“Yeah, well . . . that’s different.”
I sputtered in bewilderment. “How?”
“Because you’re you. And my little sister. And I’m still capable of beating the shit out of anyone I don’t think is good enough for you.”
My brother was absolutely ridiculous.
“Oh, stop that,” Mom scolded. “Your sister isn’t a little kid anymore, Zach. She’s a grown woman.”
As if this whole evening couldn’t possibly get more uncomfortable, we were now discussing one of the very excuses Raylan used to shoot me down. I would have given anything right then for a hole to open in the floor beneath me so I didn’thave to suffer through one more second of the world’s most awkward family dinner.
Raylan chose that exact moment to lift his arm and drape it over the back of my chair. The move appeared so casual I would have thought he did it without realizing. If I hadn’t felt my chair give a slight jolt as he used his grip to pull me back toward him.
I scanned the table to make sure no one noticed. Luckily it seemed that everyone had broken off into their own conversations.
I leaned toward him and lowered my voice to a whisper, hissing, “What the hell are you doing?”
Those silvery-blue eyes of his met mine, and I struggled to stay afloat. I couldn’t afford to keep drowning in that gaze.
His features were awash with innocence that I knew was a lie. “I didn’t do anything.” He was messing with me again. Pushing my buttons. I knew then that I was going to be up half the night plotting ways to get back at him.
I narrowed my eyes, glaring at his stupid, smirking face as I tried to think up some cutting remark when I was interrupted by Zach clearing his throat loudly and obnoxiously in an effort to get everyone’s attention.
I turned my focus back to him, noticing the look of sheer joy that swept across his expression as he smiled down at Rae.
“Rae and I have some news,” he started, his smile stretching wide. I’d only seen him look this happy twice before. The first time was when he proposed and Rae said yes, and the second was the moment the officiant pronounced them husband and wife.
“Oh my god.” Mom gasped, dropping her fork with a clatter and slapping her hands over her mouth as her eyes welled up. “You’re pregnant, aren’t you?”
Rae let out a giddy giggle and nodded her head. “Yes.”
“We’re having a baby!” Zach crowed proudly.
The entire table erupted at that. Chairs scraped across the floor as people pushed up. My mom rushed around the table and scooped Rae into a tight hug as my father did the same to Zach. The sounds of celebration filled the air but as it came at me, it was muffled, like my head was stuck under water.
That pang from earlier returned, making my chest tight as envy sank its claws deep and tried hard to take root.
“Lenni.” I blinked, Raylan’s rough, low voice in my ear pulling me back from the ledge. I pulled in a breath and met his gaze, surprised to see concern swimming in his eyes. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” I said quietly. I shook my head, ridding it of the last of that ugly jealousy that had tried getting the best of me. “Yeah. I’m okay,” I repeated, the words coming out stronger as the happiness and joy of the moment finally penetrated. “I’m great,” I said loudly as I rose from my chair and rounded the table. “I’m going to be an aunt!” I cried, practically shoving my mom out of the way in order to get to my sister-in-law.
It took me a second to get back to myself and remember that all I wanted for the people I loved most in the world was for them to be happy. It was clear from the looks on their faces that this baby was going to bring so much joy to my brother and Rae, and that was all that mattered.
“You’re going to be the bestaunt in the whole world,” Rae said into my ear as she returned my tight embrace.
Her voice held a watery quality, and when I pulled back, I found her eyes swimming with happy tears. The sight of them brought on my own.
“I really am, aren’t I?” I joked on a sniffle. Both of us started giggling. “I’m going to spoil that kid rotten.”
“Ah, hell.” Zach grumped, but there was no real annoyance in his tone as he pulled me to him. “I swear to God, if you teach ourkid to do even half the shit you did when you were younger, I’ll shave your head in your sleep.”
I pulled back and scowled, but it lacked any anger. “I wasn’t that bad.”
A shotgun blast of laughter erupted from my mom. “Not that bad? Are you forgetting about the time you tried sneaking out your bedroom window to attend that party I said you couldn’t go to?”
“That wasonetime,” I defended.
Mom’s eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms. “Yeah, because you got stuck halfway down and had to yell for me and your dad to pull you back in.”
