I grab the basket of toppings Everly brought home from the store last week when she was craving something sweet.
Theo rolls his eyes. “Oh, this is just great. You’ve only been married for a hot minute and are already ganging up on me?”
“Consider it payback for all the times you and Cash made me sit in the back seat in high school,” Everly sasses.
She scoops ice cream into three bowls, and I assist by adding the toppings—chocolate syrup, peanuts, caramel sauce, whipped cream, and a cherry. After finishing, I take my bowl and sit next to Theo, who’s reading something on his phone. Everly joins us, handing Theo his dessert with a warm smile. She hops up on the counter between us, her legs dangling off the edge.
“Thanks, sis,” Theo says, tucking his phone in his pocket before digging into his ice cream.
“Yeah, thanks, Ev. This looks delicious,” I say as I take a big bite.
“You did most of the work.” Her gaze locks with mine as she twirls her tongue around her spoon, licking the ice cream off.
I’m fucking jealous of a spoon.
“I’m shocked you’re eating this,” Theo says to me.
I snap my head to look at him. “I still eat healthy,” I retort. “For the most part.”
“Yeah, and he gets plenty of exercise,” Everly chimes in with a sly smirk.
I shoot her a warning glance, but Theo doesn’t seem to catch on to her double meaning.
My mind goes blank when she picks up her cherry with her fingers and wraps her lips around it as she slowly sucks it into her mouth.
Ice cream sundaes are officially my new favorite dessert.
“Cash, are you listening?” Theo’s voice snaps me out of my daydream.
“Huh?” I look over to find him frowning at me.
“Jesus Christ. Everly has you wrapped around her finger, doesn’t she?” His gaze pings between us, noting how I can’t seem to stop staring at her.
“I do not,” Everly says defiantly.
“Oh, really? Then why hasn’t Cash taken his eyes off you since we sat down?” He raises an eyebrow.
Busted.
“Because we’re newlyweds.” she sasses back.
Theo pushes his bowl to the side. “Don’t remind me,” he grumbles.
“Is there something you want to say?” I ask.
His true feelings about me and Everly being together were bound to come out tonight, and it’s only fair to let him express those.
“Honestly, I figured one of you would come to your senses and realize how absurd this is. I mean, a Vegas wedding? You can’t get more cliché than that.” He sighs. “I just don’t want to see either of you get hurt when this doesn’t work out.”
I turn to face him. “Everly is my wife, and unless she tells me she wants to end this, I’m all in.” I direct my words to him, but my gaze stays fixed on his sister. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her.”
Everly’s mouth falls open at my confession, but she composes herself, schooling her expression.
Theo lets out a low whistle. “Damn, sis, you’ve achieved the unthinkable.”
“What’s that?” Everly asks with a raised brow.
“I never thought I’d see the day when Cash Stafford is head over heels for a woman. Although I would have preferred it to be someone other than you,” he complains.