“I don’t know…” She chews on her lip and crosses her arms, the beer still held in her hand.
“It’s a big change. Noah is getting older, I know it’s scary but think of all the extra time you’ll have with him.” I sip my beer, then put it down on the counter and stand in front of her. “And we can transition into it. I’ll go downstairs until he gets used to you being gone in the mornings. We can make this work.”
“I don’t even know if there are any shifts open.”
“So, keep an eye out… and if there are, apply. That’s it. It doesn’t mean you have to take it or that you’ll even get it. But maybe trying to make things a little better one step at a time is all you need to feel good.”
“I feel fine, Miles.” She rolls her eyes.
“You’re in a funk, Audrey. I can smell it.”
She shoves me and starts laughing. I grab my beer and take another long sip of it.
“So, you and this guy are pretty serious, huh?” She hides a smile behind her beer.
“Uh, no,” I say simply. “We’re casual.”
“Right… casual. You—”
The front door opens and closes. Thankfully! I did not want to get into this conversation with my sister. She knows I don’t do the hookup thing and prefer relationships, but she was also there when I was with Derek and saw how badly that went. I was about to get an earful, I just know it.
“We’re back!” Noah shouts as loudly as he can.
“You think he’s ever going to grow out of that?” I ask.
“If not… maybe he’ll be a hockey coach, and he can put his yelling to use.”
“Oh, becausethat’san option.”
It’s firetrucks or nothing with that kid.
Noah comes into the kitchen with a huge smile on his face and a brightly-colored bouquet of flowers in his hand. JJ is behind him, holding two bags… and another bouquet.
“We got brownies! And these are for you, Mom. And Uncle Miles, JJ got you flowers because he said anyone can have flowers—even boys.”
I look up at JJ, whose eyes are bright. There’s a slight smile on his face, but my eyes are watering. Flowers? He bought me flowers? No one has ever bought me flowers…
I glance at Audrey who mouths the wordcasualwith a raised brow, letting me know it’s a question. I ignore her and bring my gaze back to JJ.
“You did?”
He shrugs. “Saw them and thought of you.” He hands me the bouquet. I glance at Audrey who already has hers. We look at each other, blinking like idiots without a word to say.
I finally snap out of it and look back at JJ. “Thank you. This is so sweet of you. I… I don’t even know what to say.”
“Yes, it is very sweet,” Audrey says, looking at him, then down at Noah. She gives him a hug and kisses the top of his head. “These are beautiful. Thank you, honey.”
“JJ paid for them, but I have to pay him back when I get a job.”
Audrey laughs. “Is that so?”
“Yep. I told him I would. But did you hear me say we gotbrownies? JJ said we should get dessert and I picked them out because they’re better than cake.”
“Yes, they are,” Audrey agrees.
“Says you,” I huff.
“Good thing we got you this then.” JJ digs into a bag and offers me a giant Kit-Kat.
