counter for Daisy to lock away in the cabinets for the next morning, then walked over to their table and slid into the chair beside Reuben. He had a dusting of flour across his cheek. Honey was tempted not to point it out. She still hadn’t forgiven him for dumping his latest girlfriend the week before. She’d rather liked Becca, who’d put up admirably with Koru’s commitment phobia for six months before tentatively suggesting they move in together. He broke up with her the next day. Honey despaired of him ever settling down.
“Happy birthday,” Dex said.
“Oh, is it your birthday?” Reuben looked surprised.
Koru nodded. “Yep. Twenty-eight today.”
“Old man,” Dex said.
“I’m the same age as you now,” Koru pointed out.
“Yeah, well. I’m old too. We’re like the two old guys from the Muppets.”
Koru grinned, stole half of the cream cheese and spinach muffin Dex hadn’t yet touched and shoved it in his mouth in one go, obviously thinking his birthday status gave him the right to commit savoury snack larceny. “What’s up?”
Dex gestured at Reuben with his pen. “He wants to know who the seventh sister is. I was about to tell him number seven is the prettiest of the lot.”
Honey giggled. Koru snorted and gave a baffled Reuben a wry look. “He’s talking about me.”
“You’re the seventh sister?” Reuben asked.
“Well, the seventh sibling, yes. They always joke I’m the seventh sister though.”
“I thought they were all named after flowers,” Reuben said.
“A koru is a curled up silver fern,” her brother pointed out, exchanging a glance with Dex. She knew what he was thinking. What does Daisy see in this idiot? With a mother who—although she’d spent most of her life living in England—had been half Maori, it was important to all the Summer siblings to have an understanding of Maori culture. The thought of Daisy dating someone who was so obviously ignorant of some of the most basic Maori references made even Honey’s hackles rise, and she didn’t bristle very often.
“It’s a weird name,” Reuben said.
Dex grinned. “He’s just relieved they didn’t call him Narcissus.”
The three men laughed and Honey smiled as she placed another layer of filo pastry on top of the buttered one. As usual, Koru had dissipated the tension. He was good for Dex, and she was glad they got on so well. Although he hid it admirably, she knew Dex’s nerves about the wedding were growing exponentially as they approached the big day, but Koru would keep him grounded.
Hopefully. She was not going to think about the alternative.
Her brother looked across at her then. “Have you asked him yet?”
“No…” She bit her lip to hide a smile as she placed a spoonful of the apple and apricot mixture she’d prepared earlier in the centre of the filo square and folded it into a neat triangle, repeating with the other squares. She glanced up briefly at her fiancé. “I know you’ve ordered your suit, but Daisy and I were looking at pictures of a medieval-style wedding. She thinks you ought to go dressed as Henry the Eighth.”
“I am not wearing a pair of tights to the wedding.” Dex dropped his gaze to the crossword.
“Why not?” she pressed, enjoying teasing him for once. “You’ve got great legs. Tights would show them off nicely.”
Daisy lifted her gaze from the coffee machine and shot her sister an amused warning look. “Honey, don’t tease the man. He’s grumpy because he’s had to work on a Sunday. The last thing he needs is you chewing off his ear.”
“I’m not grumpy.” Dex filled in an answer to one of the clues. “I just object to wearing women’s underwear.” He glanced up at Honey. “Unless it’s yours.”
Reuben raised an eyebrow. Koru burst out laughing. Honey’s cheeks grew warm as Dex’s lips curved. Damn the man. He knew talking about anything remotely sexy would shut her up. Would she continue to get embarrassed when they started sleeping together? When she knew his body as well as her own?
The thought of finally seeing him naked made her all tingly, and she placed the filo parcels in the fridge before beckoning a finger at him. “Dexter Concannon, come with me.”
“Now you’ve done it.” Koru leaned over and pinched the other half of his muffin. “No male has any say in the Summer wedding plans. You should know that by now. You’re in big trouble.”
Dex sighed, put down his pen and paper and picked up his hat. Honey took his hand and led him through the café to