Lennix’s head whipped in my direction, the confusion on her face as obvious as the humor on Hardin’s. “That’s really not necessary,” she argued, “I can pay?—”
“I have no doubt you can. But I want to help. I mean, we found the little guy together, right?” A lightbulb went off in my head just then. “That means he’sbothour responsibility.” I didn’t know if this was a genius idea or pure insanity, either way,I was in. I was grasping at straws, but she didn’t need to know that.
Hardin added to the conversation. “Does that mean you’ll be helping her with the bottle feeding?”
I narrowed my eyes on my so-called friend as he rocked back on his heels, smiling from ear to ear. The shithead was all too happy with himself for throwing me under that particular bus.
“Of course,” I gritted out, my teeth clenched so tight it was a wonder I didn’t crack a molar.
“Fantastic,” he said. “I’ll write up a feeding schedule to make things easier.”
“You’re too sweet,” Lennix said, her words stretching on a sudden yawn.
“Yep. Just the sweetest,” I deadpanned before schooling my features and turning to Lennix, passing her my keys. “You’re beat. Why don’t you go wait in the truck while I settle up here. I’ll be right out.”
Her hesitant gaze bounced back and forth between me and the key ring dangling from my index finger before she finally reached out to take it. “Yeah, okay. Thanks.”
My eyes tracked her as she moved through the waiting room toward the door, waiting until it closed behind her before turning back to Hardin and punching him in the arm as hard as I could.
“Jesus Christ!” he grunted, rubbing his arm as he scowled at me. “The hell was that for?”
“Oh, you know.”
One brow arched, his expression turning smug. “I’m sure I don’t.”
“Bullshit,” I snapped. “You were flirting with Lennix like you wanted to make her your next meal, you son of a bitch. She off limits.”
Both brows winged up then as a blast of shocked laughter shot from his chest. “One, I wasn’t flirting with her. I was fucking with you. Two, I’ve got two decades on her, for Christ's sake, and I’m not really up for robbing that cradle. And three, not that it matters because I don’t see her that way, but I’m aware she’s off limits. The question is, areyou?”
I crossed my arms over my chest and glowered, choosing to ignore the sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means you’re playin’ with fire. But I have a feelin’ you’re already aware of that.”
“I’m not?—”
He held his hand up to silence the lie I was about to spit out. “Spare me, okay? Most days you’re better at hiding it. Today was not one of those days, buddy.” He planted his hands on his hips, his expression growing solemn. “Look, I get it. She’s sweet and beautiful, and she’s got one of the best heart’s out there. I can’t fault you—” He cut himself off to laugh when a growl worked its way up my throat. “Relax, man. She’s like a sister to me. Which leads me to my main point. She issomeone’ssister.”
“I know that,” I snapped defensively.
“Hey, all I’m sayin’ is you need to think long and hard about what you’re willin’ to risk before you go there. Just know I’ll have your back either way, man.”
I blew out a heavy sigh and scrubbed a hand down my face. As much as I appreciated his support, it didn’t matter. “Thanks, but there’s no need to have my back. Nothing’s ever gonna happen.”
The look he shot me screamed“Bitch, please.”
“I’m serious. Look, I might have…feelings, but they don’t matter. I’d never do that to Zach.” That was the type of bro code a man did not fuck with. “Besides, I’m not built for the kind of shit a woman like Lennix deserves.”
The truth of that statement twisted my stomach into knots.
“Anyway,” I pushed on before he could say anything. Desperate for a change of subject, I reached around and removed my wallet from my back pocket. “How much do I owe you.”
The number he gave me made my jaw drop.
“The hell? You were gonna let Lennix off free of charge.”
He lifted his shoulder in a carefree shrug. “Yeah, well, you’re nowhere near as pretty as she is.”
Fucker.
