Page 28 of One Big Little Secret

“Evelyn, how was your trip down? Surviving another winter back home? I hear it’s nasty this year, even for Minnesota.” I accept her kiss as she laughs. Right on the mouth—damn, no wonder Dexter pulled that face. “It’s nice to see you. I didn’t know you were visiting.”

“Oh, you know I can’t stay away for too long. There’s no turning down good company and days that are a few degrees warmer.” She looks around the room appreciatively. “Plus, your mom knows how to keep a house to die for.”

“Well, perhaps I can keep a house, but if I so much as touch an indoor plant, it dies.” Mom smiles and glances around fondly now that the party’s here. She leads us into the dining room without even asking.

“Just wait until you try the cheesecake I made for dessert,” Juniper whispers to me as we head to the table. “Get this—churro cinnamon, slathered in caramel. Dex will keel right over if a single crumb touches him.”

That wins her a smile. My brother’s nonexistent sweet tooth might’ve softened since he shacked up with her, but he’ll always be a health freak at heart.

She’s made him a better man, aside from the sweets. No question.

I’m also impressed with how easily she’s made herself one of us, faster than I could’ve imagined. They’ve only been married a little over a year, but now I can barely remember a time when she wasn’t at these dinners.

“Is that the secret to married life?” I ask. “Tormenting your spouse?”

“Only if your partner’s worth tormenting,” she throws back.

“Noted. I’ll keep that in mind,” I lie, knowing full well I’ll be dead before I ever put a ring on any chick.

She slips her arm through mine and smiles. “Careful, Pat. Don’t say something like that with your mom around, or she’ll think you’re wife hunting… So, are you?”

“Hunting? Do I need to mark myself with fake piss to lure in a mate?”

“Patton!” Her voice is scandalized, but I know it takes more than that to shock Juniper. There’s laughter in her eyes.

“Charming my wife again, idiot?” Dexter asks, slapping my arm.

She slaps his harder.

“Don’t take the bait,” she whispers.

“When I’m so good at it? Let him live and learn,” I say.

“Don’t be a prick, Pat. It isn’t always easy keeping the peace, and your mom’s friend is here.” Juniper doesn’t miss a beat. That’s why we like her.

“Is there any universe where you guys don’t almost come to blows?” Archer glares at us.

I smirk back at him. “Not sure. Is it the universe where you’re not an uptight bearwad made of—”

“Dinner!” Mom says brightly, her voice hard enough to cut through our shit-flinging. She glares at us, and unlike Archer’s bullshit, which I get near daily, it’s enough to make us shut our yaps and find our seats.

Evelyn beams at us like she’s missed our dysfunctional little family.

“Isn’t it so nice to see everyone here?” she asks as Mom brings out plates of steaming duck breast and fried biscuit gravy. “Promise me you’ll never take it for granted.”

“We wouldn’t dream of it, Evie,” Mom assures her. “This is always a special occasion, isn’t it, boys?”

“We’re here every week,” Archer grumbles.

Colt pushes his glasses up his nose. They’re a recent addition, making him look especially studious, and he seems hyperaware of them.

“Please don’t tell me you guys are going to start fighting again,” he says, in such a world-weary voice it sounds just like Archer.

“Hey, dude, we don’t fight,” I say. “We bicker. Big difference. You’re lucky you don’t have a brother.”

“And I promise there’ll be murder on the menu tonight if this bickering doesn’t stop,” Mom warns, stabbing her duck breast with her fork while she flashes a smile full of teeth. “What will it take to have one nice dinner together without so much ribbing?”

“A miracle?” I wait for her to laugh, but she doesn’t.

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