James hung out the passenger side window of Theo’s car and, in the back seat, Levi sat with his head hung in shame, Cameron beside him with a wicked grin on his face. It was the end of August, it was humid, and Cameron was leaving soon. He looked like he was about to get that whole carful of people into a world of trouble.
“Sorry, what?” he asked.
Levi unrolled the back window and looked up at him with tired eyes.“The cat place. The thing,” he explained.
“Gonna need more than that.”
“Spencer is opening up his cat cafe,” Cameron yelled, unnecessarily. “We’re going.”
“Doesn’t look like there’s room in there.” Andy gestured to the full car. “I’ll have to sit this one out.”
In truth, Andy hadn’t wanted much company since he’d gotten that stupid unsigned postcard from that stupid Greek man that he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about since he woke up alone in Bordeaux.
He reached his two fingers beneath the band of the beanie Leonidas had left in his sheets and scratched his forehead. The summers in Cherry Creek were warm and humid, but he didn’t want to part with it. He appreciated the discomfort.
Levi made a displeased sound and Andy looked up to find Cameron now straddling the hump in the back seat, half on Levi’s lap. He gestured to the empty seat now behind Theo.
“It’s all yours.”
“Come on,” Theo said, his expression falling somewhere between the excitement Andy saw from Cameron and the utter apathy he saw from Levi.
“Fine,” he grumbled, walking around the car and getting in. He smashed Cameron further into Levi, and he still didn’t have enough room.
“See?” Cameron asked with a smile, clapping his hands together. “Isn’t this nice?”
“Get your elbow out of my ribs,” Levi grunted.
“We’re all family here,” Cameron said. “Us brothers are all very close, and you’re like one of us now.”
“I want a divorce.”
“No,” James answered from the front seat.
“Wait.” Andy cleared his throat and looked from his brother to Levi. “Are you two married?”
“No,” James answered again, casting a quick glance to the back. “Charlie is the only one.”
“I’m still salty about that.” Cameron folded his arms over his chest and pouted.
“Why? Because it’s one thing in your whole life that someone else got that you didn’t?”
Cameron frowned and cast a petulant glare at Andy. “You’ve been a real dick since you got back, you know that? We already have a dick brother. James is enough, okay?”
“I’m not a dick,” he protested.
“You’re kind of a dick,” Levi chimed in. “And honestly, I would know.”
“Levi is a dick too,” Theo said, pulling the overstuffed car into a parking spot in front of a storefront that didn’t yet have a sign.
“I know.” Levi shoved the door open and tumbled onto the sidewalk. He stood up and smoothed his hands down his clothes, then opened the passenger door and held out his hand to help James out.
Cameron climbed out through the door Levi had left open, and Andy pushed open his door and stood, stretching his legs.
“If you’re so bitter about it, why don’t you throw him a wedding?” Theo suggested, locking the car and checking the handle.
“He’s already married.”
“A reception?” Theo tried.
