“You can tell me anything.”
“But it has to do withbefore, and we’re not talking about that.”
“Go ahead.”
Jules wrinkles her nose. “He would basically gaslight me whenever I had a stomach flare and tell me that no pain I was in could compare to what he was going through with the chemo. Piece of shit. He wasn’t evenonchemo.”
“I’d like to punch him.” My voice is perfectly calm, but my blood simmers. “Repeatedly.”
“Same. Anyway, I did a lot of research over the years, because there are few things worse than having severe stomach pain and not being able to eat. And I thought it would be good to put all that knowledge to use.”
“Smart girl,” I murmur and lean over to kiss her head. “Birdie loves it.”
“Birdie is the best. What a little sweetheart. She just spreads joy and glitter everywhere she goes.”
I can’t help but laugh at that because she’s absolutely right. “She’s the princess of the family, that’s for sure.”
“How’s she doing with having to share with a new baby brother? And the other new babies on the way?” she asks.
“So far, she’s been great. She loves having the baby around. Birdie’s not one to get very jealous. She doesn’t need to. We all shower her with affection and attention.”
She smiles softly. “That’s sweet.”
“Do you want kids?” I feel my eyes go wide because I didn’t mean to blurt that out.
“I mean, we just started seeing each other again about six minutes ago, so probably not right now.” Her lips twitch, and then she barks out a laugh. “Your face.”
I narrow my eyes at her, and she snorts. She’s fucking adorable.
“You know, I’m not sure,” she says and wipes a tear from the corner of her eye. “I kind of decided that wasn’t in the cards for me a long time ago.”
“What about now?”
“I’m not as young as I used to be.”
Reaching over to tuck her hair behind her ear, I shake my head. “We’re not old either.”
“I’d consider it,” she says at last. “Under the right circumstances. What about you?”
“I’d consider it,” I echo and wipe a little drip of ice cream from the corner of her mouth, then lick it off my thumb. “Under the right circumstances.”
We’re finished and about to leave when the door opens, and Tucker Hendrix walks in, followed by his sister, Ava.
“Hey!” Ava makes a beeline for Jules and hugs her tight. “I was going to call you later and ask if you need help at the restaurant, but I can see that you already have help.”
Ava turns to me with a knowing smile.
“I do have help,” Jules agrees. “But thanks for thinking of me. And who is this?”
“I’m Tucker,” the other man says, holding out his hand. “Ava’s oldest brother.”
“The famous oldest brother,” Jules says, and I take her hand out of his, thread our fingers, and glare at my friend, who just smirks.
Asshat.
“I decided to harass Tuck tonight,” Ava says. “It’s my little sister duty to check on him and make sure he’s taking his vitamins. You know, because he’s old.”
“We’re the same age,” I remind her, and Tucker smirks.
