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“Nah, we’re a big, happy family.”
“Liar.”
I tap my fingers against the steering wheel. “We’re a big dysfunctional family trying to make everything work. One more person isn’t going to make it harder. If anything, it’ll be easier. It’s more even this way because right now it’s Sadie and Mom with Dunc, Dad, Cooper, and then me. Think of this as like, I don’t know, a women’s rights thing.”
“You’re saying that evening out the genders in your house is a contribution toward advancing feminism?”
“Yeah, and you don’t even have to burn your bras. See how awesome I am for suggesting this?”
“I really don’t think that’s how it works, but I can’t think of a way to argue myself out of this because it’s just so ludicrous.”
“You’re very sexy when you use those newspaper editor words.” She smiles over at me. “We’re home, and we need to make it through the Fischl gauntlet. She will want to know everything about you, including your underwear size. I’m guessing it’s a medium but she’s not going to want to hear it from me.” I park the car.
“How do you know my underwear size?”
“I’ve spent a good amount of time staring at your sweet ass.” I wink and then hop out, allowing her to choke on her embarrassment in private. Red and I are going to have a lot of fun tonight.
Chapter
Fifteen
FLEUR
“Fleur, right?” Of course, Van’s mom is in the kitchen when he drags me into his house. I don’t even get a chance to give him more reasons why we shouldn't be doing this.
“Yeah, I guess we didn’t exchange names at the game.” I’d been too busy trying to get the hell out of there. “Sorry.”
“Nothing to be sorry about. I’m Fischl.” I take her hand. She gives me the sweetest smile, putting me at ease. “You were at the birthday party.”
“Yes, ma’am. I left after the punch bowl incident.” That had been talked about for a week around school. Rose is still pissed.
“Do we have to bring that up again?” Van groans.
“Bring what up? That you spilled punch on a girl, and then you and your brother started fighting?” I give him a well-deserved dig.
“He’s not my brother,” Van mutters under his breath. I don’t miss the flash of sadness in his mom’s eyes. Seeing her puts a lot of it into perspective.
“If you and your brother could learn to get along, you wouldn’t have to face punishment for your crimes.” Fischl pats Van on the head as if he’s five.
“Punishment?” It’s hard to think of anyone punishing those two. They look like grown men. I have to know this story. Van must see it in my expression because he gives me what I want without having to ask for once.
“We had to clean the toilets for two weeks.”
“Two weeks? That’s it?” I squawk. Then I cringe, realizing it probably sounds like I’m challenging his mom’s parenting. “No offense,” I hastily add.
Fischl laughs and waves her hand. “No offense taken. There are a lot of toilets here, and I made them clean them every other day. Trust me, by the end of the two weeks, they were best friends.”
“That’s taking it a little far, Mom. I’d say we have settled into a non-physical ceasefire.”
“You two seemed chummy tonight,” I chime in.
“Really?” Fischl’s eyes light up. Van’s nose flares. I have to fight not to laugh.
“When he’s not being a dick.” Van shrugs. Fischl rolls her eyes.
I get the feeling that it's more Van taking jabs at Dunc. Dunc does whatever he can to make Sadie happy. If Van would take a second, maybe he could have the kind of family the rest of us dream about.
“Is Sadie here?” I asked, trying to steer the conversation in a different direction.
