Page 41 of The Game We Played

Tanner quickly drops his arm. “Sorry, sir.”

Dad barks out a laugh. “Got you!”

I groan and drop my chin to my chest. My family thinks they’re a bunch of comedians. What they are is embarrassing.

“This is not behaving,” I grumble.

Mom smirks. “What did you expect?”

I shrug. “I don’t know. For my parents to pretend they’re adults?”

“I like them.” Tanner sticks out his hand. “I’m Tanner Long. It’s nice to meet you, sir.”

“You can call me Dan, and this is my wife Sally.”

After they shake, Tanner grasps Mom’s hand and kisses it. “It’s lovely to meet you.”

Mom giggles. “He’s a charmer.”

“I brought you a nice bottle of Chablis. And I brought Dan a six-pack of beer.”

“I’ll put this in the refrigerator.” Mom escapes with her wine.

“Can’t let the beer get cold.” Dad follows her.

“And we’ve lost them for at least fifteen minutes.”

Tanner scratches his chin. “It doesn’t take fifteen minutes to put a bottle of wine in the fridge.”

“It does when my parents are alone in the kitchen. A pair of horny teenagers has nothing on them. Why do you think I always knock when I enter a room? You see your parents half-dressed with their hands all over each other more than once, and you learn to knock.”

He chuckles. “I’ll remember to knock whenever I’m in your parents’ house.”

“If you forget, I have bleach available for your eyes.”

“Your family is different.”

“Different?” My nose wrinkles. “You’ve never walked in on your parents kissing before?”

He rears back. “If my brothers and I didn’t exist, I’d think they’d never had sex.”

“Maybe you’re adopted.”

“Nope. I did a DNA test.”

My mouth drops open. “You seriously did a DNA test to prove you weren’t adopted?”

“I did a DNA test because someone dared me to.”

“How did someone dare you to take a DNA test?” The only reason I can think of to take a DNA test is for a paternity suit. Flying pirates. Is he involved in a paternity suit?

I gulp. Is there a woman out there who has his child? Who is forever tied to him in a way I’ll never be.

“Never mind. I do not want to know.” I motion outside. “Come on. It’s beautiful weather. We can chill in the backyard before dinner. Afterwards, it’s time for fireworks.”

“You enjoy fireworks?” he asks as I lead him to the back porch.

“Smuggler’s Hideaway has the best fireworks in the world.”