My sister rests her elbow against the back of the couch as she patiently waits for me to say more. “Give Bo some of your oat cookie that you haven’t touched.” She motions with her head to the small plate next to my coffee.
I nod and pull off a piece, deciding against informing her that it’s an energy protein cookie that they make in-house here. Bo will be flying later.
He squeals, and I look down to see crumbs already over my clothes. Holding him closer, I try to channel my inner turmoil, and my internal voice is not informing me what I want to hear, but I push it to the side.
However, it highlights that my plan is failing.
My arms shoot out to hand him back and his feet dangle as my sister collects him to return to her lap. “Okay, annoyed with my kid? Not cool.”
Rubbing my face, I want to scream away the aggravation.
“Sorry. I’m just trying to figure something out and my nephew wasn’t solving it.”
Her eyes drop to my nephew then lift to me. “Well, he isn’t even two. Apologies if his skillset isn’t up to par.”
Blowing out a breath, I’m being such an ass, and my little sister, the angel she is, just takes it in stride with a fond smile. “I might have hit a little roadblock,” I admit.
Especially since the kid did chip away at clarity in my head. I was supposed to be scared away by the thought of having a child. It’s me. My own kids have not been on the radar. Which is why this whole day is turning into one big roll down a hill where I will eventually crash.
It’s an epiphany.
A future that I do want.
And I’m disappointed.
Finding the pregnancy test, which Esme clearly didn’t tell me she even needed to take. I would say that makes me livid, except…
I’m purely upset because the test is negative.
That’s the crazy part.
Not once have we discussed kids in relation to us. Yet here I am, disheartened because she’s not pregnant. With my child. Because in the future it has to be her. There is nobody else that I envision the future with.
That test is the kick in the gut that I’ve been waiting for to enlighten what is past our current relationship status.
“Your roadblock?” My sister reminds me that she is waiting for an answer.
A domino is getting knocked over in my head. “I guess it isn’t one at all,” I realize aloud.
“Everything is good between you and Esme, right? Imean, I like her, but I’m always team Keats first, you’re my brother.”
I lean in to touch her arm with appreciation. “I promise, we’re fine.” Maybe Esme views it differently, but right now, there is only one outcome I will allow.
“I would say living together unexpectedly can be a challenge, but it can also bring great things.” She smiles, and she has experience since her fiancé was forced to move in due to a request in a will.
“But you and Nash already had history,” I highlight.
She shakes her head confidently. “Doesn’t matter. It can all still come together, even if you don’t have a past.”
“Always so wise,” I say dryly before taking a sip of my now-cold coffee.
“You might even be a step ahead, as a new relationship is an open book, and you can start on page one together.”
Okay, now this is getting too sappy. “Conversation done.”
Summer laughs. “Ah, I love it. Being able to tease my brother about his romantic life is golden.”
“Happy to provide entertainment.”
