Chapter 11
"Dad said he saw you today," Sam told Jake when he came to pick her up that evening.
"Yeah, I let him know about the guns," Jake glanced at her as he drove.
"He didn't ask how we knew?" Sam asked.
"No, I didn't tell him you were shot at," Jake frowned.
"It wasn't your fault, Jake," Sam reminded him.
Jake gave her a look and looked back at the road.
"So where are we going?" Sam changed the subject.
"Dinner?" Jake answered.
Sam sighed, giving him a disgusted look.
"If you're going to be a bear all night, take me home now," Sam told him. "I'm sorry we were shot at. It wasn't your fault. Now that we have that out of the way, can we try and enjoy ourselves?"
Jake glanced over again and Sam gave him the stink eye. His full mouth twitched once.
"I take it back," Jake said.
"Take what back?" Sam practically shouted, wondering if he was telling her he wanted his ring back.
"You're sassier than Witch," Jake responded.
Sam's mouth formed an O. Jake started to laugh at her startled expression.
"Don't you ever call me a brat again, fat boy," Sam retorted, but Jake saw the humor in her eyes.
"Buzz, buzz," Jake reminded her.
Sam stuck her tongue out at him and Jake made more buzzing noises.
"I will get you back for that, you neigher," Sam threatened.
"Neigher?" Jake choked on his laughter. "Come on baby, let me hear it."
"Go neigh yourself, fat boy," Sam was laughing now too. She wiped her eyes of the tears.
"I worry," Jake simply said.
"I know," Sam nodded. "It wasn't your fault."
Jake didn't say anything, he turned back towards the road again.
"Steak okay?" he asked a bit later.
"Sure," Sam responded.
He pulled into the parking lot and found a spot. Sam met him at the front of his truck and they held hands as they walked in.
"Sammy!" Quinn's voice rang out.
"Oh great," Jake mumbled under his breath. Sam swatted him.
"Quinn!" Sam hugged and kissed him. "Hi Debi."
"Hi Sam," Debi smiled.
"Sammy!" Sam heard Bryan's voice.
She went to him to hug and he picked her up as he hugged her.
"No Samball," she told him. She heard Jake's snort. She turned and stuck her tongue out at him. Sam saw a pretty brunette standing behind Bryan. "Hi, I'm Sam if you haven't figured that out," Sam smiled at her.
"This is Valerie," Bryan introduced the brunette without putting Sam down.
"Hi Valerie," Sam continued to smile at her. Valerie looked a bit surprised at the twins' greetings.
"Oh and Jake," Quinn pretended like he had just remembered his brother and that he wasn't important. Jake gave him a look.
"Sammy's our sister," Bryan gave Sam one last hug before putting her down.
Valerie looked from Bryan to Sam to Jake.
"She's dating our brother Jake," Bryan went on.
"You're dating your brother?" Valerie's voice sounded strangled as she looked at Sam.
"Jakey's adopted," Quinn grinned. Sam and Bryan snorted. Jake rolled his eyes. Debi giggled which got Sam laughing.
"Something tells me I'm being had," Valerie laughed.
"Oh are there two more of you now?" the hostess looked at the group.
"Yes," Quinn and Bryan said.
"No," Jake said at the same time.
Sam hit him. "Come on, we'll have fun."
"We have a table big enough for six," the hostess gathered up some menus.
"You better make that eight," Bryan told her.
"Why?" Debi asked.
"Nate just pulled in," Bryan responded.
"You're kidding!" Quinn was laughing. "Boy are we gonna have fun tonight."
"Something tells me I didn't bring enough bail money," Jake grumbled. Five sets of eyes looked at him.
"Oh my gosh, Jakey made a joke," Bryan crowed.
Jake wished for a hole to open up and swallow him as Quinn, Debi, Bryan and Sam started to laugh. Valerie looked as though she wasn't sure what was going on, but she had a smile on her face.
"Hey! I thought that was Jakey's truck," Nate said when he and Vanessa came into the lobby.
"It's like an Ely reunion," Quinn laughed.
"Eight now?" the hostess asked.
"We'll eat separately if there's not enough room," Jake told her.
"Oh stop," Sam scolded him with a laugh. Jake looked down at her with humor in his dark brown eyes.
"Follow me," the hostess said.
Sam couldn't help but notice all the looks the four Ely brothers were getting from the women in the restaurant. It didn't matter if the women were with male companions or not, they looked. Sam was sure they drooled also.
Sam met Debi's eyes and the two exchanged grins. They knew how handsome their men were and as long as none of the women in the restaurant tried to pick up their guys, they considered it a compliment.
"What do you think would happen if they knew Quinn was statue boy?" Sam asked.
"Oh my gosh," Debi started to laugh. Sam laughed with her.
"There would be a riot in this place," Sam choked out.
"What are you two giggling about?" Quinn asked.
"You," Sam told him with a sassy grin.
"I knew you loved me, Sammy," Quinn pretended to preen. "Thinking of me instead of Jakey."
"Quinn, we're laughing," Sam reminded him with a smirk. She heard Jake snort behind her.