happened, Meg?” Deirdre served herself another helping of lasagna. It just wasn’t fair that her baby sister could pack in so much food and still stay fit. “Someone mentioned there have been coyotes in town.”
Peter shook his head. “There were no marks. I checked.” He leaned over and kissed his fiancée’s cheek. “Maybe we can talk about something else?”
“Yeah, like how a mechanical engineer has to call in reinforcements to fix his garage door opener.”
Ayden reached out and snagged the roll Peter flung at Deirdre for her wise-ass remark. “Now, now, children, you’ll find yourself on kitchen duty if you don’t quit arguing.”
“Like you were any help, Dee. You just kept pointing and making suggestions and drinking my beer,” Peter said around a mouthful of lasagna.
“You two couldn’t figure out how to fix it?” Julie laughed. “I’ve never known Dee not to be able to jury-rig a piece of machinery.”
“Mr. High and Mighty wanted to do it right. He had out the blasted owner’s manual.” Dee puffed out a laugh of disgust.
“Doc here was quite the mechanic when we were in high school.” John smiled at the doctor, who blushed. “He could make any jalopy purr like a kitten.”
“I worked at the corner gas station, but that was eons ago. I only tinker to keep myself busy on the weekends.” Doc wiggled his fingers in the air. “But a garage door opener is not the same as working on a car engine, now is it?”
“I think it’s something with the wiring, but I’ll be damned if I can figure it out.” Peter picked up his wine glass and leaned back in his chair. “But, it’s at least working most of the time.”
“When it quits working completely, give me another call, and I’ll have it humming.” Dee lifted her wine in a mock toast.
“With wires hanging all over.” Meghan laughed. “No, thanks, Dee. I’ve seen your work in action. Remember the computer fiasco when we opened the shop? It took a computer tech and most of our start-up budget to fix that mistake.”
“Since I can see my sister wants to take a trip down a memory lane I don’t wish to travel…” Deirdre pushed back from the table. “—I’ll just clear these plates and get the apple pies Ayden baked.”
“Oh, I couldn’t eat dessert right now.” Damon patted his flat stomach. “How about a half hour to digest the meal?”
“That sounds good.” John pushed up from the table. “Ayden, why don’t you and I give Gordon a tour of the house?” He laid his hand on Doc’s shoulder. “He hasn’t been here since Alice and I lived here. I’m sure he’d love to see all the renovations you and Dee have done.”
Doc McCarty stood and nodded.
“Sure, John.” Ayden came around the table to stand next to his future father-in-law and leaned in conspiratorially. “But please don’t make me point out again that Dee did most of the design and workmanship. I don’t think my male ego could take that.”
The men laughed.
“Well, I guess I’ll just load up the dishwasher,” Alice said.
“Why don’t you go with Daddy and Ayden?” Meghan kissed her mother’s cheek. “We’ll do the dishes.”
“I haven’t seen the new sunroom,” Peter chimed in. “I heard Dee did all the tiling.” He joined the group and elbowed Ayden.
“Well, if it’s a male bonding time, count me in.” Damon shrugged his shoulders at the three sisters clearing the table.
Meghan watched the group retreat as she stood and gathered dishes, scraping the leftovers and piling silverware.
“Meg, I really am sorry to hear about Mr. Jingles.” Julie filled her hands with the nearly empty serving dishes. “What did you guys do with…” Her voice trailed off.
“His body?”
Julie could only nod.
“We took him to the vet’s. They’ll cremate him, and we’ll bury the ashes in the spring.” Meghan’s voice broke as she walked into the kitchen where Dee was already filling the sink with soapy water. “I’m going to
Peter shook his head. “There were no marks. I checked.” He leaned over and kissed his fiancée’s cheek. “Maybe we can talk about something else?”
“Yeah, like how a mechanical engineer has to call in reinforcements to fix his garage door opener.”
Ayden reached out and snagged the roll Peter flung at Deirdre for her wise-ass remark. “Now, now, children, you’ll find yourself on kitchen duty if you don’t quit arguing.”
“Like you were any help, Dee. You just kept pointing and making suggestions and drinking my beer,” Peter said around a mouthful of lasagna.
“You two couldn’t figure out how to fix it?” Julie laughed. “I’ve never known Dee not to be able to jury-rig a piece of machinery.”
“Mr. High and Mighty wanted to do it right. He had out the blasted owner’s manual.” Dee puffed out a laugh of disgust.
“Doc here was quite the mechanic when we were in high school.” John smiled at the doctor, who blushed. “He could make any jalopy purr like a kitten.”
“I worked at the corner gas station, but that was eons ago. I only tinker to keep myself busy on the weekends.” Doc wiggled his fingers in the air. “But a garage door opener is not the same as working on a car engine, now is it?”
“I think it’s something with the wiring, but I’ll be damned if I can figure it out.” Peter picked up his wine glass and leaned back in his chair. “But, it’s at least working most of the time.”
“When it quits working completely, give me another call, and I’ll have it humming.” Dee lifted her wine in a mock toast.
“With wires hanging all over.” Meghan laughed. “No, thanks, Dee. I’ve seen your work in action. Remember the computer fiasco when we opened the shop? It took a computer tech and most of our start-up budget to fix that mistake.”
“Since I can see my sister wants to take a trip down a memory lane I don’t wish to travel…” Deirdre pushed back from the table. “—I’ll just clear these plates and get the apple pies Ayden baked.”
“Oh, I couldn’t eat dessert right now.” Damon patted his flat stomach. “How about a half hour to digest the meal?”
“That sounds good.” John pushed up from the table. “Ayden, why don’t you and I give Gordon a tour of the house?” He laid his hand on Doc’s shoulder. “He hasn’t been here since Alice and I lived here. I’m sure he’d love to see all the renovations you and Dee have done.”
Doc McCarty stood and nodded.
“Sure, John.” Ayden came around the table to stand next to his future father-in-law and leaned in conspiratorially. “But please don’t make me point out again that Dee did most of the design and workmanship. I don’t think my male ego could take that.”
The men laughed.
“Well, I guess I’ll just load up the dishwasher,” Alice said.
“Why don’t you go with Daddy and Ayden?” Meghan kissed her mother’s cheek. “We’ll do the dishes.”
“I haven’t seen the new sunroom,” Peter chimed in. “I heard Dee did all the tiling.” He joined the group and elbowed Ayden.
“Well, if it’s a male bonding time, count me in.” Damon shrugged his shoulders at the three sisters clearing the table.
Meghan watched the group retreat as she stood and gathered dishes, scraping the leftovers and piling silverware.
“Meg, I really am sorry to hear about Mr. Jingles.” Julie filled her hands with the nearly empty serving dishes. “What did you guys do with…” Her voice trailed off.
“His body?”
Julie could only nod.
“We took him to the vet’s. They’ll cremate him, and we’ll bury the ashes in the spring.” Meghan’s voice broke as she walked into the kitchen where Dee was already filling the sink with soapy water. “I’m going to
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