"We can get all that with the money we have!" Alex blinked. "Why do I feel the death stare?" he turned and gulped dropping Ross's hand turning stiff. Lori was glaring daggers at him.

"I would rather you not get all cozy with my sister in front of me." Lori reached over and pulled her sister to her. "This is mine."

Rosemary blinked rapidly as she was pulled between two people. "Um, excuse me but..." She pulled away from Lori. "I don't belong to anyone but me thank you very much. Neither of you can claim me."

"I didn't claim you." Alex put his hands up in surrender. "I would never claim you. You are your own person."

Lori pouted at Rose. "But your my little sister." she looked lonely. "Its so depressing that you have a boyfriend."

Naturally, Rosemary's defense crumbled at the sight of her sister looking so sad. "Oh Lori, that's not what I meant. You know I'll always be your little sister, no matter what happens. My having a boyfriend doesn't change that." She said, giving Lori a hug.

"I know but you aren't going to be hanging out with me as much. I guess I'll just do lots of baking to fill though void." Lori sighed hugging her back.

Alex almost said she could hang out with his brother but wisely held his tongue.

"I'll make sure to spread my time equally between you both. I promise." Rosemary said.

"Deal." Lori grinned. "You still have to be my lab experiment and eat everything I make." she nodded. "We can make Alex try it to."

"I'm scared." Alex swallowed.

"I would love to!" Rosemary said, looking like a kid in a candy shop. "Oh Alex you're going to love it! Lori is the absolute best!"

Alex smiled. "I'll take your word for it. Just remember you have to bite anything she hads me so she can't poison me."

Lori pouted. "You just ruin my evil plans."

Rosemary rolled her eyes. "Lori will not harm you in any way, because she knows I would never forgive her for it." She said pointedly, giving her sister an intense look.

Lori gave a put upon sigh. "Alright I won't poison him...at least not on purpose." she spotted one of her builders who grinned. "We got the stove in." he informed her. "Two more days and it will be done. You can start moving what you want into the kitchen." Lori perked up at once. "I'll need to sell a few things before I can buy anything more." she sighed.

"You can get everything moved in and make a few things to sell, at least. Anything else you need at this point can be bought after that." Rosemary said. "Or, if you need it now, I have plenty of tips from working the inn. You can pay me back later."

"No lets get some fruit and I'll bake a pie." Lori hurried over to the market buying the freshest apples she could find. "Come on!" she hurried to her place and got to work covering herself in flour by the time she had it in the over.

"She's covered." Alex snickered.

Rosemary chuckled. "She really gets into her work. In every possible way." She said, half amused and half admiring.

Lori glanced down at herself then laughed softly. "Whoops." she grinned. "I'm going to go change." she vanished into the other room reemerging in clean cloths. "It will be ready in an hour. What do you want to do till then?"

Rosemary shrugged. "I'd actually like to eat dinner. I haven't eaten since breakfast and my shift was brutal. I'm starving." She said.

Lori nodded and wiped up a stew for them. "Eat up...is your brother coming?"

"No idea." Alex shrugged. "Maybe not he is mad at you." he smirked at her chipmunk cheeks.

"It's his own fault." Lori huffed puffing out her cheeks more.

"Yes, it's entirely his fault that he fell in love with you." Rosemary said, a little sarcastically. "It is his fault that you rejected him, though. You're both stubborn as all hell."

Lori nodded. "Exactly. He shouldn't have fallen in love with me. He needs to find someone else."

Alex raised his eyebrow. "I can imagine how well my brother took that."

Rosemary facepalmed. "You. Cannot. Be. Serious." She groaned, sounding like she was in physical pain. "Lori I don't know if you've ever been in love, but you're smart enough to know that's not how it works!"

"Sure it does people fall out of love all the time." Lori pointed out with a shrug. "He can do the same." she put the stew on the table. "Dig in."

"You are...impossible." Alex groaned. "How did you put up with this all your life?" he asked Rose.

Rosemary shook her head. "Honestly? She's never been this bad before. Lori has always been the sensible one." She dropped her voice so her sister wouldn't hear. "It's because she's completely in denial. She's been through so much in just a few days, this is her way of coping. We just need to give her time." It was clear she felt guilty for dragging Lori into all of this.

"If you say so." Alex sat down to eat and blinked. "Please tell me your baking is beOW!" he gripped his shoulder which Lori had hit.

"Don't question my baking! My cooking is a little lacking but it will get better. My baking is perfect!" Lori glared at him.

Rosemary winced. "Please don't damage the goods." She said to Lori before turning to Alex. "Are you alright? I should have warned you. I'm sorry."

"Its alright. I deserved it." Alex chuckled. Then inhaled as Lori pulled the pie out of the oven. "Smells so good."

Lori brightened. "I know right? And this is only the first thing I can make." she grinned and handed out slices. Alex moaned in pleasure "hit me again for doubting."