Page 59 of Heat Transfer
“Those deviled eggs look like they’re going to poison our guests.” Rory pointed to Declan’s attempt at pitching in with the food. My brother was a fucking genius when it came to engineering, but meal prep evaded him.
“Maybe he’s trying to lean into the ‘devil’ part,” I joked and finished hanging a streamer at Mom and Dad’s house. The day of Dad’s retirement party had arrived, and the whole family had turned up to help out.
“Pretty sure even the devil would turn those down,” Felix said, poking at the greenish sludge in the center of the eggs.
Aislin joined us in the living room, where we’d already set up most of the food and decorations. Folks would be arriving any second, and we were somewhat prepared. Mom was driving around Dad to keep him from seeing the transformation of the house, even though Ollie had spilled the beans about the party ages ago. My brother couldn’t keep a secret for shit.
“What’s with the Halloween deviled eggs?” Ais deposited a tray of cookies onto the scrap of table space she found.
“They’re not.” Felix wrinkled his nose. “They’re Declan’s.”
“Nope.” Aislin lifted the tray from the table. “No, no, no. I’m still scarred by his cornmeal and sweet potato pancakes. These are going straight to the trash can.”
She whipped around to the kitchen when Declan stepped in.
“What are you doing?” He tapped the side of his glasses and zeroed in on the plate of hazardous eggs.
“Saving our guests.” Aislin raised her chin, all but daring him to challenge her.
He shrugged. “I think I overcooked the eggs. They were starting to scorch the bottom of the pan.”
Rory opened his mouth and closed it again. “I really don’t want to know.”
“Cor, does your new guy have any specialty with masonry? I know that’s not your and Ollie’s domain,” Declan said while Aislin hustled his nightmare eggs away from the dining room table. “There’s a section on the back of my house that needs work.”
“I can check in with Garrett,” I said. We’d hired him a month ago. He had experience working as a maintenance guy for apartment buildings, but he was versatile as fuck. And honestly, he’d been a chill employee so far. Ollie and I both had high hopesfor the future. “But even if he doesn’t, I know a few guys who are great with it.”
“Thanks.” He set a few more stacks of paper plates and plastic utensils on the table. “I should’ve gotten it checked out earlier, but I let things go too long.”
I bit back the lecture. Considering three of his family members worked as contractors, he could’ve asked about it ages ago.
“Dad’s on his way in.” Ollie entered the living room. Liam trailed close behind him, looking far too sweaty.
“Have you guys been fucking?” Rory asked. Leave it to him to be blunt.
“Sure looks like it to me,” Felix said. My heart thudded a little harder as I glanced to him across the table. He wore a salmon-colored polo and jeans, his black curls tamed. He was so fucking gorgeous I couldn’t stand it, and he was all mine.
“Who was fucking?” Aislin asked as she popped back in from the kitchen. She rolled her eyes at Ollie and Liam. “Oh, you two.”
The front door creaked open, drawing everyone’s attention.
“We’re here,” Mom called out.
“Come on, guys,” I said. “Let’s go congratulate Dad.”
Ollie had already started off in that direction, and Liam followed, along with Rory quick behind him. Aislin and Declan went next, and I slipped beside Felix to head around the corner with him.
Dad stood in the doorway, looking at the big banner and all the decorations we put throughout the place. He’d built this business from scratch, and I understood what handing it over meant to him. However, I knew he was happy Ollie and I were keeping Brannon Contractors going.
“Guys, you didn’t have to do all this,” he said, his eyes glossing with tears. My heart squeezed tight. My father was the quiet type, who soaked in the chaos more than participated, and I’d always felt the closest to him. He was also the gentlest man Iknew, which paired perfectly with Mom’s sharp wit. I’d always wanted to find a match of contrasts just like that, and somehow I’d been lucky enough to stumble into it with Felix.
“Shut up,” Rory said. “You deserve it.”
“It’s obviously just a ploy to have cake,” Aislin teased.
“And you can escape to our room when the house gets too packed.” Mom wagged her finger. “These assholes were in charge of invites, so they overdid it.”
“What kind of mother calls her children assholes?” Rory complained.