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Spencer’s eyes were apologetic. “Emily, these are my sisters. And this is Emily, my friend.” He looked pointedly at the shorter girl. “Not my girlfriend.”
“You didn’t tell me you had four sisters.”
He shrugged. “I told you I had four siblings.”
“Why didn’t you tell her about us?” asked the short one. “Hi, I’m Grace, by the way.”
“Gracebytheway—that’s a funny name,” she quipped.
Grace linked her arm around Emily’s and led her into the restaurant. “Ah—a sense of humor. We’re going to be best friends. Spencer, why did you keep this one from us?”
“Does he usually bring lots of girls to meet y’all?”
“Y’all? How cute—she has a southern accent. No. He never brings a girl to meet us. I can’t imagine why not.”
“Can we use the back room today, Aunt May?”
“I don’t have it reserved… Unless your mom and dad are coming?” May gazed expectantly at Emily.
Emily shook her head in answer, but Grace asked, “Who are your mom and dad? They get to sit in the back room?”
The blood rushed to her face—she hated attention. And she especially hated the kind of attention Steven Gherring garnered. Spencer came to the rescue.
“Grace, please. Can we sit down before you grill Emily further? And maybe you shouldn’t be quite so nosey.”
“Me? Nosey? Surely you’ve gotten me mixed up with Olivia.”
“Hey,” objected one of the tall sisters with long, brown hair hanging in a mass of curls. “I’m not nosey.” She pulled up a chair next to Emily. “But I’m great at keeping secrets. So you can tell me anything, and I’ll go to my grave with it.”
“Right, Olivia,” teased Grace. “But on your way to your grave you’ll tell your secrets to anyone who asks.”
“That’s a lie… Don’t listen to her.”
“Where did you two go today?” asked a tall girl whose curly hair looked similar to Olivia’s, but auburn. She had fair skin and rosy cheeks. She reached across the table to shake Emily’s hand. “I’m Hannah.”
“On a hike,” Spencer answered.
Grace frowned. “She’s one of those hikers?”
“You don’t like the people in the hiking club?” Emily asked.
“How should I know? I never get to meet them. He doesn’t bring anyone over.”
“I don’t live at home anymore,” Spencer defended. “And why would I bring a friend to the house so you could grill them?”
The tall sister with shoulder-length brown hair spoke up. “We don’t grill them, and you know it. You’re afraid we’ll tell them stories about you. We have lots of stories, and most of them are true. I’m Claire, and I keep secrets better than Olivia.”
“I’d love to hear a story.” Emily grinned, while Spencer buried his face in his hands.
“You want to hear about Spencer’s Senior Prom?” asked Claire.
“Oh, no. Tell her about his Superman underwear,” said Hannah.
“Hannah!” Spencer lunged for his sister.
Emily laughed. “Don’t worry, Spencer. I’m sure you don’t still have that underwear. You’ve probably moved on to Spiderman.”
Grace hooted. “I like you, Emily. Want to come to family dinner on Sunday?”
