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“Hungry Dude!”

Dani and Violet came into the kitchen, laughing.

“You got him?” Dani asked.

“Oh, yeah. We’re going to go stuff our faces with watermelon, hot dogs, and potato chips.” Best gave Dani a soft look before stepping back outside and shutting the door.

“God, I love that man,” Dani sighed.

“Yeah, I never thought I’d see Tyler Best holding a kid.” Violet walked over to the fridge, bumping Bryce with her hip. “Stop hogging the beer, wench.”

“How’s your little sister doing in college?” Bryce asked, no reaction to being called a wench.

“You mean besides dating her TA and driving me crazy? She’s acing her classes. Coming home in the middle of June for a week, but apparently she is going to get an apartment off campus with some friend she met.” Violet sounded more like an exasperated parent than a big sister.

Hannah smiled, although she felt a little awkward, since she didn’t know any of them well.

“So, Hannah, tell us about how things are going with Blake,” Bryce said.

Violet nodded next to her. “Yeah. Has he said the L word yet?”

Hannah’s heart sank a bit. The love thing was definitely a sore spot, mostly because she was so sure he did, but he never said it. He’d tell her he missed her, that he loved all of these things about her, but never just a simple I love you.

“No, he hasn’t yet.”

Awkward silence stretched over the little group until Dani piped up.

“Well, he’s probably just waiting for the right time. All the guys have been talking about how much he’s changed since you two started dating.”

“Absolutely!” Violet agreed, sticking her head back into the fridge. “Is anyone else starving?”

Hannah wasn’t really, not with her stomach turning at every new smell. “No, I’m okay.”

“Holy crap, have you seen these pickles?”

Violet pulled out a jar of jumbo pickles and popped the lid.

“I used to love these things. Hannah, if your boyfriend asks, Casey ate them.”

“You got it,” Hannah said.

The smell of the spicy dill was the catalyst, and she gagged. Racing down the hallway, she slammed the door and barely made it to the toilet before the contents of her meager breakfast erupted into the bowl.

A few minutes later, someone knocked softly on the door.

“Hannah, it’s Dani. Can I come in?”

Hannah wiped her mouth with toilet paper and flushed the toilet with shaky hands. “Um, sure.”

Dani slipped inside, and after staring at her for a few seconds, searched through the cupboards. She pulled out a wet washcloth, and a white packet fell to the floor.

“Whoops.”

Hannah reached over and picked it up, turning it over to read the name and address. “Why would this be under there?”

Dani put the wet washcloth on her forehead with a shake of her head. “I don’t know, but this should help. I was sensitive to heat and smells when I was pregnant with Noah.”

Hannah didn’t even try to deny it. “Do Bryce and Violet know?”