“Daisy,” Alex said, “you ought to know that your boyfriend is a hustler.”

Daisy put her arms around David. “Aww, did you kick their butts, honey?”

“I put a hurt on them.”

“That’s my guy.” She kissed him square on the mouth.

“Ugh,” Alex said. “Get a room.”

“Can we choose any room we want upstairs?” David asked, waggling his brows at Alex.

“Not at my house. Gross.”

“Alex, come help me with dinner and leave David alone,” Jenny said.

“He humiliated me at my own pool table on the first day,” Alex said. “I’d think you’d have more sympathy for your husband.”

“I’ll massage your wounded ego later. For now, I have people to feed.”

Slim laughed at Jenny’s saucy reply.

“He’s still such a baby,” Paul said.

“I heard that, asshole,” Alex called from the kitchen.

“Shut it,” Jenny said while the others laughed.

Baby, Paul mouthed.

Slim smiled at Paul while Hope placed a hand over his mouth. Their bickering made Slim miss Jack. He was long overdue for a visit with his brother’s family, and he’d love to bring Erin with him.

“Leave your brother alone,” Hope said.

“He invited himself and his wife on our trip,” Paul told her when she’d removed her hand.

“Oh yay! That’s great. We’ll have so much fun.”

Paul hooked his arm around her waist and drew her in close to him. “As long as I get to marry you, I’ll put up with him crashing our party.”

Hope’s smile lit up her pretty face.

Jenny came rushing out of the kitchen and threw herself at Hope. “You’re getting married! And we’re going with you! Oh my God! This is huge! When were you going to tell me?”

“I was waiting for Paul to tell Alex.”

“We’re going to be sisters!” Jenny said, tears making her eyes shine.

The two women clung to each other.

Slim glanced at Erin in time to see a stricken expression on her face. Ah, damn. Jenny was supposed to have been her sister, too. He crossed the room to Erin, put his arm around her and let her know he understood.

She leaned her head into his chest in a moment of silent unity that did funny things to his insides. What the hell was that? He was hungry, and the smells coming from the kitchen were making his stomach growl. That was all it was.

But when he looked down to find Erin gazing up at him with affection and appreciation and a million other things he couldn’t easily identify, he knew it was far more than hunger. It was something else, something altogether new.

The moment was broken when Jared, Lizzie and Quinn came in the front door, apologizing for being late and bearing side dishes that they handed over to Jenny.

“You’re not late,” she said. “You’re just in time for dinner.”