That Blue Gibson

CH 21

Liz pulled into Nate's driveway, killed the engine on the Ural and grabbed a case of beer from Dave's lap in the sidecar.

"Here," she said, handing the case back to him once he stood up. "Pull your goddamn weight around here."

"Yes, ma'am," he replied, softly nudging her with his elbow.

They walked up the front steps together and stopped at the door. She expected him to ring the bell or knock, but he just opened and held the door for her. She hesitated a moment before walking into a little foyer. She could hear laughter coming from deeper in the house when a blonde woman about her age in a flowing dress ran around the corner.

"You're here!" she cried and ran to hug Dave. He smiled warmly at her and hugged her back.

Liz stood awkwardly next to them for a moment before Dave introduced them.

"Kate, this is Liz. Liz, Kate," he grinned.

"It's so good to meet you!" Kate smiled brightly and immediately pulled Liz into a hug. Not wanting to drop and entire case of glass bottles in her clean foyer, Liz embraced her with one arm. "Come in!" Kate cried, grabbing Liz's hand and pulling her into the living room. Several people were sitting on a grey sectional around a giant TV mounted above a fireplace. Liz noticed they were watching rugby of all things before Kate led her to the kitchen where even more people were standing around chatting. She felt Dave touch her arm before taking the case of beer from her and setting it on the kitchen island and ripping it open. He handed her a beer and took one for himself. Just as Liz was about to open the bottle, Nate turned away from the sink.

"Liz!" he cried and jogged around the table to greet her.

Liz's eyes went wide when he hugged her tightly and held on for a bit longer than the usual greeting required. "Thanks for inviting me," she said, feeling herself blush a little. "I like your apron," she added, not daring to look at Dave for fear of laughing.

"Yeah? It's Kate's," Nate laughed gesturing to the pink and white ruffled fifties style apron around his neck and waist. "I have to finish the potatoes, but make Dave show you around, okay?"

Liz nodded felt Dave's arm around her shoulders again. "I can't tell if you're trying to keep me from running away or if you're using me as a crutch," she laughed, poking at his hand on her shoulder.

"Little of this, little of that," Dave smiled.

Chris poked his head in from the patio door. "Need more chips, man," he called to Nate before noticing Liz and Dave. "Hey!" he yelled, opening the door further to walk inside. He immediately pulled Liz out of Dave's arm and into a hug.

"Hey, Chris," Liz smiled.

He looked at her for a moment before noticing her unopened beer. "You need a church key?" he asked, turning back to the kitchen.

"Jesus, I haven't heard someone call it that since I was a kid," Liz laughed as Chris handed her a bottle opener.

"You were born in the eighties, Liz. You are a kid," he joked as Nate handed him a big bag of wood chips.

"You vegan now... or...?" Liz joked, knowing exactly what the wood was for.

"Once you get past the slivers, it's actually pretty good!" Chris replied and headed back outside to a large meat smoker.

Dave and Liz followed him onto a wide deck overlooking a green hillside. A lawn spread out below them with a swing set and pool set off to the side and several kids were racing around on the grass with bubble machines, nerf guns and a big brown dog. Liz realized she had been invited to a family barbecue, not some rock and roll rager and was thankful she decided to wear her Vans, light jeans and loose white tee shirt.