Eli took a long look at Luke before looking back at Marlee. “Whatever you want. Juice. Crackers. Anything else?”
“That’s all.”
“Coming right up.” Eli came out of his daze, leaned over her, pressed a kiss against her lips—Roman caught the whole thing on film—and then Eli was out the door.
“So this is R?” Marlee asked, the question directed toward Sadie.
Sadie blanched.
“This is R.” Marlee spoke to the baby in a baby voice. “This is Auntie Sadie’s R. The one mommy has been so curious about for a very long time.”
She was curious about him?
“I have to kill you now.” Marlee’s tone didn’t change, but the vibe in the room sure did. “It’s best friend code and you hurt my friend, so it’s only fair.”
Roman blinked. What the hell had just happened?
“I hurt your friend?” Roman asked the question in response to Marlee, but he gestured Louise toward Sadie.
“He didn’t hurt me.” Sadie’s jaw went tight. “And he’s not R.”
“I didn’t hurt her,” Roman said, mostly repeating Sadie and mentally thanking Marlee for sending Eli out before pouncing on him.
Marlee lanced Roman with a look that held the power of twenty grenades. “That’s not how I remember it.”
Well, if they were walking down memory lane—
“Marlee, not now,” Sadie whispered.
Something passed between the two of them.
Marlee cooled her jets.
“I’m reserving my judgment until I can speak to my best friend alone,” she said regally, like his babushka.
Was every woman in Denver taking Babushka lessons?
“I can step out?” Roman suggested. Getting out of the room seemed like the safest option at the moment. Maybe he could even grab some of the crackers and juice with Eli. It wasn’t vodka, but it’d work in a pinch.
“After you get some more photos?” Marlee stared at her baby, her expression turning soft. “I don’t want to forget any of this.”
“Sure thing, before you talk to Sadie and have to kill me and all that.”
Marlee laughed, so maybe he’d be alive tomorrow.
Roman took a few posed photos of the newborn.
He adjusted the edge of the kid’s blanket so he could get a better angle. “You and Sadie are tight?”
“We’re bestest best friends. So yeah.”
“You know Sadie’s boyfriend then? He’s good to her? Makes her happy?” He would suck it up and move on once more if she was really happy. It’d suck, but he’d do it.
Sadie stepped toward him. “Rome, let’s not…”
Expression blank, Marlee glanced up from the baby. “Sadie doesn’t have a boyfriend.”
“Marlee.” Sadie shook her head quickly. The blanched look disappeared as her cheeks flooded with color.
