Page 89 of Beautiful Crazy
“Hey, man.” Nodding toward Graham, I smile, remembering the last time we were here together and he was asking me about my intentions with his sister.
“How’s it going?” He looks toward the woman beside him, wrapping an arm around her. “This is my wife, Megan,” he offers before saying to her, “This is Everett, Gemma’s new man.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” she says with a warm smile.
“You too.”
“How are you feeling?” Gemma asks Megan, pressing a hand to her sister-in-law’s belly.
Megan groans. “Like I’m ready to pop.” She laughs. “Everything is swollen and my walk is more of a waddle these days.”
“Howdy, neighbor boy.” Turning my head, I grin as my gaze collides with Georgia as she comes to a stop beside us. Grace and Charley are with her.
“You’re never going to stop calling me that, are you?”
She chuckles. “Not a chance.” Lowering her voice so her brother and Sutton don’t hear, she suggests, “Although, I could call you daddy neighbor instead, if you’d prefer.”
I rub a hand over my mouth, biting back a laugh. “Please don’t.”
“Guys,” Sutton calls out, garnering everyone’s attention. “Let’s get over there. They’re starting soon!”
A live band plays on the stage behind where the judging table is set up. Several different Crock-Pots full of chili in front of them. The contestants are off to the side, and the only reason I know that’s who it is, is because they’re wearing large paper numbers on the front of their shirts.
The whole lot of us take a seat in one of the rows of chairs laid out for everybody. In front of us is another familiar face.
“Well, look who it is,” Conway drawls. “I see you decided to come out and see what the fuss was all about, huh?”
I chuckle. “Yup. Consider my interest piqued after you and the guys went on and on about it that night.”
Gesturing to the little girl beside him, Conway says, “This is Willow, my daughter.”
“Hi, Miss Willow. I’ve definitely seen you around the school a time or two.”
“Hi, Mr. Windward,” she says softly. I’m almostpositive she’s friends with Blakely; I see them eating lunch together often.
Conway drags his gaze from me to a couple of chairs down, something akin to a smirk tugging on the corner of his mouth. “Hello, Grace,” he says gruffly, and when I look, she’s scowling at him.
“Hello,” she says curtly, which is completely unlike her normal bubbly personality.
“Daddy,” Willow says, tugging on the hem of Conway’s shirt. “Can we go get a snow cone before the cook-off starts?”
Looking down at his daughter, he nods. “Sure, honey.” Then his eyes are back on Grace as he asks, “Can Blakely come with?”
“Yeah, Mom, can I?”
Petting the top of her daughter’s head, Grace says, “Sure, babe.”
The three of them walk away, and I can’t help but fix my gaze on Grace. “What the heck was that about?” I ask, curiosity getting the best of me.
Rolling her eyes, Grace heaves a sigh. “I cannot stand that man.”
“What?” I flick my gaze to Georgia and Gemma, who both have matching amused grins on their faces. “Why?”
“Because he’s an asshole,” is all she gives me.
When I look to Gemma, she breathes out a laugh before—thankfully—giving me more of an explanation. “Grace has always held this vendetta against Conway since her high school boyfriend—his son—cheated on her.”
I’m no less confused than I was a moment ago. “Uh, why would you hatehimfor what his son did?”