Chapter 49
"Ashley Tremain, get away from that cake!" a firm masculine voice bellowed across the room. The toddler obediently turned and smiled angelically at her father, who grinned at Eric. "Hi. I'm Gary." He pointed to his daughter. "Watch that one. She's a world-class con artist."
Eric shook hands with Lori's brother. He also had the Tremain brown eyes, but his thinning short hair was a slightly lighter shade than Lori's. Eric thought he remembered Lori telling him that Gary was an engineer for one of the big auto manufacturers.
The other adults had joined them by this time. Lori's brother-in-law Joe handed him an ice-cold bottle of a local microbrew. "Here," he said with an empathic grin. "You're going to need this." Then Lori's mother enveloped Eric in a warm hug. Joe Logan grinned over the top of his mother-in-law's head. "Told you," he mouthed to Eric, who just stood there, having no idea how to react.