“Good. Because I need this break, and I’m actually enjoying the work.”

“It’s still therapy, Xavier, no matter how hard you pretend you’re taking a break from your day job.” Auggie shook her head. “Denial. The first step to accepting your faults.”

“That’s one of the first stages of grief, actually, so—”

“Like I care. We already have one shrink in the family. We don’t need me telling people how to think too.”

“That’s not what I do. I—”

“Don’t care.” She grinned. “I always thought you drew better than you spoke. Stick to cartoons, Bro, and we’ll all be better for it.”

“Stop or my head will explode from all the compliments.” He ignored his sister’s laughter. “Order us an extra-large pie. One half extra cheese and—”

“—the other all the toppings. I got it.”

Xavier grabbed them some beer while Auggie called in their order. In the other room, on a drawing desk, sat his current project. A cartoon to go with the advice column he’d been working on. It was silly, he knew, but he got a kick out of drawing out snippets of relationship dramas and problems.

Ever since Aunt Truth had decided to take him on as a silent partner, he’d been answering the advice column for Searching the Needle Weekly, a free weekly paper and streaming channel that had just sold Aunt Truth to an affiliate for some serious money. Now he had more work with better pay. Nothing close to his previous salary as an LMFT—Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist—but he didn’t need the money. His father’s life insurance and investments had helped the entire family avoid deep debt for the rest of their lives.

He brought the beers to the table and watched Auggie surf through channels. They settled on a reality medical program.

She grimaced. “Ew. How the hell do you get a bike chain stuck in your thigh?’

They both cringed as the doctors proceeded to remove said chain, but they didn’t look away. Fascinated by other people’s messes, Xavier thought with humor.

An hour later, as they nibbled on pizza while watching a true crime show, Auggie said, “I know a guy I can set Mom up with. He’s nice and built like a brick.”

“Uh, I don’t know that she’s into beefy guys.”

Auggie frowned. “What’s wrong with working out?”

“Nothing. But Mom’s a little more cerebral.”

“Stereotype much?” Auggie huffed. “You know, we’re not all meatheads.”

“I know that. But I’ve also met a lot of your friends. Exactly which one do you think’s good enough for Mom?”

She opened her mouth and closed it. “Okay, so not Josh. Or Abe. But a few other names come to mind. I’ll feel them out first though.”

“Fine. I’ll do the same. I have a few guys from work that might fit. Problem is, few of them know how to leave their therapist hats at the office.”

Auggie arched a brow. “Isn’t that what Christine said about you?”

“Yeah.” He sighed. “But she was just annoying.” He chuckled at Auggie’s exaggerated nod. “Hold on. I’ll get some paper and a pen so we can make a list.”