Rebecca sighs that big sister sigh into the line. “Just be careful, okay? Be responsible.”
“Yes, Bec, I know.” I pause for a moment before whispering under my breath, “When did he send that email?”
“Hmm, let me look.” I hear clicking through the line, and then she replies, “Early last week. Why, did something bad happen since then I need to know about?”
“No, Becca,” I answer quickly, the smile on my face feeling damn near permanent. Something about Max saying all that before we slept together makes it feel that much more real.
“Everything else with you good?” she chirps lightly, and I can hear the clicking of her keyboard in the background again. “Anything personal to report?”
Oh, sis…if only you knew. “Nothing of interest. Does Jacob miss me yet? I could come over some night this week and play gin rummy with him again.”
“Jacob does not miss you, Cozy,” Rebecca drones. “You’ve only been gone a few weeks.”
My lips smush off to the side. “Well…tell him to call me if he gets bored watching Housewives with you.”
“Bye, Cozy.”
“Bye, Bec.”
I end the call with a smile, feeling like I won some major points with my sister for once. When I look up to thank Max for the email, I notice he’s frowning at me.
“Who’s Jacob?” he asks, walking toward me with his brow furrowed, looking strangely like a lion approaching his prey.
“My sister’s husband.”
Max stops walking. “You play cards with him?”
“Yeah.” I shrug, walking over to the sofa to resume my position. “I lived with them before I moved here, so we became card buddies.”
“Huh,” Max huffs, eyeing me curiously. “Have you always lived with your sister?”
“God, no!” I exclaim with a snort. “She barely tolerates me. I was there six months and totally outstayed my welcome.”
“Where did you live before that?” he inquires, his eyes doing that probing thing again that makes me shiver.
I shake my head and shrug again. “Just…an apartment.”
“Where?” Max asks, not letting up. “I might own the building.”
I bark out an unattractive laugh. “You didn’t own this building…trust me.”
Max eyes me harshly. “Why won’t you tell me where you lived?”
“Why do you need to know?” I snap back, holding his gaze equally harsh.
“Daddy! You’re still here!” Everly’s voice peals as she pads barefoot down the spindle staircase. Her feet thud across the hardwood before she launches herself into his arms. “Are you working from home again this week?”
“No, Everly…I’m just…running late.” His head twitches like he’s just realized what time it is. He gives Everly a tight squeeze and adds, “But I’m glad I got a hug before I left.”
“Me too! Are you sure you can’t stay for breakfast? I taught Cozy how to make pancakes.”
“Did you?” he says with a laugh. “I’m afraid I don’t have time. But you two have fun today.”
He sets Everly down and presses a kiss to the top of her head. His eyes find mine for a split second before the muscle in his jaw tics, and he makes his way out of the house.
Everly flops down on the couch beside me and immediately nuzzles herself under my arm. “What are we going to do today, Cozy?”
“Oh,” I gasp and turn wide eyes to Everly. “I have a really fun activity planned for us today.”
“What?” she squeals, turning on her side to look at me with all the childhood enthusiasm a kid can muster at six thirty in the morning.
“Today, we’re going to practice the art…of sitting.”
Everly’s trill of laughter fills the house as she falls into my lap and makes herself comfortable. She’s going to be good at this, I can tell.
My cell phone rings as I sit on a Zoom call for a bakery franchise branch we’re opening in Colorado Springs. I see the name Kate flash on the screen. Knowing the leader on this account can handle this meeting, I click off my camera and mute my mic to answer the call.
“I’m just curious enough to still accept your calls, Kate Smith,” I say with a smile I hope she can hear.
“Aw, Max…don’t you know I’m like a ball-obsessed rat terrier? If you just keep chucking balls at my face, I’ll eventually leave you alone.”