“Easy sounds good.”
“All right, easy it is. Can I pick you both up in an hour?”
I bit down on the inside of my cheek and shifted uncomfortably in my seat. “Can we meet you wherever you want to eat? Unless you want me to pick you up? Otherwise I have to move the booster seat to your car and it’ll just be weird.”
“Booster seat?”
“Yep . . . problems you’ll come across dating a mom.”
“I don’t ever remember being in one of those.”
I laughed and stepped out of my car. “I can’t remember it either, but it’s the law now.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, Steele, seriously.”
He paused before saying, “Don’t call me that. It’s weird.”
“Don’t call me Duchess.”
Coen drew out a groan. “I’m not sure if I can commit to that.”
“Well then, that’s your problem, not mine. I have to get Parker, text me where you want us to meet you.”
“You don’t play fair, Duchess.”
“Neither do you, Steele. See you soon.” I grinned and tapped END before opening the door and almost running into my brother. “Hey! I thought you were moving into your apartment with Erica.”
He pulled me into a hug and moved me away from the door so he could shut it. “I am, we’ve been moving all day. I just ran back here to get the last truckfull. Erica’s been unpacking all day, so it actually looks decent. You wanna come by tonight and see it? I’ll order pizza.”
“I can’t. Parker and I have something going on tonight.”
“Like . . . ?”
“Um . . .”
“Well, shit, Ray! You’re playing with your hair, so now you’re freaking me the fuck out. Tell me what it is.”
“Keegan!” I hissed, and smacked his arm as I looked around for my son. “Do you have to cuss in front of Parker?”
He cringed for a split second before relaxing. “No, we’re good. He’s out back with Mom. Now, tell me what you’re doing tonight.”
Dropping my hair, I straightened my back and tried to look directly into my brother’s eyes. It didn’t work. He’s eight inches taller than me. “Coen’s taking us to dinner.”
“Coen’s taking you and Parker to dinner?”
“Yes, he is, and why do you look like that? I don’t understand you. Why would you try to set me up with your best friend if you would ever have this worried look on your face! I know you told me you didn’t think we’d actually date, but come on, Keegan. Tell me why you’re acting like this! Is there something I should know? Something I should be worried about?”
“No,” he huffed and rolled his eyes. “No. Steele’s one of the best guys I know.”
I shrugged and put my hands up to the sides of my head before dropping them. “Then what? I don’t understand!”
Keegan looked past me for a while before clearing his throat and asking, “Does he sleep?”
“What?”
“When he’s, uh, with you. Does he sleep?” he gritted out, and then mumbled to himself, “I’ll kill the bastard for touching you.”