“Did she now?” I narrow my eyes at my troublesome twin.
Abby smirks into her wineglass.
“Come on!” Oli tugs on my hand. “I want to get there before Henry gets all the apples!”
I let the kids drag me into the room, saying a quick hi to Charlie, Demi, Kai, and Mom’s best friend Sylvia, who are all seated on the couches in front of the roaring fire, before the kids pull me into the kitchen where all the pre-Halloween activities are taking place.
Mom and Abby help with the supervision as the kids dunk for apples and then make a mess coating others in melted chocolate and rolling them in sprinkles. I swear there is more chocolate on the kids’ faces and fingers than on the apples. I carve a pumpkin for baby Charlie as he’s only four and too little to do it by himself as Demi helps and Abby works with Ori on his.
Then Mom shoos us out of the kitchen so she can plate up dinner. Sylvia helps her while Abby and Demi get the kids settled in front of some cartoon movie on the TV. Finally, I get to drop down beside my brother-in-law and grab a beer.
Kai clinks his bottle against mine. “Good to see you, man. I was beginning to think you were avoiding me.”
“I probably should for blabbing about the club. You do realize she’s going to up the ante now?” Mom is determined to find me a woman no matter how many times I tell her I don’t want one.
“Why’d you think I told her?” He doesn’t even attempt to hide his grin.
“Asshole,” I mutter as I smile.
“It’s not a bad idea though,” Kai says, wearing a more serious expression. “Don’t you get sick of sex with random women?”
“You make it sound like such a chore,” Charlie says, smirking.
“That’s what it seems like to me.”
“Only because you were pussy-whipped at seventeen,” I remind him.
“Best thing that ever happened to me.” He glances lovingly at his wife and kids, and I love seeing it. Kai is a great husband and father, and he makes my sister really happy. It’s all I ever wanted for her, and I’m glad she got the life she dreamed of.
But it’s not for me.
Not anymore.
“You’ve got it good,” I agree.
“You could too.” Kai eyeballs me. “Abby wants to set you up with this new woman who joined her yoga class last week. She just moved into the area, and according to Abby, she’s smoking hot and?—”
“Not interested.” I cut him off with a warning look. “I’ve got my own smoking-hot fuck buddy at the club, and she meets all my needs. Tell your meddling wife to butt out.”
“Olivia isn’t the only one who worries about you, Drew,” Kai says, lowering his voice. “Abby knows why you’re doing this and?—”
“I came to dinner to catch up with everyone and spend time with the kids, not to be harassed with unwanted opinions. Drop the subject of my sex life and give me a break. I know you all care, but you need to stop interfering. I’m never getting married, and I won’t ever have kids, and that’s not changing any time soon.”
“She would hate that for you, Drew,” Abby says in a soft strained voice as she perches on the edge of the couch beside me. “Jane would want you to be happy even if it wasn’t with her.”
“Stop,” I snap, glaring at my sister. “I’m not talking about this.”
“You have to sometime.” Abby rests her head against mine. “I know this isn’t the moment, but we’re discussing it, brother. This has gone on long enough.”
“Speaking of things to discuss,” Kai says, clearing his throat and looking ten kinds of awkward.
They all exchange knowing looks.
“What don’t I know?”
“Shandra and Rick got engaged.” Abby probes my face for a reaction.
“That’s great news,” I truthfully reply. “I always thought there was something between them, and he deserves happiness in his life after the shit show that was his first marriage.”
