Page 49 of Gin and Bear It

“Yep. I’m Ash.” I extend my hand to him. “Nice to meet you.”

He eyes my hand for a moment, probably looking at the tattoos, before he shakes it.

“I’m Malcolm, and that’s my sister Maryse.” He nods toward his sister, who’s holding Jada’s hand and eyeing me warily. “We’re her favorites.”

“Just in general?” I ask, smiling.

“Obviously,” Maryse says. “Except for you. I guess.”

My smile widens. I can see the family resemblance between the two of them, but even if she looked completely different, I would have known she was Jada’s niece on her attitude alone. “Yeah, I guess so.”

“You’re getting too big to be rushing Jada that fast, sweetie,” a man says, coming up the porch steps. He’s the tallest person here, easily, over a head taller than even Dylan, and lanky. Maryse and Malcolm look like him, especially in the shapes of their faces and the deep brown of their skin, so I’m assuming he’s Malcolm Sr. “You’re gonna tackle her.”

“Jada’s strong.” Maryse shrugs.

“And you’re a million feet tall for a baby.” Jada puts her hand on Maryse’s head. “Listen to your father so I don’t break a hip.”

“Congrats, JJ.” Malcolm leans way down to hug Jada before turning to me. “We’ve never met. I’m Malcolm.”

“Nice to meet you.” I shake his hand. He has a natural friendliness to him that puts me at ease.

Jada’s sister Kendra comes up next. There’s an obvious sibling resemblance, but I find myself searching for all the little differences between the two of them. Kendra is older, of course, but her face is more angular. It might just be her slicked-back ponytail and lack of glasses.

She doesn’t have her husband’s natural friendliness, but she’s far from cold. She’s sizing me up the same way her children did, and all my nerves come flooding back. She means business.

“It’s been a long time since we met,” she says to me. “I’m Kendra.”

“Nice to meet you. Again.” I don’t remember when we met, but apparently I was memorable enough.

“I didn’t expect you two to connect.” Kendra cups her wine glass. Her nails are cut short and painted in a shimmery pink color. “At all.”

“We didn’t either, to be honest.” I rest my hand on Jada’s lower back.

“We thought she was going to be alone forever,” Maryse says, absently turning in a circle. The beads in her braids click together. “And then get even more cats so Pip would have besties. Which is fine. No one has to get married even if it’s fun.”

Except for us. And so far, I don’t think “fun” is a word either of us would use to describe this.

“Maryse.” Malcolm sighs, but Jada laughs. “How did you two link up, anyway?”

“No offense, but you’re not Jada’s typical type,” Kendra adds. She doesn’t do much to hide the undercurrent of suspicion in her tone.

“Just by chance.” I shrug and move my hand up Jada’s back. “We ran into each other in town, started talking because I’d just come home. Then things just fell into place from there.”

“Where in town?” Kendra asks.

“The store,” both of us say at the same time. Thank god. We didn’t even plan that.

“Nice.” Kendra nods. “So you’re not doing music anymore?”

I shake my head. “No, I’m working for Stryker Liquors. Just trying to get a lay of everything before I decide what department I want to work in.”

“Good.” Kendra looks at her sister, then at her kids. “By the way, JJ, are you going to Danika’s wedding shower?”

“Ugh, when is it?” Jada pulls her phone from her pocket. Kendra tells her the date. “I guess so. I forgot I even put it in my calendar.”

“Okay. I’m only going if you’re going,” she says.

“Thank god.” Jada relaxes. “And thank you.”