Jess looked at Jamie.  “You know, Jams we all still love you.  You gained a father, a real father.  You haven’t lost anything.”

Jake chimed in.  “You’ve been calling Ben, Dad for the last month.  It just happens to be true, but that doesn’t make everything else false.  Now, can we take a left and hit the Martin City Jack Stack?  I’m starving.”

Jamie turned on his blinker and took a left on Blue Ridge Parkway.  He parked the truck, but didn’t move.  He turned and looked at Jess.  “You know you left Gabe back there, right?”

 

Lane started to cry as the Kids left the house.  Ben held her in his arms, stroking her hair as he told her that everything would turn out fine.  Gabe watched as Ben lifted Lane into his arms as though she weighed nothing at all and carried her toward the master suite.  Gabe heard the door close as he walked to the refrigerator and got a bottle of water.  This would make one of the best scripts he’d ever read, not that he’d want to exploit the Bellini family, even if Jess would allow it.

A few minutes later, Lane walked into the kitchen where Gabe was sitting at the island, a bottle of water in his hand.  It was nearing dinnertime and she had no idea when the kids would be back.  She knew that Jake and Jess would keep Jamie safe and grounded.  The kids always said that blood is thicker than water and Parker blood is thicker than molasses.  She smiled.  Guess it was really her blood, Valle blood, that was thicker than molasses.

“Gabe, it appears that dinner might be late.  Can I get you anything, maybe a snack to tide you over?”

Lane walked toward the refrigerator.  She was sure Gabe had heard the family drama that had played out earlier, and while he was a guest in her home and she didn’t want to make him uncomfortable, she still wasn’t prepared to discuss any of it with him.

“Jess sent me a text a couple of minutes ago.”  He looked at his phone, “It says, ‘We’re bringing back Jack Stack’.”  He smiled his movie star smile.  “I hope that means something to you.”

Lane smiled and gave a light laugh, “It means I hope you’re hungry and that you like barbeque. Because, if I know my kids, they’ll have enough food for a small army when they get back.”

Chapter 17

Ben entered the kitchen and bent to kiss Lane’s cheek, “Did I hear the kids are bringing Jack Stack?”

“Yes, Jess sent a text to Gabe.”

“Joey just called to say he landed at Johnson County exec.  He has Evie with him.  They should be here in about 15 minutes.”

He looked at Gabe.  “Did Jess give you an ETA?”

The garage door opened and all three of them turned, expecting to see the Parker Kids returning with barbeque, but were greeted instead, by Pauli who held his duffle bag.

Ben looked at him and raised his chin toward the garage door.  “Take it back to the car.   Jess brought a guest home and Evie will be staying here, so you and Joey are either at the Parker House or staying with the folks this trip.”

Pauli nodded, dropped his bag, walked into the kitchen, and hugged Lane.  “You look amazing.”

“I feel much better now that I’m through the first trimester.  We saw the doctor yesterday and got our first ultrasound.” She replied.

Ben had known for months that Pauli had a thing for Lane, and he thought his baby brother held the embrace just a little too long this time.  He cleared his throat. “Pauli, this is Gabe Greer.  Gabe, this is my youngest brother, Pauli.”

Gabe stepped forward, flashed his movie star smile, and reached out to take Pauli’s hand.  “Dr. Bellini, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Gabe Greer, Grammy award winning singer, star of both the big and small screens had just told Pauli that it was a pleasure to meet him, and it left Pauli speechless.  It took a few beats for Pauli to realize that Gabe Greer must be the friend Jess had brought home.  Oh, this is not good. He thought.

“Nice meeting you.”  Pauli replied.

Lane smiled, thinking that would make nine for dinner.  The kitchen table would only seat six comfortably.

“The kids are out picking up Jack Stack.  I’ll set the dining room table.”  She announced to anyone who was listening.

She opened the cabinet, got nine dinner plates, and placed them on the counter.  Ben had gone to the butler’s pantry and gotten a tablecloth, which he unfurled and put on the dining table.  Lane carried the plates and the silverware to the table.

“What can I do?” Gabe asked.

“You’re a guest.  You can sit and wait for dinner to arrive.” Lane told him.

Gabe laughed.  “I’d rather be part of the family.  Give me something to do.”

Ben looked at Lane and tilted his head as if to ask what she knew about Jess’s relationship with Gabe.  So, Gabe Greer wants to be part of the family. My two youngest brothers have competition.  The basketball game tomorrow could be brutal.  Good thing there’s a doctor in the family.

“You know as much as I do.”  She whispered to Ben before raising her voice to Gabe, “You can get the glasses and bring them in.”

“How many?  From what you said, I count nine.  Is that right?”  He called to Lane as he opened the cabinets closest to the sink.  It was where he thought everyone should put drinking glasses.

They heard Gabe opening cabinets.  He’d been at the house for less than six hours and he’d made himself at home.  Of course, it was what they’d told him to do, wasn’t it?

Gabe walked into the dining room carrying five glasses.  Pauli who was carrying the other four followed him.  They placed one glass at each place setting.

Gabe looked at Lane. “Surely you don’t use linen napkins for barbeque.  Shall I bring in a roll of paper towels?”

Lane looked up at him.  “Sure that would be good.  When the kids get home, they’ll transfer the food to serving dishes.  If they get home first, we’ll wait for Joey and Evie before we sit though.”

As she spoke, the door from the garage opened again and everyone walked into the hall. Joey Bellini was dressed in a variation of the Bellini casual uniform, of khaki slacks and a polo shirt or sweater, wearing black slacks and a black cashmere sweater.  He was carrying Evie’s suitcase.  Without waiting for the introductions, he walked down the hall toward the bedrooms.  He quickly found the vacant guest room and left Evie’s suitcase on the bed before returning to the hearth room where everyone had gathered.

He recognized Gabe right away and walked toward him with his hand extended.  “You’re Gabe Greer, right?  I’m Joey Bellini.”   He said as the two men shook hands.  So, this is the friend Jess brought home.  At least they were staying in separate rooms; there may be hope yet.

Joey glanced around the room.  “Where’s Jess?”

“She and the boys should be home with Jack Stack soon.”  Lane responded.

Joey nodded.  Of course, a trip to KC wouldn’t be complete for Jess without at least one stop for her favorite barbeque.

The words were no sooner out of Lane’s mouth than the garage door opened again.  The Parker Kids (it was impossible to begin thinking of them as anything else) bantered their way into the house, giving the impression that everything was back to normal.

Each of them carried bags of food into the kitchen.  They placed the bags on the island, and Jake and Jess began the process of opening containers and exchanging Styrofoam and plastic containers for serving bowls and platters. Jamie carried the food into the dining room as Gabe came into the kitchen.

“What can I do?”  He asked.

Jess looked at him and shook her head.  “You can take drink orders.”

Gabe Greer was possibly the only actor in Hollywood who had never been a waiter, but he walked around the hearth room asking what everyone wanted to drink.

As he returned to the kitchen, he recited the orders.  “I have three Cokes, two iced teas, a coffee, I’ll have a Coke.  What will you guys have?”