“Maybe that’s why he is so grumpy all the time.” Harper walks toward us, happy to join in on the conversation now.

“Nah, he was this serious since the day he was born. Apparently, he perfected the frown so well, he never bothered to learn to smile.”

“Flynn, be nice to your brother.” Felisha smacks him on the shoulder as she also joins us at the couches, and she places a cheese platter down on the coffee table.

“Ughhh, you sound like my mother, Felisha,” he says as he ruffles my hair as he sits next to me, which he knows drives me crazy.

I’m sure he makes it his life mission to annoy the hell out of me, and I’m just lucky that since Felisha has come on to the scene that it isn’t quite as bad, because finally at the age of forty, my brother is starting to grow up slightly. I wouldn’t say entirely, but he’s getting better. Probably because he is too busy with his attention on his fiancée and not on everyone else.

“Gross, don’t look at your girlfriend as being like your mother.” Tori giggles as she finishes what I assume is her first glass of champagne.

“Not like that, please don’t even put that vision in my head.” To which everyone starts laughing as Rem, Elouise, and Cherie all walk into the apartment.

“Sorry we’re late, just sorting out the babysitter, and Rem of course was stuck in his office sorting something out,” Elouise casually says, and all three of us men turn our heads straight toward him to check if it’s something we need to know about.

“Not work-related, farm-related, so cool your jets, men,” Rem says, and I feel my body relax again, or at least as much as it ever does with both Harper and Cherie in the room.

Flynn has already jumped up and is opening another bottle of beer for Rem and calling to Elouise and Cherie. “Drinks, ladies?” He holds up the beer and the bottle of champagne that’s open. “And there is also red or white wine, and if you want something stronger, of course, that’s on the menu too.”

“Oh goodness, if I start on something stronger, I’ll either be asleep or passed out by dinner. Just some bubbly is fine for me, thanks.” Elouise walks toward him, and Cherie follows her.

“Beer actually sounds perfect.” Cherie takes the already open one from his hand and leaves him to open another one for Rem.

“Hey, you stole my beer,” Rem calls to her from where he is standing behind the couch, watching.

“You snooze you lose, my friend.” Everybody laughs.

Nic tops Tori’s glass up so everyone has a drink in their hands.

“Cheers to friends and life getting less chaotic.” Flynn raises his beer, and we all start clinking drinks together.