“So what’s up with you?” Auggie asked.
He filled her in on the dinner with their mother and helping Justine out with Mitch.
“And?”
“And what?” he asked.
“Just admit you’re hitting that.”
“Oh my God. ‘Hitting that?’ It’s like you’re not even trying to be offensive, which I find even more offensive.”
Auggie snorted. “You’re so repressed. Fine, Mr. Uptight. I mean, just admit that you find her attractive and you’re making sweet, tender love whenever the mood strikes. Better?”
“You’re so annoying.”
She grinned. “But am I wrong?”
“No.” He sighed.
“Hot damn.” She clinked her cup with his. “Congrats. Now what?”
“Now I pretend to be her boyfriend at the wedding.” He ran a hand through his hair, stressed about a lot more than what came next. “Then I have to figure out how to start dating her for real.”Or do I? Should I just let this end naturally? Why am I acting so indecisive? What’s my problem with all this, really?
“What’s to figure out?” Auggie slurped her coffee. “You’re already making hot monkey love and moon eyes at each other. You like her. She obviously likes you. Ask her on a real date. With real words.”
“That’s so…” Reasonable. Trust Auggie not to overthink things, a quality he actually admired about her. “Fine. Maybe I will. And maybe you can tell me who’s making you blush, because not just anyone can make my sister turn red in the face.” He recalled his mother’s blush over dinner. “I need to tell you about Top.”
“What about him?” Auggie had a soft spot for the older guy. He was crabby, a Marine, and still benched an impressive set of weight. Her ideal man if he had been a few decades younger.
“Well, I’m not sure, but I think he and Mom might have something going on.”
She paused, her cup halfway to her mouth. “What?Top?The guy who hates most people just for existing?”
He nodded. “I know. Mom asked about him. She went to the movies with him.”
“Well, talk to him.”
“I can’t do that.”
“I sure as hell can.” Auggie looked indignant. “I want to know what his intentions are regarding my maternal unit.”
Xavier groaned.
Auggie continued, on a roll. “I mean, do they use protection? Should I expect another brother or sister any time soon? And what should I call him? Dad? Father? Daddy?”
Xavier tried to contain a laugh but couldn’t at the thought of Top’s reaction to his sister’s questions. “Please let me be there when you have that conversation.”
“Oh, no. We’rebothgoing to be there. I mean, this is our mom we’re talking about.”
“Fine.” He thought about what he knew of Top. “Apparently, Top was married before. His wife died of cancer a while ago.”
“That’s awful.” Auggie blinked. “I’m still not going easy on the guy, but no poking into his past, I guess.”
“How magnanimous of you.”
She shook her head. “You try to act all smart?—”
“Iamsmart.”
