Page 88 of An Endless Memory

“You,” Clover explained. “A wife who stays at home, cooks, and cleans.”

Clover smirked at me. “Not all working ladies land a hot guy running the grill at big family picnics.”

“He makes great pancakes,” I said. He’d made them the morning before he left. And I’d wondered if I should ask for the recipe. At this time next year, he didn’t plan to be around and making them anymore.

“He really does,” Jasper added. “The guy can cook like no one’s business.”

My sisters stared at him.

He let the fridge door close and chomped into a dill pickle. “What?” he said around his mouthful.

“Maybe you can marry him when he divorces me,” I said. Horror dawned once every pair of eyes in the room landed on me. Good thing Cali hadn’t returned yet. Why didn’t I watch my mouth?

Concern shone brightly in Mom’s eyes. “Is there trouble between you two? You did marry so fast.”

“No,” I said quickly. Of course they’d blame my impulsiveness. “I was just joking.”

Violet studied me, concern in her eyes.

Clover went back to rolling out cookie dough. “Lily swung in with the dark humor. That’s usually Poppy’s role.”

Violet’s phone dinged. She looked at the screen and aimed a disgruntled stare toward the living room.

“He beckons,” Jasper taunted.

Violet smacked the back of her hand against his stomach. “Shut it, jackwagon.” She handed Kellan back to me.

“Mo-om, Vi hit me.” Jasper’s grin was unrepentant.

Cali danced back into the kitchen. This was the perfect moment to make my own escape. As long as she was busy, I’d take Kellan to the toy room Mom and Dad had made in the lower-level family area. He could crawl around. Then, I could get away from any more follow-up questions.

The lower level was cooler and quieter. A balm to my nerves. I hated that Eliot was alone, and I was trying not to wallow in my hurt that he hadn’t tried harder not to be. I set Kellan down by a bin of giant building blocks. The mess of my emotions wasn’t sorting itself out.

Footsteps pressed into the plush carpet. Jasper dropped to sit next to me.

“You two really going to cut ties after you fool Aunt Linda?” he asked.

“No, I was just jok?—”

“I figured it out and asked him.”

My heart leaped into my throat. He knew?

Was that an issue? All of Eliot’s family had been informed. When we’d told them, we hadn’t been married yet. Jasper didn’t start working for Eliot until later in September. Eliot hadn’t tried to convince Jasper otherwise? Were his feelings about me so clear that my brother had noticed?

Jasper leaned closer and bumped my shoulder with his, something he’d done my entire life. “He likes you, but he also didn’t lie to me about your arrangement. Though I have to wonder, wouldn’t it be weird if, after a year, you two didn’t stay together?”

Leave it to my laid-back but analytical-minded brother to nail what bothered me about all this. “I don’t know. He’s dead set against being a family man. His parents had issues, and I guess after being raised by Mom and Dad, I can’t relate.”

“Mom and Dad’s perfect marriage can shine glaring lights on weaker relationships.”

“Yeah. It’s one of the reasons it was easier to stay away when I was married to Carter.”

He bumped me again. “We all knew that. It’s why we bugged the shit out of you.”

“You guys nagged me.”

“Because you’re stubborn.”

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