Rita squirmed in her chair. “Jerry was an idiot. There are exceptions to the rules.”
“Oh, now there are exceptions. You better fill me in so I don’t disgrace the family,” Ry-an said dryly.
“Yes, exceptions, smart aleck. Having a drinking and gambling problem are two of them. Being too drunk to hold a job is another. Exceptions I hope I don’t ever see with any of our children, including you, hot shot.” Ryan took a sip of his beer, making that sucking through his teeth sound that happens whenever he gets aggravated. “What I want to know is did you give this same lecture to your two sons-in-law over there as well or is this wisdom you’re imparting just for me?”
“Oh believe me, they know I’d skin their hides if either of them was unfaithful,” Aunt Rita said assuredly.
Ryan sat back in his chair, putting her under the same scrutiny. “That’s a good deflec-tion but you’re avoiding the question. Did you or did you not give them the same lecture?”
“My sons-in-law are not surrounded by promiscuity and temptation.” Nancy looked mortified. “Mom, that’s not fair—”
“What does that have to do with anything?” Ryan interrupted her. “There is nothing keeping Brent or Jake from hooking up with the cashier at the grocery store or the flirty secretary at the office or even trying to nail the babysitter. You’re posing a question of morality. My occupation has nothing to do with my morals.”
“It is widely known that celebrities tend to have more of a propensity for infidelity than do most—”
“No, you’re questioning my integrity and judging me for no reason because I’m an actor,” Ryan said, stabbing his macaroni salad with his fork. “I don’t deserve that and I don’t appreciate it.”
Janelle just so happened to be walking by with a full plate of food in one hand and holding her daughter, Sarah, on her hip with the other. I held my hands out since I was done eating and needed to buffer myself from the hostility around me. “Let me have her. Come here, baby girl. Hi, sweetheart.
You keep me company while Mommy eats her dinner, okay?”
Sarah was a welcome distraction, banging her juice bottle on the table. I put some am-brosia on the tip of my spoon, finding a hungry little mouth opening wide for it.
Ryan gazed at me and then bumped his head in my direction. “You see this, Aunt Rita?” he said, waving his hand at me. “I’ve got everything I need right here, and then some, so don’t you worry about my ability to remain committed.”
Once the fun of making Ryan feel like shit was over, people started moving away from the table.
“Bora Bora,” I mouthed when Ryan glanced up from his plate. “First flight out.” He snickered softly and leaned over, wrapping an arm over my shoulder. “I don’t know what I’d do without you. You keep me sane.”
I smiled up at him and that was all I needed to do to garner one hell of a kiss, as it if was a reward or a thank-you. “I’m guessing Aunt Rita won’t be invited to the wedding.”
“Screw them all. We’re eloping.”
The following day we had a smaller party of our own; just a few of Ryan’s friends that I had met at the birthday party I threw for him back in November and plenty of burgers and liquor. Ryan dove into the pool, surfacing right next to my raft. He jostled the edge of the raft with his forearms, rocking me off balance.
I gripped the edges, laughing and holding on for dear life. “No! Please don’t dump me.” Ryan smiled playfully, tugged my raft into his chest, and kissed me senseless. I brushed his wet bangs back off his forehead, tasting the chlorine from the water on his lips as he twined his tongue with mine. “Mmm, potato chips and beer.”
He snickered in my mouth. “Then I guess you should have me for lunch.” That devilish glint in his eye told me he was up to no good.
He dipped the edge of my raft down into the water.
“Please?” I whined. I was enjoying the hot sun, hoping to get a quick tan out of it.
“Okay, I’ll be nice.”
I rubbed my hand over his arm, feeling the heat radiating off his skin. “Your shoulders are starting to get really red. You want me to put some lotion on them?”
“Nah, I’m good.”
Yeah, he’ll be good until he is complaining that he can’t sleep. “You’re going to be uncomfortable if you burn.”
Ryan glanced down at where my fingers were trailing. “I feel it on my back more than anything. I’m not going to stay in long, hon.