Austin takes the fork from his husband’s hand, ruffles his fiery red hair, and takes a bite.
“Help yourselves, guys,” I say. “Not like I was eating that or anything.”
“You’re too kind, cuz,” Austin says around a mouthful before feeding Declan another bite. I laugh.
“Oh hey, guess who I heard from?” Austin pulls out his phone and shows me a selfie Maya texted him. She’s making a peace sign and sticking out her tongue next to some weird-looking cactus.
“She’s staying in a yurt on a mindfulness retreat near Joshua Tree National Park.”
“I don’t know what any of that means,” I say. Declan laughs. “Figures you’d hear from her before me, her own brother.”
It really doesn’t bother me that Maya would rather text our cousin than me or Tyler. She and Austin have been best friends ever since they were little. I’m just glad she’s keeping in touch with someone from the family.
“You know how your sister is,” Declan says. “She does things according to her own schedule. She hates it when we nag her about keeping in touch.”
Millie walks back into the kitchen and beams at her brother and brother-in-law. “You’re finally here! Here, let me show you where I want you to hang the paintings.”
Austin holds up a hand. “Not till we get some food in our bellies.”
“So demanding,” Millie teases before telling them to help themselves to the leftovers.
“But if you touch any ice cream, I will murder you.”
Austin and Declan each flash her a thumbs-up.
Millie groans. “I have to pee again.”
She shuffles down the hall. My phone buzzes in my pocket.
When I see it’s Becca calling me, I can’t believe it.
Nerves crackle inside of me. This is probably going to be one hell of an awkward conversation.
I answer anyway. “Hello?”
“Hey. It’s me. Can we, um, talk?”
I can hear her nervousness in her strained tone. I wonder how long she spent working up the nerve to call me.
“Yeah, of course. Hang on a sec.” I walk down the hall into Millie’s darkened office. “Sorry, I’m at my cousin’s place. I just needed to find a quiet spot.”
“I’m sorry for interrupting. If you need to go, that’s totally fine.”
I smile at the care in Becca’s tone. “It’s okay, really. I could use a second away from her busting my balls.”
“Oh.” She lets out a surprised laugh. “Wait, is this your cousin who you brought ice cream from my shop for?”
“Yup. That’s Millie. She had an emergency craving tonight, and since her husband is at work, it was up to me to deliver. And I failed miserably.”
“What happened?”
“I brought her Ben & Jerry’s. She thought I was bringing ice cream from your shop.”
Becca’s light chuckle echoes in my ear. I can feel my muscles loosening as the tension leaves my body. It feels good to laugh and talk like this about something fun and easy.
“I have to side with your cousin. My ice cream is much better,” she teases. I can tell she’s smiling on her end of the line, and it makes me grin wider.
“I definitely agree. I just wasn’t sure that it would be okay if I strolled in your ice cream shop asking for more pints of ice cream after, uh, we kissed.”
