands, I get out of my car in front of Matt’s house. It’s my first time here, but somehow, it’s exactly what I expected.
A two story, well-maintained house sits in front of a small, manicured lawn. The neighborhood is peaceful and quiet, other than the sound of kids playing. I go around the house into the expansive backyard. Right away, I know it was the selling point for him. Nice barbeque area, table big enough for fifteen people, a fire pit, and a small kid’s playground. Knowing Matt, it’s the house he bought planning to fill with kids. Kids he’s going to be an amazing father to.
A lump forms in my throat. If I didn’t know better, I’d say it’s remorse I’m feeling. It’s ironic, the one man who attracts me this much is the one who can’t be more different than me.
Opposites attract, I guess.
Noah notices me standing with a huge glass bowl of salad and waves me over to the barbeque, where he’s grilling what looks like twenty burgers.
“Wow, how many people are we expecting?” I ask.
“Don’t ask me. I’m not allowed near the grill. If he sees me with the thongs,” he clicks them in his hand, “I’m done.” A chuckle escapes me. I bring him in for a hug. Noah and I never hung out one on one, but I have a fondness for him. His quiet persona is so unlike mine, but every once in a while, I get a glimpse of him, signaling we might not be so different.
Matt exits his house just as we end the hug. He’s wearing an unbuttoned brown flannel, washed out jeans, and a fucking backwards baseball hat. I inwardly groan. With a dirty dish rag strewn over his shoulder, he’s somehow even hotter than he is wearing button downs and slacks.
“Natalie, hi!” His mouth stretches into a wide smile as he pulls me into a hug, copying my greeting with Noah. As the scent of smoke and man seeps into my lungs, I realize this is the first time we’ve hugged.
But it feels as if we’ve practiced it for years. My head fits perfectly into the crook of his neck. He’s well over six feet, but not giant enough he would have to bend down awkwardly to kiss me.
Not that I’m imagining him kissing me.
Fuck.
“Let me get that for you.” He takes the bowl out of my hands and sets it on the table.
“Can I help with something?” I ask.
“Nope, I got everything handled. But you can grab a drink from inside. I need to flip these.” He gestures to the burgers on the grill.
Taking the thongs out of Noah’s hands, he starts moving the meat around the grill. His back muscles strain under the flannel, and his worn jeans hug his ass like an old friend. Noah smirks at me, noticing me staring, so I quickly get inside the house to grab a drink.
Needing to cool down, I grab a beer, deciding it’ll be my one and only. I don’t drink a lot. I’ll have a drink or two, but I’m careful of never getting drunk. A little bit tipsy, sure, but drunk? Not anymore.
The inside of the house matches the outside. Everything is tidy and put together. Cozy sofas with throw blankets and a bunch of pillows, family pictures on the wall, something resembling kid’s art on the fridge. This is not a bachelor pad, by any means. No, this is the home of a man who takes care of his belongings. A man that will take care of his family.
The fact I find it attractive is purely biological.
Soon, the rest of the crew is here. Eric plays soccer with Connor and Noah, Matt is still handling the grill (looking too good for comfort), and Rina, Anne, and I soak up the afternoon sun while we can.
“This is nice,” Anne comments. “We missed you before when we hung out here.”
“Yeah, this backyard is crazy. He should make a pool right over there.” I point to the far end of the yard.
