Page 80 of Professional Consult

“Why do you look so much more enthusiastic when it’s my brother you’re sucking face with?”

“Jesus, Clint—stop being such a piece of shit,” Lexi snaps.

“What’d he mean by that?” I ask.

“Instead of being Clint’s work partner on the show, they made me his fiancé who dies in the first episode. And…”

“You kissed my brother?”

“Is that a problem?”

“It’s a little weird, but a small hurdle to overcome.”

Lexi exhales in relief.

“Wait, you only kissed him, right?”

“Not exactly.”

I blink back at her, realizing she’s not jesting.

“I also had to punch him.”

“And that’s it?”

“That’s it?” Clint says, rubbing his shoulder. “Your girlfriend has quite a cannon on her.”

My girlfriend. I have a girlfriend. And it’s Lexi—freaking—Dash.

Lexi smirks at Clint playfully, like they’re already siblings.

Which they will be as soon as I have a chance to go ring shopping.

“By the way, it’s good to see that Tiffany found an upgrade,” Lexi snarks.

“Well, I have to say my brother isn’t so lucky. He was much better off with his hand.”

“Seriously?” I glare at Clint. “I haven’t seen you in years and that’s one of the first things you say to me?”

He settles in across the table from Lexi and me, tenting his hands together.

“I guess there are other things I should say. Like thank you, and I’m sorry, and please don’t hate me.”

“You owe me none of that.”

“Bro, you really stepped up when…you know…our parents passed. You gave up a lot to raise me.”

“And I’d do it all over again.”

“I’m sorry we lost touch. That I never came around.”

“I can hardly blame you. I was a bear. I discouraged you from doing what you loved.”

“You were everything I needed, and I hope that in the future I get to make my appreciation more obvious.”

I run my hand down Lexi’s back, still trying to convince myself that she’s real and here.

“Whatever slight you feel you’ve enacted is completely forgiven. If anything, I owe you.” I look over at Lexi. “For bringing me her.”