Page 53 of My Brother's Roommate (Frisky Business 2)
Landing on Connor’s contact, I shoot him a text.
What are you up to?
My phone buzzes right away with his reply.
Home inspection at the new place. Can’t wait for you to see it.
Can I come check it out?
Aren’t you working?
A groan pours out of me. I’m so not ready to have this conversation. He must sense that through some sibling ESP, because before I can respond, my phone buzzes again.
I’ll send you the address. See you soon.Never have I ever pictured my brother living in suburbia.
A penthouse apartment near the lake, maybe. I even could have envisioned him splitting his time between Chicago and a second home on a tropical island, at some point, if Frisky Business hit it really big. But a sensible brick house in Oak Park? I would have lost money on this bet.
As I pull into the driveway, admiring the trim landscaping and tall, shady pine trees lightly dusted with frost, there’s no question in my mind as to why he chose this place. With its warm gray-painted brick and sleek black shutters, it looks like a perfect little slice of the American dream. I can just picture Connor pushing a stroller down the hedge-lined walkway, toward a nearby park. It’s hard to believe that reality is only three short months away.
“Welcome to the new crib, sis!”
My brother appears in the doorway, beckoning me in with the sort of proud smile only a new homeowner and soon-to-be father could boast.
He has every right to be proud. He’s taken a less than-ideal-situation and spun it into gold.
I hurry up the stone walkway and join him inside, slipping out of my shoes and carefully pairing them at the door so as not to track anything onto the pristine hardwood floors.
“This place is gorgeous,” I murmur, tipping my head back to admire the vaulted ceilings in the entryway. “Thanks for letting me come see it.”
“Thanks for making the drive.” He pulls me in for a quick hug, then holds me at arm’s length, one brow slightly arched. “Are we going to talk about why you’re playing hooky from work?”
“Nope. Don’t want to talk about it.” I duck out of his grip, shaking my head.
Before Connor can argue, we’re interrupted by the sound of a faucet being flipped on and off again and again. I turn toward the kitchen, spotting a small gray-haired man with wire-frame glasses standing over the sink and scribbling onto a clipboard.
“That’s the inspector,” Connor says. “I basically just have to be here while he does his thing. C’mon, let me give you the grand tour.”
Bubbling with new homeowner pride, he leads me down the hall, pointing out the naturally lit dining room, then the cozy den complete with built-in bookshelves and a redbrick fireplace.
Even without furniture, this place feels so homey. I can clearly picture all of us gathering here for a baby shower, spoiling Connor with all the baby gates and board books he never thought he’d need. It’s a sweet thought that quickly sours when I remember that Wolfie would be among that group, standing across the room, probably acting like nothing ever happened between us. I shudder, brushing that haunting thought away.
Upstairs, my brother brags about his walk-in closet and the balcony off his bedroom, which overlooks a nearby forest preserve. I nod along with his ramblings, trying not to look distracted. This whole place would make any couple on one of those house-hunting shows drool, but I’m having trouble giving it all the excitement it deserves. My mind is anywhere but here.
“Over here, Penelope!” Connor shouts from the next room over. “This second bedroom is going to be the nursery.”
I follow his voice, stepping into a small ballet-slipper-colored bedroom. Connor is standing in the center of it, beaming.
“The previous owners had a baby girl too. How perfect is that? You’ll have to help me decorate, but I already have the crib picked out. You won’t believe how many mommy blogs I had to scour to find the one with the highest safety reviews.”
For the first time all day, I crack a genuine smile. The thought of my big brother being a mommy-blog reader is pure comedic gold. And the more he talks about his new reality, the steadier my grasp on it becomes.
“So, that concludes the tour. What do you think?” He spreads his arms wide, looking like the king of his new suburban castle. “I make moving to the suburbs look pretty damn good, huh?”
“Not good enough for me to join you,” I say, planting my hands firmly on my hips. “But you’re right. This place is incredible.”
Victorious, he pumps his fist in the air, a wicked grin breaking over his face. “Hell yeah. Can you repeat that to Wolfie for me? He gave me so much shit for moving out here.”
