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“Brooklyn!”Willa greeted, rushing from around the counter of Leather and Ink to give me a hug.
“Hey, Willa.” I smiled.
Her eyes drifted to Duke. “You.”
“Before you lay into me, I brought you something,” Duke said, holding up the covered pie tin and handing it to her.
“What’s this?” she asked as she peeked underneath the foil.
“Apple pie with cheese,” Duke explained.
“With cheese? That’s weird.”
“It’s delicious,” he countered. “And something they do in New England. Right, Brooklyn?”
“Righto, Duke.”
“You made this pie, I’m guessing,” Willa said to me.
“Guilty.”
“Half of it is missing,” she noted.
“I ate it,” Duke said. “The other half is for you.”
“Just like your apology, which is half-assed,” she said lightly.
“Apology? What did you do?” I asked Duke, putting my hands on my hips.
“He gave my fourteen-year-old sister instruction on how to fight—schoolyard-brawl style.” She glared at Duke.
“What? Now she knows how to defend herself.” Duke shrugged.
“That’s not the problem,” Willa said. “The problem is that she went to school and started teaching all her classmates.”
“It’s a tough world out there,” Duke said. “Waverly needs to know how to defend herself.”
“Agreed,” Willa said. “But it would’ve been nice not to have gotten a phone call about it.”
“Did she get suspended?” Duke asked.
“No. She was let off with a warning, thank God,” Willa said.
Watching their interaction was amusing. I still didn’t believe they were just friends.
The door to the boutique opened and Mia strode in, a baby carrier strapped to her chest. “Am I late? Scarlett had a diaper issue.”
“No, you’re not late,” I said with a smile. “We’re early.”
“Perfect.” Mia gave Willa a side hug and Willa peered down at the baby against Mia’s body.
“How are you supposed to go shopping and try clothes on with a baby attached to you?” Duke asked.
“You’re going to hold her,” Mia explained.
Duke’s mouth dropped open. “No. No way.”
“Yes, way. Colt’s taking me out to dinner. Like, dinner at a real restaurant, sans children. I need something new, something hot and something stretchy.”
