Have I already mentioned how much I adore that kid?
“Mind your own fucking business, Evan,” Ryan scolds him.
“Never,” he shoots back.
Chris glares at Ryan for a few seconds, before turning her attention back to me. “There’s a house for sale down the road, Nick. You should come and see it.”
Ryan lets his head fall onto the table in defeat, banging it against the surface.
“Really? Interesting…”
“I can give you their number later, if you want. Then you can call them right away – it would be such a shame to waste the opportunity.”
“Thanks, Chris. You’re an angel.”
“You’re welcome. Anything for family. Right, Ryan?”
“Leave me alone.”
“Ryan, don’t be a brat,” Mum says. “It would be nice for you boys to live so close to each other.”
“A dream,” Ryan comments sarcastically.
“What about your apartment?” Ian asks. “Don’t you like it anymore?”
“I was thinking about finding something more…permanent.”
“Oh, but…but…” Mum says, barely keeping her emotions at bay.
“What are you going to do about work?” Ryan asks, trying to one-up me.
“I’m still thinking about it. I’ll find something.”
“So, no more photo shoots, Nick?” Riley asks me.
“No more photo shoots,” I say, taking Casey’s hand – a gesture which escapes no one around the table. “It’s time to drop the bullshit and think about the future.”
“I’m happy for you, Nick,” Riley smiles. “It’ll be so nice to have you around all the time.”
“Fantastic,” Ian mumbles.
“Oh and…just so you know…Casey’s going to live with me.”
I can distinctively hear more than one person spit out their drink.
“Oh, but…but…but…” Apparently, Mum can’t speak today.
Thank God.
“Does she know that?” Ian asks, raising an eyebrow.
“Of course she does.”
“Has she agreed to it?”
“Maybe we should let Casey speak,” Riley says.
“Maybe Casey doesn’t want to talk about it with you.”
