Page 290 of Silver Sweet

The one I was adamantly against when we met. I wince. “I don’t hate it?—”

“No, youloveit.” He’s found the only humble pie here and smashed it in my face.

“I am now open to a four-on-the-floor,” I say with my arms spread. “Very open, very compromising.”

He walks right into my arms, just to cup my face. “Great, we can test it out tomorrow. I have an idea.”

“And I have a drum kit being sent to my room.”

“What—the fuck.” He jolts and flinches as my sister pops out from behind him.

“What’s a four-on-the-floor?” she inquires, like she didn’t just give Phoenix a heart attack.

“Don’t kill my boyfriend,” I warn her. “And it’s a drumbeat, Audrey Virginia.”

“Fascinating,” she notes. Her eyes twinkle deviously, then she skips over to her stack of books she’s shelving.

Phoenix whispers to me, “She’s trouble, isn’t she?”

“Dude, she was taught by the best.” I motion between me and Eliot. “She’s basically our protégé.”

“Protégé of what?” he teases.

I shove his face playfully.

He takes the opportunity to wrap me in a hug and kiss my neck. Letting me go too fast, but I will entice him back. I’ve proven very good at this.

Charlie, Beckett, and Ben arrive with more carts filled with Audrey’s belongings, and we all help her unload her things while Eliot assists in sorting her novels. I see him feeling the embossed titles, but Audrey doesn’t notice he can’t read them.

Eliot slips me a conspiratorial glance. The two of us agreed dividing and conquering is what’s best for our younger siblings at this precious point in their lives.

It’s the first time Eliot and I aren’t living together, but he’s not far. Being next-door neighbors sounds like a new circle of mayhem.

We exchange rising grins.