Tyler chuckled. “I’m beginning to figure that out.”
Technically, Kendall wasn’t related to them, but she’d come to live with the Abernathys at fourteen, making her as much Will’s aunt asHallie or Elise. And though she swore she didn’t love kids, no one could spend even a few minutes with the baby and not become absolutely smitten.
He was perfection in a squishy, adorable package.
The kitchen’s swinging door burst open, clattering against the counter behind it. Hallie jumped at the sound as her cousin Bridget, known by everyone as Beej, entered the room. Her nostrils flared in a good impression of an angry bull ready to charge.
“That was the worst. date. of. my. life.” She thumped her purse onto the countertop so hard it sounded like an anvil hitting the granite. What did she have in there?
Will squawked from Hallie’s arms, so she handed him back to Tyler before he got too agitated. She lowered herself onto the stool next to Kendall. “What went wrong this time?” Her cousin had been on a string of bad dates since breaking up with her last serious boyfriend almost a year ago.
Beej groaned, dropping onto her own stool. “First, he made fun of my name.What kind of nickname is Beej? Do people call you that because Bridget is an old lady name?Who says that? Then he proceeded to low-key insult me for the next two hours.”
“Why didn’t you leave?” Tyler asked, rubbing Will’s back. The baby settled on his shoulder.
“I couldn’t help being curious about what creative insult he’d throw out next,” she admitted with dry amusement. “I can’t believe he had theaudacityto ask me out again. I mean, seriously.”
Kendall’s eyes narrowed. “Please tell me you said no.”
Hallie hoped that as well. Beej’s dating choices were questionable at best.
“Of course I said no. I didn’t actually enjoy being insulted.” Beej shook her head, and her countenance flipped in an instant to something lighter. “Did you figure out your website issue?”
“You’re making a website?” Tyler asked.
Hallie blew an errant strand of blonde hair from her face. “Attemptingto make a website. I can’t seem to get it to work.”
“My buddy works in tech. He might be able to help you. You’ve met him, actually. Remember Christian?”
“Wasn’t he one of the groomsmen at your wedding?” Kendall touched the side of her head with her fingers. “Light brown hair, kind of broody?”
“That’s him.”
Beej gasped, bolting upright on her stool. “I remember him. He’scute.If I hadn’t had that thing going with Tim, I would’ve asked for his number.”
Kendall cast her brown-eyed gaze to the ceiling, though her mouth tipped upward. “Of course you would.”
“How come you never invite him to hang out with us?” Beej asked, ignoring the slight. “He’s got to be better than all the losers I’ve gone out with lately.”
Tyler bit his bottom lip, looking visibly uncomfortable with the suggestion. He swayed Will from side to side, lulling the baby to sleep.
“Please don’t go after my friends,” he said finally.
“Why not? Is he married?”
“No.”
Beej tilted her head to one shoulder. “Mysterious. Oh no. He still lives with his mom, doesn’t he? I dated a guy like that once. Never again.”
“He’s probably a serial killer,” Kendall suggested matter-of-factly. “Have you dated one of those?”
“Ha ha.” A broad grin crossed Beej’s face. “Ooooh, I know. What if he tells everyone he’s a computer guy, but he’s really a CIA agent on a secret mission?”
Kendall wagged a finger in her direction. “That’s probably it.”
“Girls.”
Only Hallie noticed Tyler’s attempt to butt in, though she couldn’t resist joining the round of guesses. “What if he’s an alien disguised as a human?”
