I reluctantly let go of her when her brother reaches to pull her in for a hug, dragging her into the entryway as Bea steps aside to gesture me in after them.
“He’s not driving you bananas, is he?” Ian asks.
Abby waves him off. “No more than usual.”
“I resent all of this, you know,” I grouse.
Abby turns to flash me a smile, and it’s enough to dissipate any bitterness from their teasing. “But I thought we were best friends?”
“Maybe I’m rethinking it.”
Bea huffs beside us. “Can we all move inside so I can close the door?”
“Yeah, yeah,” I tell her. I sniff the air. “Something smells good.”
“Don’t even think about sneaking bites before dinner,” Bea warns.
I grin. “Who, me?”
“Go help your sister set the table,” she scolds.
I notice Ian and Abby still catching up in the hall, and I decide to leave them to it and do what Bea says as I make my way into the cramped dining room that doubles as Bea’s sewing room. Dee is setting out place mats as she avoids the ancient sewing machine at the opposite end of the long table, flashing me a smile when she sees me enter.
“You’re late,” she says.
I roll my eyes. “That’s what everyone keeps telling me.”
“Did you manage to drag Abby along?”
“Yeah,” I tell her, moving to the attached kitchen to grab the stack of plates from the counter. “She’s in there with Ian.”
“Good,” Dee says with a relieved sigh. “She needs to get out more. I swear, all that girl does is work and sleep.”
I have to suppress a smirk at that; I can think of plenty of other things Abby has been doing of late, most of them involving me. Not that I can tell Dee that. Even if I kind of want to. It’s really strange to keep something from her, revenge on her and Ian be damned. I can’t think of a single thing in my life I’ve ever refrained from telling her, and it feels odd to do so now. Still, Abby hasn’t quite come to terms with the wholegirlfriendproposition, and until she does, I know it’s better to continue to keep things quiet.
“So have you driven Abby crazy yet?”
My lips purse. “Why does everyone assume it would beme? Maybe Abby is a terrible roommate.”
“Well?” Dee arches a brow. “Is she?”
“No,” I grumble. “She’s perfectly agreeable.”
Especially when she’s in my bed,I think wistfully.
I spread the plates out on the mats Dee has sat down,following her around the table until it’s set. “How did your talk with Ms. Gulley go?”
Dee’s entire face lights up, her smile so bright it makes my chest tight. “It was great. They think we’ll be able to finalize things by the end of the month.”
“I can’t believe you’re going to be aparent,” I marvel. “It doesn’t feel like you’re old enough.”
Dee laughs. “Mom and Dad were younger than me when they had you.”
“Iguessthat’s true,” I concede. “Still. Feels weird.”
“You’re going to love being an uncle,” she points out.
“Of course I am,” I tell her. “I get to spoil the shit out of the kid and send him straight back to you.”