Page 83 of Falling in Love with Two

As they both still stare at me, waiting for me to speak, I say, “It’s fine, Dylan. You can go. We’ll be alright.”

“You sure?”

I nod.

“Okay, I’ll be right back. Veronica, I swear you better be nice.”

“Scout’s honor.”

Dylan and I exchange a smile at her reference to a boy scout.

When he’s out the door, Ronnie gets up and walks to the kitchen. “I don’t know about you, but I could use some coffee.”

“Coffee sounds good, but I can only drink decaf.”

“Good lord, I would kill myself,” she murmurs. “But decaf it is.”

She gets the pot going and excuses herself to the restroom. While she’s gone, I bite my nails even further, wondering how this is going to go. I really want to make a good impression on Ronnie since she’s so close to Dylan.

When she walks back to the kitchen to fix two cups of coffee, I decide to do something to break the tension.

“So, Ronnie. Dylan tells me that you’re a travel photographer. What’s that like?”

She smiles while pouring the steaming liquid. “It’s awesome. Exhausting but awesome.”

“What’s the coolest place you’ve ever traveled to?”

“Oh, shit. I don’t know if I’ve ever been asked that before. But probably Egypt.”

“Really?” I ask. “Why?”

“Well, I could say that the pyramids were incredible, and that the history is mind-blowing. But let’s just say I had an unhealthy relationship with The Mummy when I was growing up. I think Brendon Frazer was my first sexual awakening.” With a wink, she adds, “First of many.”

When she joins me back on the couch, there’s a bit of an awkward silence. Finally, she says, “Sorry, I’m a little nervous.”

“You’re nervous. Why? I’m the one who’s meeting the family.”

“Leah, you’re the first girl my brother has ever brought around. You’re having his baby, and he’s been avoiding me ever since he found out.”

I chime in. “For the record, I wasn’t encouraging that. I never told him to ice you out.”

“Oh, I know that. He’s just an idiot.”

That gets me to laugh.

She goes on to say, “How about we both try not to be nervous and just talk like friends?”

“You want to be friends?” I ask, caught off-guard.

“Duh. Let me say it again—you are carrying my niece or nephew. That makes us friends…and family.”

“Alright then.”

She takes a sip of her coffee. “At the risk of sounding totally lame, I need to say something.”

Here we go.

“Dylan is not only my twin, but he’s my best friend. I know him better than I know myself. Although I’m going to miss having him around as my wingman, I’ve always known deep down that he was cut out for monogamy and fatherhood. He’ll be an amazing dad.”

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