The Idea of You by Darcy Burke Page B

everyone at pool.” Dylan stared at her. “Are you my fiancée?” This was met with laughter from around the table. Even Evan cracked a smile.
    Alaina leaned closer to Evan. “I take it Sara’s good at pool?”
    He turned his head, bringing their mouths close enough that she could probably kiss him. So tempting. “The best.”
    She couldn’t help staring at his lips or imagining them tangled with hers, his tongue invading her mouth. She thought of the theater downstairs. If they sat in the back in the dark . . .
    Evan abruptly stood and took his and Alaina’s plates to the kitchen. Alaina got up and poured more wine into her and Evan’s glasses. “More wine anyone?” she asked.
    Just about everyone answered in the affirmative, and Alaina ended up using multiple bottles to refill all the glasses.
    Chloe picked up her wine. “What movie should we watch?”
    â€œI suppose it would be weird if we watched one of Alaina’s,” Maggie said, coming back to the table.
    â€œIt’s fine with me,” Alaina said, though she secretly hoped they wouldn’t. Watching herself made her uncomfortable. In fact, she hadn’t even seen a handful of her performances and likely never would.
    A phone rang on the counter.
    â€œWhose is that?” Rob asked.
    Kyle reached across the granite and picked it up. “Mom’s. It’s Liam.”
    â€œGo ahead and answer it,” she said.
    Kyle slid his finger across the screen. “Hey, douchenozzle. You missed another fine family feast.” His smile faded, and he handed the phone to his mother. “He wants to talk to you. He sounds serious.”
    â€œDoesn’t he usually sound serious?” Derek asked.
    Emily took the phone and retreated into a small office off the kitchen.
    Alaina turned to Evan, who’d come back to her side of the table. “What’s going on with Liam?”
    He shrugged. “No idea.”
    â€œSo, what about the movie?” Maggie asked. “Action-adventure? Rom-com? Sci-fi?”
    Alaina knew what Evan would pick. “I love sci-fi. That was my first love. And fantasy.”
    â€œReally?” Evan’s gaze lingered on hers a second longer than usual.
    â€œI told you I loved Lord of the Rings . And Aliens is one of my absolute favorite movies. Ripley is maybe the greatest action heroine ever written.”
    â€œClassic,” Sean said, joining them. “Maybe we should think about a reboot for you.” He said this with a smile, but she sensed he was only half-kidding.
    â€œThat’s total sacrilege. And anyway, I don’t think I could do it. They approached me about the prequel a few years back, and I just couldn’t say yes. I was afraid I would mess it up. I feel simultaneously bad and excited for all the young actors doing the next Star Wars movie. Amazing opportunity, terrifying responsibility.”
    Emily came back into the kitchen, and the conversation died down. “Is everything all right?” Sara asked, moving toward her.
    Emily looked pale—it seemed as though things were not all right. “Liam was in an accident. He’ll be fine, but he dislocated his shoulder and has a hairline fracture in his wrist.”
    Rob joined her and immediately stroked her back. “How the hell did he do that?”
    Emily looked up at her husband, worry etched in her face. “Heli-skiing.”
    Kyle dropped a towel on the counter, his brows pitched low over his eyes in either concern or irritation, maybe both. “He’s going to kill himself one of these days.”
    â€œSometimes I wonder if that’s the point,” Tori murmured. She’d moved next to Sean and slid her arm around his waist.
    Liam had a death wish? Alaina shook her head. This family could star in their own movie. But then, she guessed they had with the reality show.
    â€œI think I’ll skip the movie.” Emily turned, her brow