“Nice, Derrick.” Gage frowned. “I’m eating, dude.”
“Baby,” Derrick and Dylan said as one.
Hailey tried to smother a smile.
Barbara shook her head. “You should see these three at our family breakfasts.” She shot Derrick a sly glance. “I’m surprised we haven’t seen you at one before now, Sydney. You’re more than invited, with or without Derrick.”
Derrick sighed. “With, Mom. You’re not helping.”
James grinned. “From what I hear, you never need help.”
Gage snorted. “That’s only because his dates usually have less between their ears than they have in their…” He paused and took a quick sip of water. “In other places.”
“Not Sydney. She’s got everything I want everywhere it counts.” Derrick put an arm around her shoulder and tugged on her hair. “But she gets it honestly, right Isabel?”
Her mother nodded.
“So speaks a man in love,” Hailey teased. The traitor.
“What I’d like to know is why you guys seem so interested in that football game. Who’s playing?” Sydney deliberately changed the subject.
Dylan saved her by taunting Derrick about his pick to win. Then James and Gage joined it. It seemed one needed testosterone to truly enjoy the game.
“Me?” Hailey shrugged. “I just watch it for the tight butts and shoulder pads.”
“Me too,” Sydney and Barbara said at the same time.
The women laughed while the men ignored them in favor of stats and jibes about winners and losers.
After dinner, the Warren men, as one, cleared the table. James tried to help, but Dylan shot him a nasty look and took his plate into the kitchen.
“I guess that’s what I get for hating the Bears.” James didn’t look too upset. “Barbara, how about I make some coffee?”
“That would be nice.” Barbara seemed miffed with him, but Sydney couldn’t have said why. Then again, she was still in shock that Derrick had told everyone he loved her. His family, the people who meant more to him than anything, and he’d confessed his affection in front of one and all.
She should have felt more uncomfortable. But instead she wanted to shout and do a happy dance. She felt the way she did when she nailed a sale. As if she’d accomplished something vital.
Hailey socked her in the arm.
“Ow. What was that for?”
“Don’t fight it,” her friend murmured. “He’s the Warren twin that never loses.”
“Yeah?” Sydney sneered. “Well, I don’t see my mother entering therapy anytime soon. So there’s a loss right there.”
“The night is young, my naïve young friend.” Hailey sighed. “You poor kid. I hope you didn’t bet anything you don’t want to lose.”
Sydney refrained from saying anything more when Barbara and Isabel sat across from them on the couch, surrounding the coffee table.
Somehow, between the coffee James brought them, the cake Derrick and Dylan placed on the coffee table, and the chocolates Gage delivered and left, conversation veered from clothing and Isabel’s incredible fashion sense to travel and then to men.
Before Sydney knew it, her mother was crying about her latest conquest, and how she didn’t know if she should commit to marrying for the seventh time or not. This, after hitting on not just Derrick but James as well.
Sydney shared a look with Hailey, who whispered, “What can I say? The woman is good.” They stared in awe at Barbara.
“Why don’t we take this somewhere more private, Isabel?” Barbara offered kindly.
Sydney’s mother left with Barbara and disappeared behind a closed door.
