“I would like that.”
Awkwardly, we’re all lined up together in one of those long booths that stretch across the wall, with a table and a single chair on the other side. And these tables are close, so I can hear Ford breathing and Cooper talking about the cake.
Oh no, not the cake . . .
“Did you say butterscotch?” Palmer asks, head whipping to the side.
“Can you not listen to our conversation?” Cooper says. “You have your own date. Focus on your doctor.”
I see the irritation, the insecurity in Palmer’s eyes, and I know Palmer well enough to understand that when there’s insecurity, she goes on the defensive. “I’ll focus on him when Nora confirms there will be a lavender cake.”
I glance at Nora, who looks entirely too unperturbed. Can she not read the room? The tension is maddening. The glances are terrifying. And the unknown is slowly making me sweat out of my shirt.
Then again, I’ve always gotten along with my sister, so the Chance siblings’ dynamic is untouched territory for me.
“Do not answer that,” Cooper says, speaking with enough venom that Nora crosses her arms over her chest. From the look she gives him, Cooper is going to have to climb back from that little mistake. “Drop the cake shit, Palmer. It’s been settled. This is my date with Nora—focus on yourself.”
“Are you going out with her just to get your way?”
“Are you serious with that?” Cooper fumes.
“Can you two stop?” Ford leans in, startling me with his commanding voice.
“Ford, don’t,” Larkin says. “Let them do their thing.”
“They’re being obnoxious.” Ford glares at his siblings. “You two are ruining everyone’s evening.”
“Everyone’s or yours?” Palmer asks. “No one else in the restaurant seems to care what’s going on over here in this small circle of hell.”
I pick up my water glass and take a sip. Circle of hell indeed.
I need to help turn this around, bring it back to us, settle Palmer, who seems to be rattled and ready to dig her claws in.
Everyone just needs to take a big, deep breath together.
Reaching out, I grab Palmer’s hand. “Hey, why don’t you tell me what’s good here. What should I order?”
She glances at both of her brothers and then back at me. Her expression softens, and she nods. “Sorry,” she whispers and takes a deep breath. “Okay, you’re going to want to try the roasted brussels sprouts with bacon; they are—”
“Smelly,” Cooper says. “Unless you want everyone, yourself included, to smell like dirty socks when you leave here, don’t get them.”
“That’s not true at all. They don’t smell like a dirty sock, and it’s one of their best dishes. They wouldn’t still have it on the menu if it made people smell,” Palmer retorts.
“I’ve smelled like a sock before,” Ford says quietly, surprising me.
I glance over at Larkin, who has a furious look on her face. “Ford, stop.”
“Sorry,” he says.
Palmer chuckles. “Already have the upper hand—nice, Larkin.”
“Hey,” I say to Palmer. “Focus here.”
“Right. Sorry.”
“And look who has the upper hand over there,” Cooper says. “At least I know Nora owns me.”
Nora lifts her glass to the group. “Cheers.”
How on earth can she be so calm right now? At this point, I want to crawl into my own scrotum from the tension bouncing around among everyone.
“Do Mom and Dad know you’re seeing Dr. Beau?” Cooper asks Palmer.
Palmer keeps her eyes on her menu. “Haven’t had the chance to tell them.”
“Really?” I ask, a little surprised.
“You haven’t told your parents about Beau?” Larkin asks.
“I’d be interested to hear what they have to say,” Cooper says, and his tone makes me incredibly uneasy.
“Why do you say it like that?” Palmer asks.
“Cooper,” Ford says from across the way. He shakes his head in warning. “Drop it.”
“Drop what?” Palmer asks, looking between her brothers.
“Is there something your parents don’t like about my brother?” Larkin asks. Ford attempts to take Larkin’s hand, but she pulls away. “There’s nothing wrong with Beau. He’d be a great catch for your sister.”
“I’m aware. He’s great for her. Let’s go back to our dinner.”