I pursed my lips and closed one eye. I understood the words he was saying, but they were passing through my mind withoutsticking.
Con shook his head and his blue eyes—our dad’s blue eyes—gleamed. “We’ll have this conversation again when you’re sober. But in the meantime, just… chill, okay? You don’t have to plan for every contingency and anticipate every problem, Doctor Ross. Just go sit with your man and eat some fucking breadpudding.”
I nodded. That wasdoable.
I went back to the dining room and found Aunt Teresa communing with her Kindle again while Marina scrolled through herphone.
Daniel had moved to my seat and had his wallet out to hand Sam some money. “This is to cover my bet, and this is for the rest of the shedproject.”
“But I’m not done yet,” she argued, staring at thecash.
“Yeah, but concert tickets wait for no woman,” he saidsolemnly.
Sam grinned and gave him a quick hug. “You’re awesome, Daniel.Thanks.”
“Welcome,” he said, patting herback.
Sam stood up as soon as she saw me approach and pushed me down into her seat. “You’re pretty cool, too, Jules,” she said, with no trace of her usualcynicism.
“Oh,” I said. “Um.Thanks?”
“So, what’s for round two?” Marina asked me, setting down her phone. “More embarrassing stories? Or did you want to whisper-yell some more so we could allhear?”
Daniel stiffened besideme.
I cocked my head to one side and looked at my cousin thoughtfully. “Marina, you’re really verypretty.”
She snickered. “Thanks. I know I’m not your type,but—”
“And you’re not Daniel’s type either,” I said, wrinkling my nose. “Even when he dated girls, he didn’t date girls like you.” I turned to him and found his face way closer than I’d thought it would be. “Didyou?”
Daniel watched me with cautious amusement in his eyes. “I… actually, I kindadid.”
I snorted. “But you’ve evolved sincethen.”
He smiled. “Yeah, baby. I’ve definitelyevolved.”
I nodded, momentarily satisfied. “And now we’ll eat some fuckingpudding.”
“Language!” my mother called from the kitchen, though her voice sounded even further away. “Honestly, why do I even bother with youboys?”
“Daniel, I think you might have to drive home,” I told himapologetically.
“Youthink?”
“I might have had one glass toomany.”
“You might have had onebottletoo many.” His soft laughter in my ear warmed me all the way through. “But I’ll take care of you, Julian.Promise.”
For tonight, he meant. Or maybe for as long as we were fake boyfriends. Or as long as he stayed inO’Leary.
But for the rest of the day, I wasn’t going to think about that. For the rest of the day, I was going to be fuckinggrateful. I leaned across the distance between our chairs and rested my head on Daniel’sshoulder.
“So far, I’ve met competent Julian, adorable animal facts Julian, awkward Julian, and drunk Julian. How many more Julians are there?” he whispered in my ear. “I can’t wait to findout.”
