Chapter 18

Elise and the other ladies arrived at the house to discover that the men were planning a barbeque. The weather was unseasonably warm for this late in October and a final outdoor meal had been deemed just the thing. Potatoes were already on the grill baking and the steaks marinating.

Helen immediately switched into her super-hostess mode and began pulling the salad fixings out of the fridge. Phoebe headed home to get some pies for dessert, while Zoe and Rose began gathering plates, cutlery, and napkins.

Having been sent to count how many were actually there, Elise stood in the doorway and began to number off the people who would be partaking of the meal. There was Kane and herself, Helen, Zoe, Phoebe, their two spouses and four children, Rose, Daniel, John and Carrie, and two other couples whose names she couldn’t recall. In total that made nineteen people; she hoped there were lots of lawn chairs!

It turned out that there was no need to worry. The Alpha house was w