Page 46 of Make or Break

She shook her head. “I didn’t say anything. Though, Jen’s coming around to my way of thinking - this will solidify it.” She looked at me. “Jen’s my best friend, and I told her Sarah wasn’t worth his time because she was so oblivious to anyone but herself. She’d never have offered to help grab one of my bags.”

“But I didn’t get to take one of your bags.”

“But you offered,” Brandy retorted.

“This is what I didn’t want you to do,” Tundra groused.

Brandy looked at Tundra again. “What? Tell her that she’s better than Sarah? That’s not exactly high praise.” She turned to me. “Sorry, that’s about Sarah, not you.”

I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing - or admitting I’d figured that out months ago.

“Brandy, the less said about Sarah the better.”

She picked up Marjorie. “Fine. It’s great to meet you, Mickayla. I’d say I’ll see you in the morning, but with sick kiddos, I never know which end is up. I just know it’s gonna be a long night, and I don’t like spreading germs.”

“Another damn reason Seth should have let you three be in your own house,” Tundra said.

Brandy aimed an annoyed look at him, then looked at me. “My husband isn’t so bad. I shouldn’t have said what I did out there. I love him, he loves me and our kids, and he’s a great dad, but he’s stressed at work. The idea of losing health insurance for all four of us - even though we’re healthy - freaks him way the hell out. He doesn’t want to give anyone a reason to eliminate his position.”

I gave a single nod. “No need to explain.”

She returned my smile. “I see I worried about my little brother for nothing.”

I fought against my smile.

Marjorie twisted to look at me. Then she waved.

I woke before Tundra. Any other time, I’d have found a fun way to start the day with him, but getting settled in a new apartment meant a long day ahead.

I eased out of the bed, went to the bathroom, brushed my teeth, and managed to tip-toe out of the bedroom. We didn’t move to the other part of the house like he’d mentioned to his sister. As I carefully crept down to the first floor, I listened for anyone else being awake.

Something told me I was the only person up, and in the living room combo I found I was right. Tundra was a coffee person - but I didn’t see a coffee maker in the pristine kitchen. I opened the fridge and saw two bottles of cold brew coffee. Along the door, I saw he’d stocked a few Celsius energy drinks. I grabbed one, then hit the pantry for some pancake mix I’d seen last night.

I sipped my Celsius while opening cabinets looking for a mixing bowl. Once I found what I needed, I started mixing pancake batter. I debated putting chocolate chips in the pancakes, but that wouldn’t be good for a kid with stomach issues…then again, the pancakes might be a bad idea, too.

The stairs creaked and Brandy came into the kitchen. She had her hair piled up in a messy bun.

“Are you making pancakes?” she asked.

I turned my head to her. “Yeah, but I’m not sure if that’s a good idea now that I think about Matthew having stomach problems.”

She hit the fridge and pulled one of the bottles of cold brew out. “First off, Matty loves pancakes in a way that I fear the first woman who makes stellar pancakes will be his future wife. Second, even saltines weren’t staying down, and he didn’t want to eat another one.” She shrugged a shoulder. “Your pancakes could be just the thing.”

I bit my lip feeling awful for a little boy I hadn’t even spoken to yet. “Or I might be the reason he comes to despise pancakes for the rest of his life…that’s not making a very good first impression.”

Brandy let out a low laugh. “God, I love you so much more than Sarah, it’s not funny.”

Love? Tundra and I weren’t anywhere near the ‘L’ word, but his sister loved me? I forced myself not to dwell on that and went back to mixing the batter.

Brandy grabbed a spoon and stirred cream into her cold brew. “Where do you work?”

“On a Lark Bar and Grille. I doubt you’ve heard—”

Brandy leaned against the counter holding her glass. “The place my brother went to escape shrewish Sarah?”

This felt like navigating a field full of conversational landmines.

I arched a brow. “I’m not certain about that, but he came by the bar a few times.”