Parker made a slicing gesture across his throat. I peered at Davy, my nose almost touching his small one.
“You won’t get a cupcake unless you tell me everything,” I said in a singsong voice.
“Do they have chocolate frosting?”
“The best, chocolatiest frosting!”
“Yum! Garrett said we had to see if her clothes were in your closet and if she had any, um, personal belongings out and if she had her stuff in your bathroom. And she does! Can I have my cupcake?”
I looked up to see Avery mixing more cupcake batter. She was clearly trying and failing to stifle laughter. She saw me looking and made a heart sign with her hands.
So cute, she mouthed.
“Eat a grilled cheese first,” Archer told him.
“Yes, because nothing says wholesome, healthy meal like a grilled cheese,” I said. “They should eat salad.”
Avery popped two sandwiches into the metal baskets and shoved them into what looked like an oversized toaster.
“Is that legal?” I asked as the plastic contraption made a weird hissing noise.
“It’s a grilled cheese maker,” she said, fiddling with the dial. “Though if you’re brothers’ coming over is going to be a regular occurrence, I might need several more.”
She cut the sandwiches into triangles as they came out of the grilled cheese toaster.
“I guess you guys are a couple,” Parker said uncertainly.
“There aren’t any pictures of them up,” Isaac said accusingly.
“We’re working on that,” I replied, frowning.
“Do you have any on your phone?” Isaac countered.
I glared at my teenage brother. “I remember when you were cute and small.”
He crossed his arms.
“Stop acting like Garrett. It’s not a good look.”
“All the pictures we have are not fit for the consumption of minors,” Avery sang, coming by with a platter of grilled cheese. Archer took two triangles. She grinned at me and then bumped my hip with hers.
“You don’t want a cupcake?” she cajoled Isaac.
“No,” he said, looking for all the world like Garrett.
“I’ll take his,” Archer told her.
“I’m afraid they’re not as good as the ones your girlfriend, Hazel, makes at Gray Dove Bistro,” she said as we trailed her back across the room to the long kitchen island.
My brothers were frosting their cupcakes, though some of the frosting was going on the floor and on each other. The obese rabbit was nibbling crumbs on the floor. My whole condo was a wreck.
“All cupcakes are good cupcakes,” Archer said solemnly. Davy handed him one piled high with frosting.
“This better not get on the carpet.”
“Don’t you want one?” Dave asked, holding out a cupcake to me.
I shook my head.
