Page 54 of It Runs in the Family

If the roles were reversed, I wasn’t sure what good I would be to him, but he was right. I’d do anything for him, just as he’d proven time and again that he’d do anything for me. I grinned up at him. “If you want, I’ll have a vision for you. Anything you want. Maybe you want to see how it works out with Mazie.”

He laughed. “I prefer for my love life to remain a mystery, but thanks for the offer. I’ll be sure to lord it over Billy.”

I laughed too and shoved his arm. “Then I rescind my offer.”

“No takebacks,” he said, heading for his truck and leaving me to follow.

Maybe I’d have one for him anyway. I was dying to know what he was planning to put in the bowl tucked under his arm.

Chapter Fifteen

There were nearly twenty vehicles parked in front of Granny’s house when we got there, and there were sure to be close to a dozen more before all was said and done. Thankfully, Billy’s Camaro wasn’t in the mix, which meant I had a short reprieve until he showed up.

I stared down at the bowl of mashed potatoes on the seat between the two of us, which sat next to a cherry pie.

“No one is gonna believe I made these,” I said.

“Come on. I’ll tell them all I watched you make ’em.”

“That would be lyin’, Deputy Riggs.”

He laughed. “I did watch you scoop them into a bowl, so that part’s not a lie.”

Shaking my head, I got out of the truck and waited for him so we could walk around to the backyard together.

A huge table was set out under the giant oak tree my grandmother’s grandmother had planted years ago. The table consisted of short sawhorse bases with thick plywood planks spread across them. The plywood was covered with colorful tablecloths. An assortment of wood dining chairs and folding chairs had already been set out. A dozen bowls and platters were scattered down the middle of the table, all covered with plastic wrap and foil.

Granny was nowhere to be seen—she was probably inside finishing things up—but two of my aunts were already here, putting pitchers of lemonade and iced tea on a small round kitchen table set off to the side.

“Well, look what the cat dragged in,” Aunt Evelyn said as I walked up with the bowl of potatoes. “What’s in the bowl, Iris?”

I tried not to grimace. “Mashed potatoes.”

“They’ll go great with Granny’s fried chicken,” Garrett said from behind me. Another round table was set up for desserts next to the drink table, and Garrett set his cherry pie down next to a chocolate cake.

I turned around and glared at him. A huge grin lit up his face. He’d set me up.

“I bring the potatoes on fried chicken day,” Aunt Millie said in an icy tone. “Everyone knows that.” She waved to one of my cousin’s kids, who was sitting in the grass and eating a dirt clump. “Even that little kid over there, whatever his name is.”

“That’s your great nephew Ricky,” I said. I didn’t see his mother, my cousin Heather, anywhere. Should I go stop him?

“I was making a point, Iris,” she snapped. “You’ve taken liberties you shouldn’t have taken.”

“I’m so sorry, Aunt Millie. I thought it was meatloaf day.”

Aunt Millie’s eyes narrowed, and her voice took on an even icier tone. “It’s the second Sunday of the month, Iris. Everyone knows what that means.”

Everyone but me, apparently. I shot another glance to Garrett. He was no fan of Aunt Millie and the expression his face told me he’d done this on purpose. Damn him.

“Well, I truly am sorry, Aunt Millie,” I said, trying to sound extra apologetic. “I can put my potatoes in the house, and no one will ever know I brought them.”

“I’ll know,” Garrett piped up. “I watched her scoop them into the bowl. It would be such a shame to let them go to waste.”

I shot him a look that should have turned him to stone, but his grin spread even wider.

“Besides, if she puts ‘em in the house, then there won’t be enough food for everyone,” Aunt Evelyn said. The twinkle in her eyes proved she loved this just as much as Garrett, but then again, she was his mother. “I’m sure it will be just fine.” She gave me a shooing motion. “Go put ’em on the table with the other food.”

“Garrett,” I said through gritted teeth. “Why don’t you come help me?”