A Texas Family Reunion by Judy Christenberry Read Free Book Online

supposed to do for the oldest. Make his life hell.” Alex grinned at David.
    Susan laughed. Then, as they pulled into the restaurant parking lot, she asked, “What kind of car does Pete drive?”
    David stiffened. “Are you so shallow that you have to know what a man drives before you decide if he’s worth your time?”
    “No! I just wondered if he was here already.”
    Her hurt tones reminded David that this was Susan, not Janet. “Sorry, honey. I must’ve gotten you confused with our sister.”
    “Oh, all right, I forgive you. So do you see his car?”
    “Yes, I do. I bet he’s inside waiting for us.”
    When he stopped the car, Susan was the first out. She smoothed down her hair and drew a deep breath. Alex stepped to her side. “You’ll do fine, Suse.”
    Susan gave her a shy smile. “I hope so.”
    “Here we go,” David said, stepping between the two ladies. He took each of their hands and moved toward the door of the restaurant. In the darkened interior, Pete was sitting on a bench, awaiting their arrival. He popped to his feet as they entered.
    “Hi, Pete. You beat us here,” David said, extending his hand to his friend. “You remember Alex, don’t you?”
    “Yes, of course, Alex, it’s good to see you again,” he said politely. Then he swung his gaze to Susan and his face lit up. “Hi, Susan.”
    “Hi, Pete,” Susan said with the same enthusiasm.
    David exchanged a look with Alex. Then he took her hand and followed the hostess to a booth for four. Standing back, he watched her slide gracefully into the booth.
    Then he remembered to say, “I hope a booth is okay with you, Pete.”
    Pete, in the process of following Susan into the booth, said, “Oh, um, yeah, it’s great.”
    Which seemed to describe the rest of the evening from Pete and Susan’s point of view. They gazed into each other’s eyes most of the evening, scarcely acknowledging David and Alex.
    “Do you think they even know we’re here?” Alex whispered to David at one point.
    “Yeah, but I don’t think they care,” he replied.
    “But how can Susan work for Pete? They’ll never get anything done.”
    David murmured, “It’s my job to make sure they do.”
    Out loud, Alex said, “My steak is really good. How about yours, David?”
    “Yeah. But in honor of Susan’s new job, I think we need to order a Chocolate Thunder from Down Under.”
    The other two were talking to each other, still oblivious to Alex and David.
    “I suppose we could all share one,” Alex agreed.
    “Or maybe order two of them, one for each couple.”
    “So we can eat ours…then eat theirs before it melts?”
    “Well, that’s possible,” David drawled. “But it happens to be Pete’s favorite dessert.”
    “I’m not sure we’re even necessary,” Alex murmured.
    “I thought we were. Pete’s a little gun-shy.”
    “He is? Why?”
    “Do you remember his last name?”
    “Of course I do. It’s Dansky.”
    “Well, some people are selective about who they call friend.”
    “As they should be,” Alex said, a little puzzled.
    “Pete fell for a woman from a wealthy family, though he didn’t realize they were wealthy at the time. Her parents were appalled that she would even date a person with that kind of last name.”
    “You’re kidding!” Alex exclaimed.
    Pete looked up. “What? Did we miss something?”
    “No, David was telling me something about my mother and my aunt,” Alex said quickly. Then she muttered, “About my aunt at least.”
    “So, you understand,” David said. Pete and Susan were back in their own world.
    “Yes. That hadn’t occurred to me when I met Pete. What does your mother think about him being a good friend?”
    “She hasn’t said, and I haven’t asked her.” David looked up as their waiter arrived at the table.
    “Are you finished, ma’am, sir?”
    “Yes, we’re all finished,” David said, gesturing to Pete and Susan, too.
    “But they haven’t—”
    “You can take their plates, too,” David