Page 128 of Falling for my Brother's Best Friend

“Maybe lose the cut-off shorts. I’m with you on the mullet and mesh tank top though.” Holly always finds something nice to say. Probably how she handles being a principal.

“What’s to eat? I’m starving.” Rome heads toward the kitchen.

Liam appears at the bottom of the stairs as the door-knocking starts again. “I’ll just stand here until everyone comes.”

“Good idea.” I kiss his cheek.

He opens the door, and Grandma Dori and Ethel come in. In order for me to stop the knitting classes, I had to agree to let Ethel join our eighties theme parties where we eat junk food and watch movies all night. Plus, she’s a decent driver and it keeps Grandma off the road.

“Love the Sophia lookalike!” I say.

Ethel straightens her glasses and pushes up her already white hair, the spitting image of Sophia from Golden Girls.

“Dori, are you supposed to be Blanche?” Harley asks, noticing Grandma Dori’s low-cut silk pajama set with jewelry and a lot of makeup.

“That’s a lot of skin,” Brooklyn says.

“Maybe too much skin,” Austin comments.

Liam doesn’t so much as shut the door before Phoenix, Juno, and Colton arrive.

“Kingston’s right behind us,” Phoenix says.

“Where’s Denver?” I ask, slapping Austin’s hands when he tries to pick up a piece of orange chicken.

“Here, I’ll take them.” Holly grabs all their things and runs back upstairs. The woman never calms down.

“He said he’ll be a little late.” Phoenix sits in the middle of the couch, putting her feet up and burying her head in her phone.

“My mom and Uncle Brian are coming for the movie too,” Holly informs me, panting.

“Why don’t you take a break now?”

She sits on a breakfast stool. “Thanks. I have a lot of nervous energy I can’t get rid of.”

Austin goes over to her and puts his arm around her back. She leans into him, smiling.

“Okay, everyone, dig in. As it was voted, we’re watching Weekend at Bernie’s and St. Elmo’s Fire.” I don’t even finish before Austin grabs the serving spoon and serves himself a huge helping. “Maybe serve your wife first.”

“I am.”

“That’s a lot for Holly?” Not that I want to food shame her or anything.

“She’s hungry, like me.” His snappy attitude says leave the topic alone, so I move away and let our guests fill their plates.

Brooklyn stands with me.

“Eat,” I say, gesturing to the spread.

She grabs her stomach. “I’m not feeling the best. I’ll pick at it later.”

“Do you have the flu?” I ask.

“The flu?” She scrunches up her face.

Everyone stops and zeroes in on Brooklyn as though they want to tell her that if she has the flu, she better get the hell out of here.

“We’ve got Calista and Dion to worry about. You can’t go around bringing in diseases, Brook.” Rome goes berserk because that’s what he does if he feels his kids are threatened.

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