A Texas Family Reunion

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“No! Of course not. Why would you think that?”

“Because I can hear the dial tone all the way over here. You haven’t hung up yet.”

“Oh!” She replaced the receiver.

“Any problems?” Carrie asked again.

“No, it was just David yanking my chain, as usual.”

“That’s a family trait,” Carrie said with a smile.

“Ha!” Alex exclaimed. “There are times when I’m glad he and I aren’t really kin.”

Carrie eyed her speculatively. “Well, I was very glad I wasn’t kin to Jim when he arrived here.”

“Oh, I didn’t mean that,” Alex said, blushing. “I did have a crush on him when we were kids, but I grew out of it.”

When she left at five o’clock, she hurried straight home. She didn’t have much time if David was going to pick her up at six-thirty. She was going to knock his socks off tonight.

DAVID HAD WONDERED if he could convince Pete that he and Alex were interested in each other. After all, Pete thought they were cousins. He hadn’t told him he was adopted. But Pete hadn’t had any problem with his story. David suspected he would’ve gone out with anyone as long as Susan was part of the group. But he wouldn’t tell Susan that.

He picked her up first. He thought it would be better to have Susan with him before he picked up Alex. Susan suggested they all three go in one vehicle so she could accept a ride home with Pete if he asked her to.

“Want me to knock on Alex’s door?” Susan asked.

“No, I’ll go get her. You’d better get in the back seat if you’re going to sell Pete on the idea that Alex and I are on a date.” He got out from behind the wheel and walked up to the door of Alex’s condo. After a rap on her door, he leaned against the wall, waiting. His experience was that women were usually late.

When the door opened at once, he was surprised. Stepping forward, intending to tell her he appreciated her punctuality, the intention fled his mind when he saw her.

David had realized Alex was beautiful when she began attracting boys. But he’d kept her at arm’s length, still regarding her as a younger cousin. Through the years, she’d grown more and more beautiful—and more and more tied up with the latest man in her life.

Tonight, she was wearing a dress that clung to her curves, and the color, green, brought out the green in her hazel eyes and complemented her softly curling, shoulder-length auburn hair. “You look terrific, Alex,” he said as he caught a whiff of a wonderful scent.

“Thank you,” she said quietly, no triumph in her voice.

But he wouldn’t have blamed her if she had been annoyed at him. He’d been rude to hang up on her that afternoon.

When they reached the car, Susan, too, complimented her cousin. “I wish I’d gotten some height from Dad, like you did from your dad, Alex. That kind of dress looks great on a tall person.”

“Well, your family has all the computer skills, honey, and I think Pete really likes that,” Alex said with a grin.

“Oh, great. I want to be loved for more than how I work a computer!”

David comforted his sister. “I don’t think that’s what got Pete’s attention, brat.”

“Don’t you dare call me that in front of Pete,” Susan protested.

He laughed. “I’ll try not to, but it’s your fault if I do. You and Janet were always pestering me.”

“They were just doing their jobs. That’s what all children are supposed to do for the oldest. Make his life hell.” Alex grinned at David.

Susan laughed. Then, as they pulled into the restaurant parking lot, she asked, “What kind of car does Pete drive?”

David stiffened. “Are you so shallow that you have to know what a man drives before you decide if he’s worth your time?”

“No! I just wondered if he was here already.”

Her hurt tones reminded David that this was Susan, not Janet. “Sorry, honey. I must’ve gotten you confused with our sister.”

“Oh, all right, I forgive you. So do you see his car?”

“Yes, I do. I bet he’s inside waiting for us.”

When he stopped the car, Susan was the first out. She smoothed down her hair and drew a deep breath. Alex stepped to her side. “You’ll do fine, Suse.”

Susan gave her a shy smile. “I hope so.”

“Here we go,” David said, stepping between the two ladies. He took each of their hands and moved toward the door of the restaurant. In the darkened interior, Pete was sitting on a bench, awaiting their arrival. He popped to his feet as they entered.

“Hi, Pete. You beat us here,” David said, extending his hand to his friend. “You remember Alex, don’t you?”

“Yes, of course, Alex, it’s good to see you again,” he said politely. Then he swung his gaze to Susan and his face lit up. “Hi, Susan.”

“Hi, Pete,” Susan said with the same enthusiasm.

David exchanged a look with Alex. Then he took her hand and followed the hostess to a booth for four. Standing back, he watched her slide gracefully into the booth.

Then he remembered to say, “I hope a booth is okay with you, Pete.”

Pete, in the process of following Susan into the booth, said, “Oh, um, yeah, it’s great.”

Which seemed to describe the rest of the evening from Pete and Susan’s point of view. They gazed into each other’s eyes most of the evening, scarcely acknowledging David and Alex.

“Do you think they even know we’re here?” Alex whispered to David at one point.

“Yeah, but I don’t think they care,” he replied.

“But how can Susan work for Pete? They’ll never get anything done.”

David murmured, “It’s my job to make sure they do.”

Out loud, Alex said, “My steak is really good. How about yours, David?”