“It was just yesterday,” Ian tells me. “We figured we’d tell everyone tonight.”
“It’s got three bedrooms!” Dee says excitedly. “So Kyle can have his own space and then we can use the other for a guest room.”
“Or a baby’s room,” Ian says nonchalantly. “Someday.”
“I don’t want to think about the two of you making babies,” I say. “As far as I’m concerned, you’re celibate.”
Ian rolls his eyes. “I wouldloveto see you interact with a baby, actually.”
“Hey,” I say indignantly. “Are you saying I wouldn’t be awesome at it?”
“I’m pretty sure you’ve referred to Kyle as ‘the kid’ ever since we told you we were going to bring him home,” Ian points out. “I don’t see you flourishing with an infant.”
“I’m told I have a very gentle touch,” I argue, sitting up a little straighter and pointedly keeping my eyes off Abby. “People have raved about it, actually.”
I feel Abby’s fingers at my thigh, giving me a sharp pinch that I have to pretend doesn’t make me want to yelp.
“Gag me,” Dee says. “I have a feeling Jack just made this into a sex thing.”
“When is he not turning everything into a sex thing?” Ian asks.
“Fair point,” Dee agrees.
I narrow my eyes at both of them. “I hate this whole teamwork thing you have going on now. It feels like I’m being ganged up on.”
“You could do with being taken down a peg,” Abby chimes in.
I press my hand to my chest, looking stricken. “Et tu, Brute?”
“Like you don’t know it’s true,” she laughs with a shrug.
Bea is watching all this quietly, chewing her food thoughtfully as she takes it all in. I see her eyes snag mine then, flicking between me and Abby before she arches a brow in question. I try tokeep my expression as even as I can, but I have no idea whether or not Bea sees through it. She’s always been pretty sharp, that one.
“So what about this hit you took?” Bea asks, which is honestly a topic I’d like to talk about even less than what’s going on with Abby and me.
I huff, dropping my fork onto my plate. “It was really nothing. I barely felt a thing.”
“Bullshit,” Ian says. “You had to ice your arm for the rest of the game.”
I don’t miss the way Abby tenses beside me, but to her credit, she remains quiet.
“Have you talked to the doctor again?” Dee asks.
I shake my head. “No. But I…I have an appointment with him this week.”
“Wait,” Abby says. “You do?”
I nod back at her. “I just thought it might be a good idea to see where I’m at.”
She looks like she wants to comment on this, but instead turns her head to take another bite of her food. Again, I can sense that we’ll be talking about it later.
“I just think it’s downright silly to keep playing with your arm like that,” Bea says.
“I said the same thing,” Dee grumbles. “A game isn’t worth your damned arm.”
“AndIthink that it’s not your decision,” I say, trying to not let my irritation bleed into my tone.
“She’s just worried about you,” Ian says. “We all are.”