“Well, there’s probably ten desserts in there that are full of it.” Lawrence stabs a green bean with his fork. “She’s been cooking for two days.”

“I don’t see you complaining right now.” Casey lifts a brow. “And don’t you eat that bean until we’ve said grace.” She looks at Ethan. “Do you want to say it?”

He looks at me with wide eyes. I’m about to come to his rescue when he shrugs.

“Sure,” he says and then bows his little head.

I drop my head and look at my plate—pretty white china with butterscotch-colored designs near the rim.

Ethan clears his throat. “Dear God, thank you for this day. Thank you for letting us come to this house and have this nice meal made by this nice lady, even if it is a lot of starch.”

I smile as Lawrence chuckles softly to my right.

“Thank you for . . . um . . . letting Cole be retired so we could meet him and for my mom letting me play baseball. We are really grateful, God. Amen.”

I press my lips together to keep my emotions from spilling all down my cheeks. When I lift my head, Ethan is looking at me.

“Perfect,” I mouth at him.

He smiles.

“That was an awesome job,” Cole says. “I get so nervous when I have to speak like that, but you did it like a rock star.”

“You get nervous?” Ethan asks.

Lawrence laughs. “One time, Cole had to give a speech in high school. What was it for, Casey? Do you remember?”

“Honor Night, I think.”

Cole groans. “Do we have to tell this story?”

Lawrence ignores him. “So he gets up there in front of his whole school and all of their parents. The bleachers were full. It was packed to the brim. And do you know what he did?”

Ethan shakes his head, riveted by the story. “No. What did he do?”

“Well, he gets up there and stands at the microphone and—”

“I puked, okay?” Cole passes me the bowl of potatoes.

Ethan laughs. “You puked in front of everyone?”

“Yeah. But Dad made chili the night before, and I think he poisoned me.”

Lawrence tips his fork at Ethan. “We’ve never had chili since.”

“That would be so gross,” Ethan says, laughing. “I bet no one let you forget that.”

Cole lifts his drink and grins. “Thankfully, they didn’t.”

“Why are you thankful for that?” I ask him. “That seems embarrassing.”

Cole takes a sip of his tea and then settles his gaze on me. “Because I survived, and I’m stronger for it.”

“Can I have another piece of roast?” Ethan asks Casey.

I try to tear my eyes away from Cole’s, but I can’t. They’re locked together, entwined in a conversation that I can’t hear.