“They don’t look fake.” But then I can’t smell the sweetness of the flowers.
“They’re silk flowers,” the girl says. “Treated for the outdoors so they look real. Mom wouldn’t budge on that.”
“They’re beautiful.”
“Everything my mom touches is beautiful,” Callum says with so much sincerity that I believe him to my core.
The girl tugs on Callum’s arm. “You’re here!” she squeals once more.
Callum drops both our bags to the ground and once again hugs his sister close.
“Geez, Tiff,” he grunts. “It’s only been three months.”
“Three months is like a lifetime to a fourteen-year-old. You should know that. Besides, you have lost time to make up for.” She gives her brother the stink eye, and I instantly know she’s referring to Simone and the time he lost with his family. At least the woman set a low bar for me.
The girl’s feet hit the ground once more, and she’s slugging her brother and turning to face me all in one movement—it’s impressive. “You’re Fran.”
“Sorry.” Callum shakes his head. “Tiff, this is Fran. Fran, my sister, Tiffany.”
My breath hitches. “You know who I am?” I say to the girl.
“Mom does not keep secrets,” she says.
I flick my gaze up to Callum and bite my inner cheek. “You’ve told your mother about me?” I whisper to Cal.
“Oh, we know all about you,” Tiffany says, a playful smirk on her face.
Thirty-Nine
I am very temptedto wrap one arm around my little sister’s shoulders and cover her big mouth with my hand. Instead, I fist my hand and rub my knuckles against her scalp. A good ol’-fashioned noogie to shut the girl up.
“Callum!” Tiff moans, shoving me away.
Fran watches us with a curious smile on her face. She doesn’t have siblings, but surely she’s witnessed siblings interact before. At the very least, in a movie.
“Come on,” I say. “Ready to meet the family?”
“Am I?”
“Don’t worry. Tiff is the scariest one of them all.” I wink at Tiff and earn myself a tongue-out eye roll from my sister.
“You’re the scary one,” Tiff says. “Do you realize you’ve been kissing a goober, Fran?”
Fran lifts one shoulder. “I’m not completely shocked to hear you say that.”
Tiffany laughs. “She’s funny. And I like her.” She lifts one brow at her brother. “Goober.”
Fran’s cheeks swell with her grin.
“No more talking about kissing,” I say to my sister.
“I saw the video,” Tiffany deadpans.
“How have I not heard of this video until today?” Fran says, looking at my little sister.
“Well, unless you saw it, you may not have heard about it,” Tiff says. “The person recording got Callum’s face and the back of your head. Your friends might not even know it’s you—I mean, unless they already know you’re making out with my brother.”
I clench my jaw. “Can we not say make out? Please. Or I’m going to have to bring up Shane Willey.”
