The corner of James’s mouth twitches as he tries to stifle his smile.
“Oh, you can talk,” I say to April, gesturing to her round belly. “We all know howthathappened.”
“For fuck’s sake,” Anna whispers, glaring at the pile. “Why are there so many?”
She finally lifts her eyes to mine, and not knowing what else to do, I just shrug. “In my defense, you can’t be surprised. You knew exactly who your brother was dating.”
Anna turns away, unable to look at Max. “I’m going to go and get another box, and when I return”—she points in the direction of the pile, her face still turned the other way—“I expect this to be cleaned up.”
“Go, Anna. Please,” Max says, his voice steady.
Anna shakes her head before spinning around and racing out the door.
“Come on, babe,” James says, placing his hand on April’s swollen belly and steering her into the kitchen. “Let’s start unpacking the kitchen stuff.”
Henry shakes his head with a look of amusement. “Gemma, Gemma, Gemma,” he says. “Why am I not surprised?”
“Oh, piss off,” I snap.
“Fivedildos?” he questions, raising a brow.
“Like you can talk. You love dick just as much as I do,” I say.
Max’s head snaps up, confusion painted across his handsome face. “What do you mean,you love dick just as much as I do?”
Henry’s expression matches Max’s confusion. “Because I’m gay?”
Max stares at him. “You’re gay?”
“You haven’t told him?” Henry asks, turning to me.
“Oh, shit,” I mutter. My eyes latch onto Max’s. “I forgot to tell you. Henry’s gay.”
“I’ve been with my partner, Nate, for three years,” Henry explains.
Max’s eyes narrow at me and I bite my lip, trying not to laugh at the look of betrayal on his face.
“You little shit stirrer,” he says, fighting a smile and prowling toward me. “You mean to tell me that all those times you were laughing and flirting with him in front of me—”
Henry holds his hands up in defense. “I had nothing to do with that. If it helps, I was utterly repulsed.”
“I wasn’t flirting!” I protest, backing away as Max advances on me with that familiar predatory look in his eye.
“No?” He runs his fingers through my hair when he reaches me. “Then what were you doing?” he murmurs against my ear.
“I’m leaving,” Henry mutters, heading for the door.
“Bye!” I call, still staring into Max’s eyes.
Our lips are just about to touch when—
“Oh!” April pokes her head out from the kitchen. “I think I saw a vibrator roll under the sofa along with the lube.”
Oops.
“Cheers!” we all say brightly, clinking our champagne flutes together.
We’re seated around the dining table celebrating a hard day’s work with a healthy spread of takeaway pizza, chips, and bubbles.
