Chapter 17: Awkward Family Dinner

Carissa's stomach rumbled again, and she quickly got up and walked inside. Cayla wasn't too far behind. Carissa's father emerged from his den and smiled at her.

"Hi, Daddy." She gave him a hug.

"Hi, pumpkin. How's school?" he asked and led the way into the dining room.

"Good." Carissa didn't tell him about the sorority. He'd freak out and lecture her about how he wasn't paying thousands of dollars per semester for her to party.

Dad took his seat at the head of the table, and Cayla sat to his right. Carissa sat beside Cayla. The chair to Dad's left was reserved for Mom, and the seat beside her was for Cory.

Ruckus near the back patio filtered into the dining room, then dissipated before the guys entered the room several minutes later. They'd all changed and wiped away the sweat that had been clinging to them.