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And why they didn’t stay together.

But neither was like that now.

They placed their orders quickly, then the girls dove right in. “Do you wear shorts and tank tops and have your hair be messy at home or are you always so put together like you are today?” Tiff asked. “My mother, she doesn’t do much on the weekends and groans if she has to wear anything more than shorts or sweats.”

He turned, the smirk on his face matching hers. “Welcome to what it’s like having a teen around.”

“It’s fine. Funny, but fine. And yes, in my own house, I’m not the same person. I don’t put makeup on, my hair is up, my clothes... sometimes they don’t even match.”

“I’d like to see that. I’m sure your idea of not matching and mine are completely different,” he said.

She pulled her phone out, scrolled through and found a picture. “Last month. Regan stopped over unexpectedly with Zola and this is what I had on. She sent me the picture. Because you know, that is what sisters-in-law do. They like to embarrass you.”

He reached for her phone and saw her on the couch, her hair in a messy pile on top of her head, glasses on her face that he hadn’t even known she wore. Must have contacts in. Her shirt was pink and yellow and her shorts were gray, her feet bare.

But the smile on her face as she held the baby said it all to him.

If she hadn’t pointed out her clothing, he wouldn’t have seen anything other than the tender loving look in her eyes.

“I know Regan,” Bella said. “Colson told me it’s your sister-in-law. Can I see Zola?”

“If you don’t think it’s right you don’t have to,” he said. He didn’t know if Regan would want her clients to see pictures of her child. For the same reason he didn’t have any pictures of family on his desk at work or on him.

“It’s fine,” she said. “Regan is fully aware of everything and we’ve talked.”

He passed Marly’s phone to Bella. Maybe his sister needed to see that Marly could be down to earth also.

“She’s so cute,” Bella said.

“She doesn’t have much hair,” Tiff said. “Without the big bow on her head, I’d think it was a boy in her jeans and green shirt.”

“There were flowers on the front of the shirt, but yes, Zola doesn’t have a lot of hair.”

“Where did they get the name Zola from?” Tiff said. “I’ve never heard it, but it’s cool.”

“It’s the twenty questions club,” he said. “This is your initiation.”

“You know I love to pass those things. My brother’s name is Zander. Regan wanted a name that started with Z and they couldn’t really find one they liked. Zander liked Lola and that is where Zola came from.”

“What’s her middle name?”

“Zola Marie,” she said.

“Do you want kids?” Bella asked.

“And it’s time to change the conversation,” he said.

Not because he didn’t want to know the answer, but that was just getting a little too deep for his sister to ask.

Or what he felt his sister needed to know.

“It’s fine,” Marly said. “I would like kids someday. Just need to find the right guy to have them with.”

“Let’s look at that video you posted,” he said, pulling his phone out and changing the conversation.

Tiff had her phone on the table. When it vibrated she turned it over. “My parents are home,” Tiff said. “I asked if Bella could spend the night and they said if it’s okay with you when you drop me off.”

“Can I, Colson? Then maybe next weekend Tiff can stay at our place?”