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“What did I get who?”
“Charlie. For a christening gift.”
I’d forgotten about that. “You’ll see,” I tell him.
“You can tell me now. I’ve already bought my gift.” He looks pretty smug about it, too.
A feeling of horror washes over me. What if he’s somehow gotten the same thing I have? “What is it?” I ask.
He looks at me from the corner of his eyes. “I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.”
“What are we, six?” I shake my head. “I’m not that interested anyway.”
Liam sighs as though he’s just trying to appease me. “I got a bespoke tree house for their yard. It’s not something he can really enjoy until he’s a bit bigger, but I thought he’ll grow into it. It’s got a ladder to climb up into it and a slide to get out.” Liam shrugs.
“That’s a beautiful gift,” I say.
He blinks as though surprised. “Is it? I was worried it’s a bit too… I don’t know old.”
“Old would be buying him his first car,” I tell him.
Liam snorts. “Thought about it.”
“I bet you did.” A smile flits across my lips because that would be so Liam. And I take a minute to marvel that we’re actually having a conversation without any snark involved. This would be a first since that fateful night.
“So now you can tell me what you bought,” he says as we turn the corner onto Virginia Street.
I shrug. “I bought a mural by a local artist. She’ll work with Ava to get exactly what she wants and then paint it on the wall of Charlie’s nursery. I was lucky to get her, she’s a friend of a friend of a friend. Highly sought after. And I know Ava doesn’t love Charlie’s nursery yet, so hopefully this will get her there.”
He opens his mouth to say something, but then a hand slaps his back and Linc joins us, out of breath because he’s been running to catch up to us.
“I called your name when you left the church. Didn’t you hear me?” Linc asks Liam. Then he looks at me. “Hi Sophie. You look fucking edible in that dress.”
“Thank you,” I say, stepping to the right so he can walk next to Liam. “You look pretty good yourself.” He does, too. He and Brooks are a little taller and less muscled than their older brothers. Their hair is lighter, too. But all in all the Salinger brothers are annoyingly gorgeous.
Even when they’re frowning like Liam is now.
“I meant to ask you,” Linc says to me. “Do you have a ride home tonight? I’d be happy to drive you if you haven’t.”
I smile at him. “Thank you, but my friend Lauren is driving me home.”
“Another time then.”
“That sounds lovely.” My cheeks redden a little because I’m not used to somebody blatantly flirting with me. Especially somebody who’s years younger than I am. It’s not as though I’m interested, but still.
“Did I tell you I’ve been watching your forecasts?” he asks me. “Every morning before I go to work.”
“You do?” I ask him. “How? You don’t get WVFY where you live, do you?”
“Nope, but I can live stream it on the internet.” He shrugs. “I like to know what the weather’s going to be like for Myles and Ava.”
Liam makes a noise that sounds a little like he’s suffocating.
“What?” Linc asks him, his voice lifting. “I just like to picture them happy.”
“Sure you do.” Liam shakes his head. “What are you doing here anyway? Weren’t you supposed to be greeting people as they arrive at the house?” he asks his little brother.
“Weren’t you supposed to be, too?” Linc says back.
