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“Did you want it to be just you and him at home tonight? With Ellis?”
Oh god. “That’s a good point.”
He chuckled as he stood up. “I’ll bring some duct tape. Just in case.”
I snorted. “Thanks.”
He walked to the door. “Say hi to Jeremiah for us.”
“I will.”
He left me to wonder if that wasn’t the weirdest conversation I’d ever had with my eldest brother. I’d never been close to him. We’d always been at different stages of our lives and never had much in common.
Until now.
I got through another three emails when Mum found me. She knocked and walked straight in. “Oh, Rowan said you were in.”
“In the flesh.” I checked my watch. “For another thirty minutes, maybe.”
“So I was thinking...”
“About dinner? Rowan told me.”
She smiled as she sat down. “I thought it might be nice. I know he’ll be tired after travelling and he’ll want to see Jeremiah, of course. But we can have dinner all ready at your place when you get home, and we’ll be gone by eight thirty. How does that sound?”
I wasn’t sure...
“It’ll be nice for him to see how accepted Jeremiah is in our family, don’t you think?”
“Well...” When she put it like that... “I guess.”
And Jeremiah will be glad he’s not there to witness it.
“Any dietary requirements?”
“Not that I know of. Mum,” I said. “He’s not the fancy type. Please don’t go all out to impress him.”
“I won’t.”
“I just don’t want him to think that we’re pretentious or that we think we’re too good for them. I don’t want Jeremiah’s dad to think—”
“Tully, stop stressing about it. I’m sure he’ll see you for who you are, and his only concern will be that you treat his son well. Which you do. That’s all any parent wants. He’ll be fine.”
Ellis chose that exact moment to walk into my office. “Oh look, it’s my second favourite nut sac.”
Mum sighed. “How could anyone ever think we’re pretentious?”
I snorted. “Ellis will be on his best behaviour, won’t you?”
“For dinner tonight?” He grinned. “Of course.”
Oh great.
“You know, maybe tonight’s not such a great idea—”
“I know when to behave myself, jeez,” he grumbled. “So how was Lightning McQueen this morning?”
I was gonna rebuke him, but honestly, what was the point?
