“It’s the lamest firework, honestly,” adds Zoe.
Reid nods. “Disappointing.”
“Burns out fast,” Tamara agrees with a nod.
The kids look unimpressed, but turn back to their plates. Lulu’s shoulders shake, laughing so hard she’s nearly in tears.
But Zoe, casual as anything, tosses another grenade onto the dumpster fire. “Honestly, half the problem is men who don’t believe in foreplay.”
“ZOE.” Eli is about two seconds away from needing CPR.
Charlie winces. “She’s not wrong, though.”
Tamara points her fork at her pancake stack. “It’s like this. Pancakes are fine, but without syrup? Dry. Why even bother?”
Zoe raises her mug in toast. “Amen.”
Eli’s face is purple. “We areneverdoing brunch again.”
“Uncle Chase.” Noah’s voice suddenly rings out. “What’s foreplay?”
Charlie groans, Zoe chokes, and Chase goes pale. Jake looks like he wants to crawl into the oven.
The scramble begins again.
“It’s, uhh… like warm-ups before a game,” Chase says, fumbling.
Jake nods enthusiastically. “Yes. Drills. Important drills.”
“Stretching,” Zoe adds, blinking fast.
Chase hums in agreement. “Team bonding.”
“SYRUP,” Tamara blurts, barely holding on.
Hutch doesn’t look up from his coffee. “Some people skip it. Those people shouldn’t be trusted.”
There’s a beat where ten sets of eyes land on him, then everyone loses it while Jake shakes his head, and Charlie hides a smile.
Meadow frowns. “So it’s maple syrup?”
“YES,” Jake and Chase say instantly.
“Cool,” Noah nods, shoving another forkful of pancake in. “Then I think Logan needs more syrup. His pancakes look dry.”
Chase and Eli howl, while Lulu beams, clearly triumphant.
I scowl into my coffee. Not because I’m grumpy at the kid, but because I’m hanging on by a damn thread, trying not to picture the ways I could show Lulu exactly what fireworks really look like.
Luckily, I’m saved when Eli tries to desperately redirect the conversation to something more civilized.
“So, Lu—you get the house?”
She looks up from her gluten-free pancakes, eyes bright. “Signed the papers yesterday.”
Eli grins. “The one on Birch?”
“Yep.”
