Her Silent Revenge novel Chapter 20

"Oh, you know I can't stay away for too long. There's no turning down good company and days that are a few degrees warmer." She looks around the room appreciatively. "Plus, your mom knows how to keep a house to die for."

"Well, perhaps I can keep a house, but if I so much as touch an indoor plant, it dies." Mom smiles and glances around fondly now that the party's here. She leads us into the dining room without even asking.

"Just wait until you try the cheesecake I made for dessert," Juniper whispers to me as we head to the table. "Get this—churro cinnamon, slathered in caramel. Dex will keel right over if a single crumb touches him."

That wins her a smile. My brother's nonexistent sweet tooth might've softened since he shacked up with her, but he'll always be a health freak at heart.

She's made him a better man, aside from the sweets. No question.

I'm also impressed with how easily she's made herself one of us, faster than I could've imagined. They've only been married a little over a year, but now I can barely remember a time when she wasn't at these dinners.

"Is that the secret to married life?" I ask. "Tormenting your spouse?" "Only if your partner's worth tormenting," she throws back.

"Noted. I'll keep that in mind," I lie, knowing full well I'll be dead before I ever put a ring on any chick.

She slips her arm through mine and smiles. "Careful, Pat. Don't say something like that with your mom around, or she'll think you're wife hunting… So, are you?"

"Hunting? Do I need to mark myself with fake piss to lure in a mate?"

"Patton!" Her voice is scandalized, but I know it takes more than that to shock Juniper. There's laughter in her eyes.

"Charming my wife again, idiot?" Dexter asks, slapping my arm. She slaps his harder.

"Don't take the bait," she whispers.

"When I'm so good at it? Let him live and learn," I say.

"Don't be a prick, Pat. It isn't always easy keeping the peace, and your mom's friend is here." Juniper doesn't miss a beat. That's why we like her.

"Is there any universe where you guys don't almost come to blows?" Archer glares at us.

"A miracle?" I wait for her to laugh, but she doesn't.

That's what I get for being the single one, I guess. Flat jokes and a heap of fucking work waiting back at the office.

Dexter used to be the family workhorse, but ever since his wedding day, he decided Romeo time was more important and work should take a back seat to his personal life. Fine, but someone has to pick up the slack. And since Archer has Colt and it's a second job being a dad, now that workhorse is me.

"You must tell me more about the business." Evelyn fixes her shiny brown eyes on Archer. "Your expansions, your success, it's all very impressive. Especially for someone with an interest in real estate. I'm just fascinated."

She has an interest in property? That's news to me.

I glance at Mom, but she's discussing comics with Colt. Or rather, he's educating her about the comics he prefers and why. Mother looks lost when the kid starts talking about anime. I don't think she ever broadened her horizons past the household name superheroes and cartoons from the 1960s. Thankfully, Archer steps up and gives Evelyn a few details about our current projects. I add a little about The Cardinal and what we're hoping to make it.

"Wow." She frowns like she's struggling to understand the concept, but that's nothing new. I've found that the older the person, the less comfortable they are with today's vacation rentals, even though the market keeps changing rapidly to embrace fresh concepts. "So you acquire properties you lease out as hotels?"