Page 83 of The Fake Out

Tio’s green thumb had the gardens blooming, even this early in the summer. A huge tree with a tire swing hung in the front yard, and the porch was full of rockers.

“It’s so cute.” Gi glanced up at me out of the corner of her eye. “And I love the yellow with the brick.”

“Jeez, old man. You’re slow as hell. Should I help you?” From the doorway, Andre reached out to grab a bag. “Shit, what’s in this, rocks?”

“Maybe.” Gi smirked and batted her eyes. “Never know what a woman will need.”

I chuckled.

“Fucked,” my brother mouthed to me.

“Gianna’s staying upstairs with us,” my uncle said when I headed down the hall that led to my room.

“What?” I spun on my heel and zeroed in on my mother.

“We have the sheets you had the Amazon man drop off, and we put them on her bed up there.”

Their daughter was a year older than Andre and lived in an apartment across town now, so they had an empty room, but I’d never considered having Gi sleep anywhere but with me.

“No free milk,” my brother joked.

“Tell that to Bels,” Yvette teased.

Isabella’s eyes widened. “No way. I was the one home last night while Vet was out. Tell me, Vet, was that Todd’s car I saw drop you off?”

Yevette blushed.

“Wait, what?” At the mention of his friend’s name, Andre shot a glare at Isabella, then turned it on Yvette.

“Don’t think you can get away with shit because of their chaos.” Tia Camilia raised a brow and pointed at the bag I had just slipped into my unofficial room in the house.

With a sigh, I picked it up again.

“Em,” Gi said, shifting on her feet.

Dammit. My family was extra, and she didn’t know them well enough to understand the dynamic, so she was beginning to panic.

“Fine,” I said, holding her bag out to my brother. “Take them up.”

“Me?” he asked, rearing back.

“Yeah. I’m old, remember?” I shoved the bag into his chest. “Stairs are bad for my knees.”

The curse was on the tip of his tongue, but before he could let it fly, my mom whacked him with the spoon in her hand. “No, sir.”

Wincing, he snatched the second bag and headed out the door and upstairs.

“I’ll give you a tour.” My mother set her spoon down, then took Gianna’s hand and pulled her past me down the hall to my sister’s room.

The place wasn’t huge, so it would be a quick tour. She and Yvette had bedrooms on this floor. Along with the guest room for when I visited, which they also used as a second living room. Andre and Isabella had bedrooms and a shared bathroom in the basement.

“Your mother is already in love with her and the idea of you two giving her grandkids.” My aunt sighed, her eyes going soft.

I cracked my knuckles, ignoring the heat that crept up my neck. “Tia, I’ve been clear. We’re friends.”

“Friends who sleep in the same bed?” Tio chuckled. “Weren’t you just arguing with your mother about that?”

So on-brand for Tio to cut through the bullshit.

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