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“I’ll miss all these meals when our time together ends.”

“I hope our time doesn’t end at the edge of my desk,” I say. Apparently, my alcohol consumption has lowered my inhibitions. Brooklyn smiles without comment.

Jeremy springs from his seat.

“Where are you going?” my mother asks him.

“To mess up Auntie’s desk. There’s no way I’m taking a chance on missing more of Brooklyn’s cheesecake.”

Laughter fills the room. I manage to grin. Jeremy winks at me. He and I have always shared a close relationship. I forget sometimes that he is a man. He might love to tease me, but he would never make me uncomfortable knowingly. “Heaven forbid anything comes between you and Brooklyn’s cheesecake,” I say.

“No kidding. That stuff is like crack.”

Everyone laughs again.

“You heard it,” my mother tells Brooklyn. “You’d better be prepared for a lot of future invitations. This family is serious about its cake.”

“And its booze,” Janet says.

I’m surprised when my brother-in-law laughs. “Not much beats cake and booze.”

“Sex,” Ali says.

I choke on the sip of whiskey in my mouth.

“What?” Ali asks. “Everyone here has had sex, Carter.”

My nephew, Phillip, takes the opportunity to jab his brother. “Not Jeremy. Unless you count alone time.”

My mother throws her napkin at Phillip. “Leave your brother alone.”

“Yeah. Don’t talk about sex in front of Nana,” Jeremy says.

My mother is no wallflower. She looks at Jeremy seriously. “There’s a reason you’re here,” she tells him.

Janet laughs so hard she snorts. I continue to drink. I’m relieved to notice Brooklyn giggling. Now she knows there is as much chaos at a Riordan dinner as there could ever be on my desk. She casts a glance my way and I feel it in my belly. Once again, I’m thankful for whiskey.

***

“I’ll walk you out,” I tell Brooklyn. I’m determined to hide my disappointment that she’s leaving. I watch as my family says their goodbyes to Brooklyn. I shouldn’t be surprised that my mother envelops her in a hug. I wish I could hear what she is whispering into Brooklyn’s ear. I’m relieved when their embrace ends and we can head outside.

“Thanks for today,” Brooklyn says.

“Thank you for putting up with us.”

I wish I could make the walk to her car last another block—or three. I take the bag of leftovers I packed for her from her hands while she opens the car door. When she turns to me, my heart races. What am I doing?

Brooklyn searches my eyes for what seems like hours. “Your family is wonderful,” she tells me.

So are you. “They’re okay. I guess I’ll keep them.”

“I had a great time.”

I know better than to ask her to reconsider leaving. “Are you sure you’re okay to drive?” Jesus, Carter. She’s more than okay to drive. How lame can you be?

“I’m fine,” she promises. “I’m going to stay at my sister’s. I actually have some work to get done and having the whole house to myself will be nice.”

“Text me when you get there.”