Once the meal ended, everyone helped with the cleanup. He took pride in the fact that Emily helped without having to be asked. And then felt stupid for having any emotion at all since he’d had no part in instilling manners in the girl. She was his friend’s child. Not his.
He had to remember that.
“Bye, son. Thanks for brunch, and so glad to see you on the mend.”
Reggie refused to touch that one. He returned his dad’s hug and whispered, “I’ll get you back for this.”
Harry grinned.
Reggie hugged his sisters goodbye, surprised to see them treating Emily and Maggie so warmly. Normally, they treated any woman near their little brother with an aloof politeness.
“So nice meeting you,” Lisa was saying.
Nadia rubbed Frank between the ears.
“You can keep him too if you want,” Emily said. “We can share.”
“Aw. You’re such a cutie.” Nadia rubbed Emily’s head. Emily woofed, and Nadia laughed. “Wow. It’s getting hard to tell you and Frank apart.”
“Really?” Emily frowned. “I’m not that furry.”
“Emily, she’s teasing.” Maggie chuckled. “Although when you don’t brush your teeth, they get pretty furry.”
“Yeah, but they aren’t sharp like Frank’s. Well, maybe this one.” Emily started fiddling with her tooth.
“Let’s go, Dad.” Lisa gave her father a gentle nudge and pulled Nadia with her. “Talk to you soon, Reggie.” She gave himthe look.
He groaned silently, not wanting to get into that conversation with his family. They’d be all over his relationship with Maggie, and he had no idea what he was doing with her, so how could he tell them what he didn’t know? “Can’t wait,” he lied.
“Ha.” Nadia shook her head. “Sick. Sick in the head, more like,” she muttered on her way out.
Finally, they left.
Maggie, Emily, and he looked at one another. Then Frank sat by his heels and stared up at them as well, which Reggie found adorable.
Maggie met his grin with one of her own. “Why do I feel like I just survived a storm and not brunch?”
“You mean barely survived.”
“Your family is funny.”
“And nice,” Emily said. “Mag-Mom, did you see Lisa’s toes? They were red. I want red toes.”
“Maybe later, if you’re good.” Maggie put her hand on Emily’s shoulder. “Now why don’t you go finish playing with Frank? We need to leave soon so Reggie can get back to his day.”
“Okay.” Emily needed no further encouragement to be with the dog. She ran through the house to the backyard, calling him, and he ran after her with a bark.
Reggie felt as he if he’d just finished a race, exhausted.
“Sick, huh?” Maggie said.
“Dumb, I know. I just thought it would be nice for the three of us—you, me, and Emily—to spend the morning together with Frank without the third degree.”
“They were nice to me. I didn’t feel bothered by any of your family.”
“That makes one of us.”
She looked sympathetic. “Sorry. Was it bad?”
