I rolled my eyes. “LRG told me to call him ‘G.’”
“Isn’t he, like, twelve and a pasty red-head?”
“That he is,” I confirmed.
“Ew, what a douche.”
“Agreed,” I said, unlocking the front door and pushing it open, stepping back and letting my sister walk inside before me. “And as far as budget... I’m still not sure where to start,” I admitted, closing the door behind me.
“Mama.” Tenley pitched toward Poppy who dropped her bag on the floor and caught her, settling her on her hip.
“What do you want to accomplish?” Poppy asked.
“Honestly? I want Tate to feel comfortable.”
She smiled gently. “Then she needs a say.”
“Yeah, I get it, but I can’t bring her here with it lookin’ like this, sissy.”
“Well, I’d start with having Dad order a couple of the recruits to come in and clean it from top to bottom.” She pointed to the recliner in the middle of the living room. “I’d trash that and buy a nice sectional. If she doesn’t like it, you can put it in the basement. Second, buy me some gift cards and I’ll shop for some nice towels and dishes because you’re seriously lacking in that department.”
“Jesus, that’s an understatement,” I hissed out.
“Are you guys official?” she asked.
I shook my head. “I haven’t even convinced her to go to dinner.”
Poppy gave me a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry, buddy. Boy-girl stuff sucks.”
“Yeah,” I agreed.
She faced me. “You really love her, huh?”
“Yeah. Wish I’d figured it out earlier.” I dragged my hands down my face. “Kinda been a dumbass.”
She shrugged. “It’s in your DNA.”
I rolled my eyes. “Dad’s not a dumbass.”
“Yeah, but Devon was.” She grinned. “Okay, we have a plan. You lock down Tate, then you can move forward on a full-scale reno.”
I met my sister’s eyes and finally voiced my biggest fear, “What if I can’t lock her down?”
Poppy sighed. “Let me fill you in on a little secret. Tate isn’t dating anyone. She never really did long-term.”
“How do you know that?”
“Dude, I’m your sister, and I’m nosey as hell.” She rolled her eyes. “You know this. She and I are all up in each other’s business on social media, so I did a quick stalk after I saw you at the club.”
“She could have dated a lot of people and erased any evidence,” I pointed out.
“I can, with some authority, confidently say she didn’t. Tate and I are of the same ilk, and we are the ilk that once we fall in love, little brother, we tend to pine. Trust me, when I say, that girl’s been pining for you since the second her vagina had tingles.”
I groaned. “Jesus, Poppy, Tate’s vagina is not an approved subject of discussion for you.”
She grinned as she shrugged. “Whatever. She might make you work for it, and she should, but you’re gonna get her. Promise. And my kids are finally going to have little cousins to play with.” She turned in a circle with Tenley and asked her, “Do you want a little cousin Tenny Penny?”
“Cousin!” she squealed, having no concept of what that meant.
