“Tony’s big sister told him about sex. Has she lied?”

“Baby, you and Tony are much too young for that.”

“For what?”

“To be talking about sex,” Madison supplied.

Jake frowned. “Is sex something bad?”

“No.” Madison turned into the street where the Archer was. “You just don’t talk about it in public. Especially not at school or at the dinner table.”

Her heart seemed to stop when she imagined Jake trying to talk about sex at the birthday party they were heading to. It definitely wouldn’t be the kind of surprise that Danielle’s mother would like for her birthday.

“Why not?”

“Some things you simply don’t do,” Madison said. “Like talking about your poop when eating.”

While Madison parked the car, nobody spoke. But when they had gotten out of the car and were walking toward the Archer, Jake asked, “So you both don’t have—”

“Jake,” Sherry groaned.

He lowered his gaze. “Sorry.”

Madison paused. “There are many ways to cuddle, right?”

Jake stopped and nodded.

“See. And your mom and I cuddle in a different way than what Tony has talked about.”

“But he hasn’t said anything about that. He said that’s the way it is.”

Sherry hunkered down to him and straightened his jacket. “Just because he knows a few things doesn’t mean he knows everything.”

Madison made sure nobody was paying them any attention before lowering herself to one knee in front of Jake too.

Jake bit his lower lip. Finally, he asked, “Is sex something icky? I mean, because you compared it with poop.”

Madison chuckled. “Maybe it wasn’t the best comparison. Sex… It’s just something for adults and something we don’t talk about in public.”

Jake looked at them both thoughtfully. “But why not?”

“Because it’s embarrassing for most people.” Sherry glanced longingly at the entrance.

“But why?”

She sighed. Her patience was running low, especially as the timing for this particular conversation was truly awful. “Jake, it’s good to ask questions. But sometimes you simply have to accept things how they are.”

“Like not talking about sex?”

“Exactly,” she and Madison said in unison.

It seemed to take forever, but eventually, Jake nodded.

She breathed out in relief. Hopefully, this embarrassing episode was now over.

Shortly after that, when Madison held open the door of the Archer, Sherry whispered, “Thank you. We’re a good team.”

Madison tipped an imaginary hat and bowed. “T’was a pleasure, ma’am. Always at your service.”

“Woah!” Jake’s eyes widened. “Is this all yours, Madison?”

“The Archer belongs to me and Danielle in equal parts,” Madison said. “Ah, there she is.” She took Sherry’s hand for everybody to see.

“Hey, guys!” Danielle skipped toward them with an almost empty cocktail glass in hand.

“Hi, Danielle,” Madison and Sherry said at the same time.

Danielle lowered herself to Jake’s height. “And you have to be sweet little Jake.”