Page 19 of Proof

“No! I mean, not yet. I haven’t gotten past the ‘I love you’ thing. Baby steps, baby sister.”

“If you make it too romantic, she may think it’s a proposal.”

Cullen nodded. “Huh.” His dilemma had now worsened.

“When were you planning on doing this?”

“Friday. I figure if it doesn’t go well, I can drown my sorrows with Chris on Saturday.”

“But the four of us are supposed to get together after the car show.”

“Right. Well, if it doesn’t go well, I don’t think Chi-Chi will want to get together, do you?”

“What about Sunday brunch? Or a picnic?”

“I’d have to close the showroom, and Chi-Chi would have to get someone to run her shop.”

“I could keep an eye out on the showroom. I’m sure Chi-Chi could get one of the pages to mind her store.”

“Won’t it seem strange if I ask her to take a day off? You know how she is about that.”

“True. Okay, so what about Sunday dinner? After the center closes?”

Cullen finally smiled and kissed Luna on the top of her head for the second time that day. “You’re a genius.”

Luna touched her head again. “Dinner is not genius, but if you think so, then yes, I am brilliant.”

“Don’t push it, missy.” He walked into the large storage closet where he kept shipping materials and then reappeared with a large brown box. “Here. Get busy.”

Luna plucked the box from his hands and began to open the drawers of her dresser. She giggled at the memorabilia again. “The Backstreet Boys. They’re back!” She giggled again. “In a Downy Fresh commercial.”

“You can probably sell that CD on eBay,” Cullen joked.

Luna clutched it to her chest. “Never!” She smiled as she began to place the books and other items into the brown box. “Oh, look at this!” She waved a Yankees’ World Series Championship baseball cap at her brother. “Now this is something I would never sell.”

“You are such a goofball,” Cullen teased. “Yes, I know. You won it in a bet. You predicted the Yankees would win, and I said it was going to be the Mets.” He grunted. “Like either of us really cared.”

“It was the fun of winning bets with you.” Luna grinned.

“Yeah. Tons of fun.” He looked at her. “I think you have an unfair competitive advantage.”

“What do you mean?” She looked up from the souvenirs of her past.

He made little circles next to his temple with his forefinger.

She slapped him on the leg. “Ha, ha. ‘Kooky’ is not a synonym for crazy.”

“Well, you’re half right,” he teased her again.

“So, Mr. Romance, what are you going to do about dinner with Chi-Chi?”

“What if I just invite her over for dinner and a movie?”

“That sounds harmless.”

“I’ll tell her I would like to hang out with her. Alone.” He stuck his chin out. “For a change.”

“I’d be insulted by that remark, but you have a point.” Luna opened the next drawer. She paused and giggled.

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