“I’m putting fifty on Izzy,” BB speaks up.
“Pfft. I’ll go a hundred,” Beau says.
“I’ll go twenty on Beau, too. My boss doesn’t pay me enough to bet more,” Cal adds.
“Wait, if I’m your boss, doesn’t that mean you have to do whatever I ask?”
“Not me, that’s BB’s job,” Cal jokes.
“It is and I do it proudly,” BB agrees at once.
“You do? When the heck have you done that?” Beau asks, though she does it with a smile.
“Just this morning, Harper. Don’t you remember? We were in the shower, and you wanted me to?—”
“Dad! Gross!” Ty yells.
“Hunter!” Beau squeaks at almost the exact same time, her face flushing a bright red.
“On that note, I’m headed home. This is too much information about my brother,” I laugh.
“Take me with you, Aunt Iz,” Ty begs dramatically.
“Ty! You’re supposed to have pizza with me. We’ll leave your big dumb dad at home.”
“You guys wouldn’t leave me. You love me,” Hunter says, and his words make my breath stall in my chest. I know Beau is skittish, but my brother is so happy. He’s so in love that I pray with everything in me she accepts the gift he’s giving her. Robin destroyed his trust in women. I never thought I’d see the day he was happy again.
“I do love you,” Beau says softly, as my brother takes her into his arms. I smile, my heart warming.
“See you tonight, Iz,” Pez says as Ty tells his dad and Beau to knock it off.
“I really can drive, you know,” I call as he walks to the door.
“Cool. So can I. Be ready when I pick you up or you don’t get pizza,” he warns and leaves. I’m left shaking my head.
BB looks over at me. “You dating Pez?”
“What?” I nervously ask. “No, not at all. Why would you say that?”
“It’s cool if you are, you know. Pez is a good man,” BB replies.
“Seriously, BB, just stop. Pez and I don’t have that kind of relationship. I don’t see him like that.”
“Maybe you should. You deserve to be happy, Izzy.”
“I’m fine, stop worrying, big bro. You’re getting older. You can’t afford the worry lines.”
“That’s not nice!” BB yells as I head out the door, making me cackle.
I’ve missed him. I feel like with Beau’s help, I’m getting the brother I grew up with back.
It’s a great feeling.
4
JEALOUSLY, BEER, AND BAD DECISIONS
CANDYMAN
