God, he was so freaking adorable with his family. They got along seamlessly, razzing each other one second, encouraging the next.
Cleo had been asking Zahara every question under the sun about movies, stunts, actors, and actresses. She could be a little spitfire, but Zahara loved the way Peggy kept them in line with tough love. It didn’t take long to see exactly why Chase had turned out so well with a mom like Peggy.
Now, Cleo sipped her soda and scoured the bustling restaurant. “Does anyone famous come here?”
Chase lifted his hands out to the sides, both filled with cards. “What am I, chopped liver?”
“You’re my brother.”
“I think that means yes,” Tabitha added.
He looked at Zahara. “Do you see what I deal with?”
She smiled, and he finished sanitizing the deck just as dinner was delivered to their table.
“Yummy, you got me collard greens,” Tabitha stood and reached for the platter holding a huge meal.
Chase caught her hand. “Sit, munchkin. I know what you want.” He loaded a plate with chicken, cornbread, and collard greens, making a face as he piled the mushy greenery. “I don’t know how you eat these things. You must have been switched at birth with a Southern baby.”
Tabitha clapped as he set the plate in front of her.
Chase watched Tabitha dig in and shook his head. “I see you’ve still got that hollow leg.”
With her mouth full, Tabitha just smiled.
Cleo’s hand froze halfway to her plate, a rib dangling between her fingers. “Oh my God,” she whispered, her gaze on the people in line. “Z, is that Shaun Perry? I swear that guy looks just like Shaun Perry.”
Zahara glanced over the customers just as Shaun turned his head to speak to the man he was with. “Yeah, that’s Shaun. I wonder what he’s working on up here.”
She gasped and turned big eyes on Zahara. “Do you know him?”
Zahara grinned. “I do. I bet you’d like to meet him.”
“Hello,” Chase said. “Big star right here. Someone give me a pen.” He pulled a napkin from the pile. “I’ll give you an autograph right now.”
Tabitha giggled. Cleo ignored him. Peggy took it all in like a proud mama hen watching her chicks.
“Could I?” Cleo asked. “Oh my God, that would be amazing.”
“Cleo,” Peggy said. “He’s here to eat. You shouldn’t bother him.”
“It’s no bother.” Zahara smiled and pushed from her seat. “He still owes me fifty bucks from a bet I won a few months back.”
“What was the bet?” Chase asked.
“Who could do the most burpees before they collapsed.”
Chase winced. “That’s a competition I’d pay fifty bucks to avoid.”
“Oh my God,” Cleo said, eyes wide on Zahara. “Are you serious right now?”
She gest
ured Cleo out of her seat. “Come on.”
With Cleo twittering at her side, Zahara approached Shaun. “Burpee throw down, Perry. Right here, right now.”
Shaun turned a frown her direction, but as soon as he recognized her, he started laughing and dragged her into a hug that pulled her off her feet. “Zahara Parrish, where in the hell have you been?”