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“I don’t think it’s possible for you to get fat,” Bella said. “I want curves like you. How come I don’t have them?”

Colson put his hands to his ears. “I don’t want to hear this conversation. Let’s change it to something that won’t make me cringe.”

“Me getting boobs shouldn’t make you cringe,” Bella said sweetly.

“Ugh,” he said. “I need a beer. My one and only for the day.”

He moved past her into the kitchen.

“It’s so much fun making him squirm,” Bella said.

Ah, she knew it. Bella did it on purpose.

And she was positive that Colson was aware and let it play out just like that.

For a guy who said he never planned much in his life, he was doing a damn good job of things now, on the fly and when he was preparing for them.

“How is school going?” Jane asked.

“Good. My grades are all good. I mean, not like top of the class, but I’m in the eighties.”

“Which is good,” Jane said. “Colson, when he applied himself, he did better. Sometimes he was more about having fun.”

“Is that true, Marly?”

“Your brother did like to be the life of the party back then. He was pretty popular. Guess he just has that charismatic personality.”

“Jesus,” he said, coming into the living room, sipping his beer. “You make me sound like a politician. I’m not running for office.”

“You’d make a good mayor,” Bella said.

“No,” he said, shaking his head. “Never. Not even close.”

He shivered and she laughed.

This was the boy she remembered.

The one who was free with his antics.

Somewhere between teenage drama, returning birth mothers, and stressful jobs, he’d dropped that guard of his again.

She wasn’t sure if he was aware of it, but she’d make sure he was.

“I was thinking about trying out for basketball,” Bella said. “Can I?”

“Sure,” he said. “We’ll get it worked out. I didn’t know you liked it.”

“I play with Tiff at her house.”

“You should have said something. I can get a hoop in the driveway.”

Bella shrugged. “I didn’t think I’d be good but kind of am. Tiff plays and I’m better than her. I signed up for it and it starts next week. Tryouts.”

“Then we’ll make sure you’re ready. Maybe we can go to the gym and practice some this weekend.”

“I’ve got a court at my condo,” Marly said. “We can do a little practice there.”

“Really?” Bella asked, her eyes comically wide.