T.J. shot her a sheepish grin, grabbed a plate and piled it high. He slid into the chair beside me that Hayden had just vacated, dragging her older brother, Jarrod, with her to play X-Box.
“What’s up, man?” he asked, clapping my shoulder as he dug in to his food.
“Nothin’ much, just working. Same old, same old. You?” I asked him in return.
“Same. Busy at the shop, especially with these two shirking their duties all the time,” he said jokingly, shaking a thumb at Luke and Brandon.
They both flipped him off, making everyone laugh again.
“So,” Chloe began. “T.J., have you heard about this new red-head that Calland’s got on the hook?”
T.J. turned his head to me. “Red-head?” His eyebrows raised appreciatively.
I sighed, but still nodded.
“Hot?” he asked.
I nodded again.
“Nice. Straight laced like the last little one you had? Or does this one have a personality?”
My sisters snorted and I glared at them, then shook my head at my mom as she tried to keep a straight face.
Leah answered. “Not straight laced, unless looks are deceiving. Tattooed and totally tempting, for sure. She’s gorgeous, and I honestly don’t know whether or not I even believe that he got anywhere with her. She had a hands-off sign blaring from every angle.”
Emma actually came to my defense. “No, I think he did get somewhere. And lemme tell ya, she’s got him rattled!”
That earned me a fist bump from T.J. and more razzing from my family.
Did I mention that I do love my family?
But, Jesus, do they drive me crazy!