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"I do," I affirm, a subtle pride in my voice.
He smiles, an affectionate glint in his eyes. "Show me a picture of this girl."
From behind me, Ronan's excited voice filters in, eager to be part of the conversation. "Show you a picture of who?"
I can't seem to keep Ronan away from me. Despite being home for only a short time, he prefers to spend time with me over his mom. I can't help but wonder if something's up with his mother. She's a recovering addict who's been sober for as long as Ro and I have been friends. I make a mental note to check in with him about that.
"Dude, you were only home for like an hour. You said you were coming over later tonight," I tease him, masking my concern beneath playful banter.
My dad joins in the good-natured ribbing, saying, "I want you here, Ro. Don't worry about what grumpy pants is saying."
In response, Ronan throws himself into the seat on the other side of my dad and pulls him in for a rough, brotherly hug.
He whispers something to my dad, and it causes my dad to burst out laughing. His eyes cut to me, and he gently steers the conversation back on track. "Let's see a picture of this girl."
Ronan perks up with curiosity. "Sutton?"
"Yes," my dad confirms.
"Here, let me show you," Ronan offers, deftly working his phone before flipping it around so we can all see. The first picture displayed is of Sutton and me sitting on the couch, close together. I'm leaning in, saying something to her, and she looks up at me with the sweetest little smile.
I can't help but wonder when Ronan took that picture.
Before I can process Ronan's sneaky intentions, he swipes, revealing a picture of us at the charity skate. In this one, my arm is tucked around Sutton's waist, and I'm grinning down at her.
I startle and exclaim, "When did you take all of these?"
With a knowing smile, Ronan winks at me. "You know, here and there. I have to document your relationship so I can show your kids one day."
"You're certified, man. I might need to get a restraining order on you."
Ronan leans in closer, an impish glint in his eyes. "I'd find a way around it."
"Your obsession with me is borderline scary," I playfully retort.
I steal a glance at my dad, who's thoroughly entertained by our banter, his eyes alight with amusement. At least he finds joy in my struggles.
Dad interjects, his voice warm and approving, "She's very beautiful. You guys look in love in those pictures."
"They do!" Ronan chimes in, sharing the moment with a wide grin.
"Oh, fuck," I exclaim at the same time, realizing that Ronan's masterminded something.
Ronan continues, pinning me with a knowing stare, "I set this up. Your firstborn should be named after me."
I shake my head, feeling a wave of nausea, and mutter, "If you bring up me having a child one more time, I'm going to puke."
He rolls his eyes like I should've understood something deeper, saying, "Not now, you idiot."
Before the conversation can spiral into another sibling showdown, my dad intervenes. He gestures to the laptop sitting in front of him. "I have to finish fixing Sarah's computer. She's coming to pick it up first thing tomorrow morning. I need peace and quiet for the next hour, so you boys go upstairs until dinner is ready."
"You can't make us," I retort, a hint of my teenage self resurfacing.
My dad arches a brow and delivers the classic "look," prompting Ronan and me to bolt out of our seats and rush up the stairs. Once we're in the safety of my room, Ronan flops down on my bed and sighs, "Man, your dad's still got it."
"Fuck, I know," I agree, chuckling at our swift retreat.
We spend the rest of the evening playing video games until it's time to eat dinner. After the meal, we gather in the living room with my parents, engaging in casual conversation and playing a board game. The sense of togetherness warms the room.
