Page 55 of The Broken Heart Playlist
We follow her inside, the smell of rosemary drifting down the hallway from the kitchen. Monopoly is already set up on the dining room table. Good. I appreciate efficiency.
In the kitchen, Aaron is stationed in front of the coffee machine. After greeting us, he asks, “Latte?”
“Yes, please.”
“No Gideon tagging along tonight?”
Tess answers for me. “We don’t want to scare the man away.”
I look at her thoughtfully. Now there’s an idea. I should have invited him. Why didn’t I think of that?
“Don’t even think about it,” Tess warns, reading my mind. “He has to be dating you for at least six months and be fully invested before he’s ready to face a game night.”
I glance pointedly at my watch. “You’re slipping, sister dear. It took you at least five minutes before bringing up me dating Gideon.”
She leans an elbow on the kitchen counter and rests her chin in her palm. “So, has he asked you out on a date yet?”
“Yes.”
“What?” She straightens. “Why am I only hearing about this now? And why aren’t we celebrating?”
“I said no.”
Her head jerks toward me. “WHAT?”
I feel myself getting defensive. “I’m not sure we suit each other. We’re complete opposites.”
“Which is why the two of you are perfect together! He’s all about looking in the sky for rainbows, while you’re visualizing giant mushroom clouds.” She beams at me. “You balance each other out.”
“That’s not how it works.”
“It works that way for Aaron and me.”
I open my mouth, then close it. She has a valid point. Aaron and Tess are opposites in nearly every way, yet madly in love.
It’s time to cut off all the roads her mind is trying to take. “Stop going on about dating Gideon.”
“So naive, thinking you can tell me what to do.”
“Tess!” I bark, using the same tone Mom employs on us.
She jumps a little. “Okay! Jeez.”
I conceal my smile.
“Mom, are you going on a date with Gideon?” Lisset asks me, her eyes wide and curious.
“No, I am not,” I tell her firmly. “It’s all in your aunt’s primitive imagination.”
“It’s okay if you like Gideon,” Lisset tells me. “He’s nice.”
I press the fingers of my one hand to my forehead. We haven’t started the game yet and already I feel a headache coming on.
Aaron must feel the same, because he looks longingly down the hallway to where his study is located. “You know, I do have some work to catch up on.”
Tess looks alarmed. “You’re not trying to avoid playing, are you?”
“Uh, no?” He swallows. “No.”
