Relatable.
“Why didn’t you tell him who you are?” Zander asks her.
“Wasn’t relevant,” I say. “She needed a place to stay. Jessica needed a keeper.”
“And people treat you differently when they find out Roland Keating is your stepfather,” Ziggy says. “I don’t tell anyone if I don’t have to.”
“So you two are…” Porter says, letting the rest of the sentence hang in the air.
“Trying to not get me fired,” I finish.
Ziggy winces.
“So that’s how brunch went?” I ask her.
“My mom might come around.” She looks down at Jessica and adds, “In another year or two.”
My teammates all share a look.
They don’t need more context.
Even the slower ones.
“Fuck this,” Crew says. “You treating her right?”
“It’s the captain, you dipshit,” Porter says. “He treats everyone right. Of course he’s treating her right. Probably better than right. You think a single woman choosing to have a baby on her own’s gonna tolerate being treated like anything less than a queen? Not a fucking chance.”
“She treating you right?” Silas asks me.
Fletcher hits him in the face with a pillow. “Don’t talk about your sister’s friends like that.”
Silas pushes the pillow away. “Since when are they friends?”
“Since high school.”
“Goldie doesn’t see anyone from high school anymore.”
“That’s because Ziggy lived overseas after she graduated culinary school. Who knows your sister better? I know your sister better.”
“Why do we invite both of them to stuff like this?” Tatum says to Zander.
“Because when we say things likeknock it off and focus, you assholes, they’re the ones with the time and resources to make shit happen,” Zander replies.
“Dammit.”
“Agreed.”
Tatum looks at me. “How can we help?”
“Help what?” Ziggy says.
“Help convince Roland that you two should get to date.”
She blinks at him.
See? Told you, Caden whispers while another knot deep in my stomach loosens.
Might be one in my heart area relaxing too.
