“What have Dilynne and I missed already this evening?” Laney looks around at all of us.
“Nothing. Look, just keep your fucking mouths shut, all right?” I snap. “I don’t want Elodie feeling awkward around our group. She’s only here until Christmas anyway, but I don’t want her counting down the days until she leaves.”
“Why only until Christmas?” Rhonan asks.
“She moved here from LA,” Laney replies. “She’s a singer and wasn’t having much luck, so she’s trying to figure out what her next move is.”
“Fuck. That’s a rough industry to break into,” Elliot adds. “But why not go home? I mean, where is she even from?”
“Garnet Valley,” Laney answers. “Her parents weren’t exactly supportive of her dream, so she’s not ready to face them yet.”
“How do you know all this?” I ask, dumbfounded by how Laney already knows more about my nanny than I do.
My sister leans closer to me. “It’s called asking questions to get to know somebody, big brother. You know, that thing I was trying to convince you to do earlier?”
“What were you trying to convince him of?” Elodie asks as she reappears with a glass of wine in hand.
Dilynne glares at me and her lips spread into a mischievous grin. Fuck, I know that grin. That means she’s about to say or do something that’s going to make me want to strangle her. “Laney and I were just trying to convince my brother to let us take you out one night next week.”
“Uh, Dilynne…” Laney taps my sister on the shoulder. “I’m going to be in Charlotte next week, remember?”
Dilynne shrugs. “Fine. Then we can go out just the two of us. But I think it would be fun for you to let loose a bit and enjoy this time away from mounting decisions about your life, you know? Maybe find a man to help you release any tension you’ve been holding onto.”
Elodie looks between me and my sister while the urge to tape Dilynne’s mouth shut grows stronger by the second.
“Sorry again for my comment earlier,” Elliot interjects.
Elodie places her hand on his shoulder, stroking it softly. “I told you. No hard feelings.”
“You hit on her?” Dilynne asks, her lip curling in disgust.
“Don’t fucking worry about me and what I do,” he fires back. “And while we’re at it, stop sending—”
Ellis comes running over at that moment, which cuts off what Elliot was about to say. And I think I can speak for the entire group that we’re thankful—because that means he and my sister won’t be able to verbally spar like they normally do.
I swear, sometimes I think that putting them in boxing gloves and sticking them in a ring together might be the best way for them to take out their aggression on each other.
“Daddy!” Ellis shouts as she jumps up into Rhonan’s arms, looping her arms around his neck. “Grandpa let me drive the tractor and take all of the money from people!”
“It’s a Rhino, Ellis. Not a tractor, remember? And I’m sure you did a great job.”
“Duh.” Ellis rolls her eyes as if she’s already a teenager and not a four-year-old who will turn five next month.
Jesus, is this what I have to look forward to with Remy?
Then, she turns to Elodie. “Who’s that?”
“I’m Elodie.” She offers her hand, and Ellis shakes it like a pro. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Your name rhymes with melody,” Ellis points out, making us all laugh.
“It does.”
“Who is your favorite princess?” Ellis continues, asking the most important question in her mind.
“Disney princess,” Laney clarifies.
“Oh, that’s easy. Ariel.”
