He chuckled. “Yes, that is the point. I think you certainly talked us up.”
My phone dinged with a text message. I looked at it and laughed, shaking my head at the messages from Elena in the group chat.
“Do you need to get that?” Leo asked.
“No,” I said. “It’s just my sister. She’s responding to messages in the family group chat.” I looked at my watch. “It’s almost midnight at home so she’s also probably texting from her bedroom even though she could just walk down the hall to yell at her dad.”
I laughed and held the phone between us for him to see. “Here, it’s probably better if you just read it yourself.”
Dave:Group poll time. Who thinks Laura and I could get away with banging on a job site?
Kennedy:I am positively floored that you haven’t already done that.
Aunt Kat:Same. And I vote for trying it. Laura, are you against this suggestion?
Mom:Not against it so much as doubtful that we could get away with it.
Kennedy:Sounds like a perfect idea for you, freaky exhibitionist.
Dave:That’s what I said. I’m proposing we give it a go tomorrow.
Elena:Dad! This isn’t the adults-only group chat. Soph and I are in this one. Rename them tonight or I’m OUT!
Elena:You know what? Forget it. See ya.
Elena has left the group chat.
Leo laughed and I lowered the phone back to my lap. “Okay, let’s see how I do at identifying all the players because so far I’ve only gotten info about your family in bits and pieces.”
I turned to face him. “Oh, this is fun. Do I get to quiz you?” I grinned.
Leo’s face lit up. “Fuck, I want to kiss you right now. You’re adorable when you turn into a little nerd.”
I pushed his shoulder and laughed. “I’m not a nerd. Quizzes are fun.”
“Spoken like a true nerd.”
“Fine, I won’t quiz you.”
“You won’t need to because I’m going to rock this. So, Laura must be your mom?”
I nodded.
“And I know Kennedy is your stepmom. Dave must be your stepdad?”
“Yep.”
“Aunt Kat seems self-explanatory, who is she related to?”
“She’s married to Kennedy’s brother. The Navy SEAL. His name is Eric.”
“Okay, I’m following.” He nodded, looking proud of himself. “So, Elena is your younger sister. Explain to me why your stepdad is texting you all about fucking your mom?”
I burst out laughing. It probably sounded ridiculous if you didn’t know us. “Okay, in his defense that’s just how the adults are with each other. I told you before, they’re super close. Elena and I were subjected to that little text exchange because there is a family group chat which includes us, and one that doesn’t. Dave refuses to name them, so all he sees in his contact list is a string of names and he messes it up—a lot.”
Leo laughed.
“This is not the first time Elena has left the family group chat. She left last year but got mad when I had information before her, so she came back. She’ll be back again. I think Dave just avoids renaming the chats to torture her. It’s their love language.”
