"Sweetie, you don't need to do that," I heard Billy say as I made my way down the hall to the kitchen.

I entered to find Billy sitting at the kitchen bar as Sarah whizzed around the kitchen. Billy looked a bit tired as his eyes lifted to meet mine when I entered.

"Hey," he perked up a bit.

"Hey," I smiled at him and Sarah. "What are we up to?"

"Sarah is making appetizers," Billy nodded.

"Oh, sounds great!" I nodded.

"I just don't think your mom should have to cook everything every time she comes over," Sarah said as she tucked a pan into the oven.

"But my mom wants to cook everything when she comes over. She likes to cook," Billy offered.

"Well, maybe she pretends to like to because you all expect her to," Sarah replied.

"I think it's a very nice gesture, and I know Mary will appreciate it," I offered to Sarah.

"Thank you. I just hope she likes Clams Casino." Sarah smiled back

"Oh," Billy and I said in unison.

"What?" Sarah's face whipped back and forth between us. "What?"

"My mom will appreciate the effort," Billy soothed as he slid from behind the bar and headed towards Sarah. "She's just allergic to shellfish."

"You have got to be kidding me," Sarah groaned. "Perfect. She's allergic to shellfish. How could you not tell me?"

Billy set a hand on each of her shoulders. "Babe, it is going to be fine. It's the thought that counts."

I had to turn away. Frustration was mounting in me that Sarah was blaming Billy for not telling her of Mary's allergy, and Billy's kind reaction only inflamed the anger brewing in me.

"It's fine," Sarah angrily shrugged off Billy's hands as she twisted to the oven. In one swift movement, she slipped the pan back out and dumped it in the trash before charging down the hall.

"Sarah," Billy called after her.

"I'd let her cool off a bit; otherwise, you might end up like the clams," I offered.

"Yeah," Billy agreed as he inspected the trash. "I'm just going to get rid of the evidence," he added as he bundled up the trash bag.

"Smart man," I agreed.

"You want to see where I plan to put the barn?" He asked.

"Yeah!"

I followed Billy out the front door and down the porch.

"So," he began as he tossed the garbage into the bin. "I plan to put the barn there and then have a driveway along the side to lead around back to a car garage."

"Yeah? No parking cars in the barn?" I asked.

"Nah, some chick gave me an idea to build a barn with a studio up top and a practice space down below," Billy noted.

"She sounds smart and really pretty," I teased.

"Maybe I gave you too much confidence earlier," Billy shot back. "So," he continued as we headed back inside, "how concerned are we that everyone hates everyone?"

"Wow, not sugarcoating that at all," I laughed.

"I call 'em as I see 'em. Sam hates me; Sarah hates you. Sarah hates me when you are around. Sam hates you when I'm around. This is about as disastrous as you can get."

"Agreed."

"Game plan?" Billy asked.

"Ignore it and hope they get over it?" I offered.

"Ah, the path of do nothing; a favorite of Tim's," Billy pointed out.

"It is, and have you noticed that his life is pretty killer right now?" I added.

"Not untrue. Okay, we'll act like Tim," Billy nodded.

"Hey, so... I have to ask. The room..." I began.

"Yeah, Sarah fucking hates it. I just knew what you liked, so why wouldn't I make it how I knew you'd like it?"

"Fair, but is it weird?" I asked.

"I don't know. You tell me?" Billy deflected.

"I mean, maybe the clothes and the bathroom products," I noted.

"Fair, but Sarah drags me to all these stores, and I see things I know you'll like, so I pick them up, and now I have a place to put them."

"That's sweet, but for the sake of our relationships, please stop," I begged.

"Yes, ma'am," Billy agreed.

Sam was in the kitchen when Billy and I got back inside.

"Hey, Lil, can I talk to you for a minute?" Sam mournfully asked.

"Yeah, I just remembered I have to do something not here," Billy quickly noted. As he passed Sam, he clasped a hand down on his shoulder and added, "good luck, brother."

"Thanks, man," Sam murmured after him.

"Sam, I don't want to fight, and I don't want to be upset with you. So, if you are here to tell me how much you hate my friends and want to go home, I'd just..." I blurted.

"No, Lil, please. I'm sorry. I don't want to fight either, and I really don't want you to be mad at me," Sam offered.

"Can we just call this fight over?" I asked as I neared him.

"I'd love to, but it was my fault. Is that fair to you?" I asked, as his hands landed on my hips.

"Um, not having to feel like crap and instead having a great time with the love of my life and my best friends? Yeah, I think it's fair."

"Am I the love of your life?" Sam's smile filled his face.

"It sure feels like it," I murmured as I nuzzled into his neck.

"I love you too, Lily. I don't know how I got so lucky."

"We're both lucky," I noted as I pulled away to look him in the eye.

"I really am sorry. This just started all wrong," Sam condemned himself again.

"That's fine; let's just end it right," I offered before pushing up and meeting his lips.

Sam pulled me tighter against him as I got lost in the dance of our lips.

"Seriously, you're making out whenever I find you two!" Tim shot from the doorway.

Sam and I quickly pulled apart.

"Sorry," Sam offered.

"I'm not," I corrected.

"And you shouldn't be!" Mary agreed.

"Mary! I missed you!" I bombarded her with a hug.

"I missed you too. And I could use a few more calls. This must be Sam," she said as she pulled away from me and inspected Sam.

"Yes, ma'am. It is very nice to meet you. Lily has only shared wonderful things about you."

"Likewise, but she didn't mention how handsome you are," Mary noted, causing Sam to blush.

"Um, are you moving in on my man?" I teased.

"Maybe," Mary winked. "And," she continued as she returned her attention to Sam, "don't call me ma'am. I only hear that when one of my boys is in trouble. It makes me feel old and makes them look so pitiful."

"Who are you calling pitiful?" Billy asked as he joined us with Sarah in toe.

"Hello, Mary. You look wonderful," Sarah offered.

"As do you, but you know that," Mary offered.

"Okay, great. This is Tess, my bride to me. Now that all the pleasantries are out of the way, let's clear a path to the kitchen and let the maestro do her work." Tim barreled through the group to clear a path for Mary.

"I'm so sorry, everyone. Please excuse my fiancé. He's an idiot," Tess offered, causing Billy to full belly laugh.

"Hey, sustenance is one of the three basic needs. I'm just providing," Tim argued.

"Sustenance? You had five shortbread cookies on the ride over," Tess shot back.

"There's shortbread," Billy and I said in unison.

"Even I've heard about the shortbread," Sam added.

"You can each have one cookie before dinner," Mary measured.

"What? Tim just had five," Billy whined.

"Billy, don't whine," Mary scolded.

"Yes, ma'am." Billy's apology was mournful.

"See, pitiful," Mary winked at Sam, causing us all to laugh.