I take a deep breath while smiling. “Where’s the rest of the family? It’s so quiet.”
“Henry and Dad set up an Easter egg hunt for the kids. I swear they forgot just how young everyone is because they hid those things like they were hiding them from adults. The kids are still searching,” Fiona says.
“Or”—Mom points her knife at Fiona—“they’re super smart, and they knew it would keep the kids occupied while I finished up the food.”
I nod, raising my eyebrows. “She’s got a point.”
Matthew walks in through the back door and barrels into the kitchen, already talking. “They’ve only found half the eggs. It’s a good thing Dad counted how many they hid.”
Mom puts down her knife that she was cutting some onions with. “They’d better not leave any in my yard. Those hard plastic shells will ruin my lawn mower. You know Daddy doesn’t pay attention when he’s doing yard work.”
“Don’t worry. Henry has a diagram with every place he hid an egg. The guy is anal retentive, even when it comes to a damn egg hunt,” he says, and we all laugh. Matthew walks over and gives me a hug. “Hey, little sis. How’s life?”
“Busy. Hopefully, the pace keeps up past the holiday. I’m trying to drum up Mother’s Day orders already.”
“Don’t overwhelm yourself just because you’re trying to get over that jerk off, Hardin,” Fiona drones.
“That guy was such a tool. Weak-ass arms too,” Matthew adds.
“He had a cute face, but the whole emo thing was lame,” Fiona says.
Mom interjects while stirring the caramelized onions, “Amy went on a great date with a lawyer.”
I don’t miss the way her tone inflects to a higher pitch at the end or how Matthew and Fiona stop and gape at me in surprise.
I pick up a grape from the plate sitting out with cheese and crackers and chew. When I don’t answer, my mom looks back to me, like she, too, is waiting for a reply. Mom sighs like she’s sad for me while Matthew and Fiona practically roll their eyes.
“He was great. It was going really well with the few dates we had. Until his ex-girlfriend called and told him she was pregnant,” I say matter-of-factly.
“That is so your luck,” Fiona says as she slaps her hand on the counter in amusement.
“Yep.” I pop another grape, not amused.
“Did he go back to her?” Mom asks.
“I don’t know. He said he wanted to be a dad and would support her—”
“As he should,” Matthew chimes in.
I nod in agreement. “They broke up a few months before because they didn’t really have that spark, and it was a mutual breakup, so I’m not sure what they’ll do.”
“You haven’t spoken to him since, right?” Matthew asks.
“I told him I wanted him to make up his mind about trying to be a family without having to worry about me.”
“Figures.” Matthew leans against the counter and crosses his arms. I look at him in challenge. He accepts and finishes his thought. “You always pick losers.”
“Do not!”
Fiona shrugs. “And you always want to run back to them, even when they screw up.”
“He didn’t really screw up. He got her pregnant before we met and is doing the right thing by her.”
“Ditch the dude, Amy.” Matthew kicks off the counter and holds his hands out in explanation. “Unless you want to be the next chick pregnant with some guy as your baby daddy. That’s how these guys operate. They just spread their seed all over Philly.”
I raise a hand for him to stop. “First, that’s disgusting, and second, he isn’t like that at all. He’s a decent man with a good heart.”
“Just calling it like I see it. You deserve better than these douchebags,” he states.
I drop my shoulders and then take his box of truffles from my bag and throw it at him, which he catches with one hand.
“Those are for you and your wife to share. Although I should just give them to her since she doesn’t give me a hard time about my love life.”
He walks over and kisses me on my cheek. “This is what big brothers are for. How are you not used to it by now?”
He walks through the back door, and I blow a vibrating breath through my lips.
“Maybe if you just let us set you up, you’d meet some nice guys,” Fiona says as she leans on the center island.
I can’t imagine the grief I’d get if a date of mine ran to my siblings and dished about all the reasons the date didn’t go well for them. And Lord knows, I’d never hear the end of it if it did go well and I just wasn’t interested.
“Thanks, but I’m good. And busy. I have a business to run. When my loan comes through, things are going to explode for me. You just watch,” I say with an upbeat smile because Amy Morgana Chocolatier is the love of my life right now. As sad as that might be.
“Suit yourself. Just remember, when you’re old and gray, those chocolates won’t love you back.” Fiona walks out of the kitchen and toward the bathroom.
I close my eyes and place my fingers along my temple.
Mom walks up and rubs my back. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. You’ll find a good guy one of these days.”
I smile even though it physically hurts to do so. Sebastian is a good guy, and now, he’s going to have a family with another woman and not me. I know it’s petty of me to be upset, but I’m still bitter.
“Maybe I’m just destined to be alone,” I say out loud and instantly regret it as I see the frown on my mom’s face.
The back door swings open and slams into the wall, causing us to look as Luke, Fiona’s son, comes bustling in. “Look what I got!” He holds up the basket that’s almost bigger than him.
“Let me see.” I rush around the counter and kneel down to his level. “Wow, good job, buddy. Which one’s your favorite?” I ask, checking them all out.
He places the basket down and grabs the bright blue one. “This one. It’s my favorite color.”
“Ooh,” I singsong. “I do like that one. What about this pink one? Can I have the pink one?”
He sighs, and his shoulders sag, so I pinch his little tummy.
“What’s that expression all about?”
“Mom keeps saying I have to learn to share. So”—he sighs overdramatically—“I guess you can have it.”
Mom and I laugh out loud.
“It’s okay, little man. You can keep it.” I kiss his tiny cheek, and he grins from ear to ear. “Here, I have something for your very admirable attempt at sharing.” I hand him his chocolate bar, and his eyes widen.
Fiona walks back into the kitchen, and Luke holds up his chocolate to show her and then his basket of eggs.
“You did good, Luke. What about your brother? Did you help him find any?”
“Yeah. He has a few in his basket.”
“Just a few?” Fiona asks with her hands on her hips.
He shrugs. “I don’t know. I was too focused on my stuff. I’ll go look.” He turns and races to the backyard with his basket in hand.
Fiona sighs as she stands. “I’d better go check to make sure. God forbid one gets more than the other.”