Of course, she did.
Matt: Noelle loves her so I will too.
I shake my head.
Sutton: Why can’t this family separate business from pleasure? Shocked emoji.
That earns a laugh. I love how she jokes.
J.D.: Just remember to take it slow.
I roll my eyes. Did any of them take it slow?
Hell no.
Birdie: She’s hilarious. But I may need to give her singing lessons if she continues to karaoke. Happy for my favorite brother.
Me: I thought that was Witt.
Birdie: You’re right. He’s my fave. I was being nice.
I grin.
Witt: Damn right I am. Hope you know what you’re doing P.
My smile fades. Witt did the research and Witt doesn’t say things unless—unless he knows something that I don’t.
And now I can’t shake the feeling.
The sun is setting by the time I pull into my driveway. I cut the engine, strumming my fingers on the steering wheel. When I call her, she answers on the third ring.
“Hey.”
“God, it was a long damn day. How was your day after having breakfast and sitting by the lake with your boyfriend?” I say, teasing.
“Boyfriend, huh?”
“Yeah.”
“Better now,” she admits.
“My family is on board,” I add. “All of them.”
A quiet breath causes static on the other end of the phone.
“That was… fast.”
“I don’t like lying to my family. Come over and we can celebrate,” I say half-joking, but I’m not.
I’m shocked when she says, “Okay.”
An hour later, she’s on my couch with fuzzy socks that look like ketchup and mustard, curled into the corner like she belongs here.
A word puzzle game show plays on the TV, and she leans forward, pointing at the screen. Her phone, her glasses and a glass of wine on my coffee table.
“Where did you get this table? It’s not IKEA that’s forsure.”
I squeeze her calf that’s lying on my legs. “Dad and I made it when I came home from Michigan. It calms me to work with my hands.”
