“When have you had to hear about my sex life?” He folded his arms in front of him.
“Every time you brought a girl home when you lived with us in the summer. And don’t screw your face up at me again, because it’s a natural act. I can do it if I want to.”
“Yes you can. I just don’t want to hear about it.” He swallowed down some coffee to try to wash the thought away.
Her lips twitched. “Okay then.”
“And you need to be safe,” he told her. “Not just using contraception, but you need to think about your physical safety, too. I worry about you.”
Her blue eyes met his. “And I worry about you, too,” she said softly. “Not about your safety but about your happiness. You work too hard.”
He winked. “I know.” They were back on safe ground. “But if it makes you feel any better, I’m going out later.”
“Where?”
“To James and Harper’s.” James Tanner was his best friend, and a spinal surgeon at St. Vincent’s.
“Will there be any girls there?” Belle’s eyes sparkled.
“Only Alyssa.” He grinned because he knew what she’d say next.
“She’s two years old.” Belle shook her head. “What are we going to do with you?”
“Speaking of kids, I have a new neighbor. A mom and her little girl. She’s eight.” He steered the conversation far away from his dating life. It wasn’t something he planned on talking with his sister about.
“You do? Is she pretty?”
“She’s eight.” His voice was deadpan.
Belle wrinkled her nose. “You’re getting boring, you know that? We need to find a way to spice up your life.”
4
Meghan wiped an invisible dust mote off the table, and looked around her apartment. She’d spent two hours cleaning every surface, even though there wasn’t much dirt to begin with. Isla had happily put away her books and helped Meghan hang up her clean clothes, and was sitting reading a book, her legs swinging against the sofa.
The buzzer to her door blasted out at exactly four o’clock.
“Come on up,” she said through the intercom, pressing the button to unlatch the door that led from the lobby to the bank of elevators. “We’re on floor ten.”
“You didn’t ask who I was.” Her dad sounded annoyed through the speaker.
“You’re the only people I was expecting.” She kept her voice light, because she had to endure an hour of this.
“You should still ask your visitors to identify themselves, Meghan. We could have been anybody.”
She rolled her eyes to get it out of her system, then walked over to the apartment door, pulling it open as she waited for the elevator to arrive. When it did, her parents walked out, her mom carrying an insulated bag full of what looked like home cooking, and her dad carrying his toolbox.
“Hi.” She stepped back to let them in. “Isla, Granny and Gramps are here.”
“Where’s my girl?” Meghan’s mom said, her eyes sparkling at the mention of Isla. “Come here and give Granny a huge hug.”
Isla flew into her arms, and Meghan’s mom hugged her tight. “Oh, I’ve missed you.” She kissed her head, then released her. “Look at you, I swear you’ve grown six inches.”
Isla flushed with happiness. “I just saw you two weeks ago, Granny.”
“Have you got a hug for your old Gramps, too?” Her dad put his toolbox down and held out his arms, and Isla laughed as he gave her a bear hug. “How do you like your new home?”
“It’s great.” Isla grinned. “We have a pool. Did you see it?”