“I’m not thrilled about it,” I say. “But Lo seems bound and determined to learn the hard way.”
“You do know they were already a thing by the time we went out, right?” he asks with a smirk.
“Yeah, unless you’re trying to tell me the twins are yours,” I reply sarcastically. But we’ve both seen Loren’s conception date in her chart before, and as far as I know, Rowan’s chances of biologically fathering a baby are impossible.
He rolls his eyes. “I mean he actually crashed our date. I don’t know whether it was planned, but Blake was at the restaurant where we were having dinner.”
I huff. “Of course he was.”
“He came over to our table to stake his claim, and Loren’s whole demeanor changed the second she saw him, even though she tried to pretend like she was upset about it. But they couldn’t take their eyes off one another for the rest of the night. It wasn’t surprising when she ended the evening with an awkward hug and an apology for realizing too late that a two-hour commute ‘just wouldn’t be fair to either of us.’ Then I drove home assuming she’d turned right around and went back into that restaurant to meet him,” he explains, smiling wistfully.
“Is this supposed to make me feel better about you not giving me a head’s up when you caught my baby sister screwing around with the same condescending asshole who once slept his way through an entire sorority?”
“Your sister is a thirty-one-year-old woman, Landry,” he reminds me. “And, yeah, I realized he wasthatBlake Bourgeois after he introduced himself, but it wasn’t my business to tell Loren who she should date. And it was never your right or responsibility, either.”
“That’s not how I’ve always seen it,” I mutter under my breath.
“Is that why you tried to set us up for so many years?” he asks after a while. “You figured you were better off with the evil you knew?”
“You’re both nerdy. I honestly thought you’d be a perfect match. And yeah, if she’s dead set on getting married and having babies, I’d rather see her end up with someone more like you.” I sigh again and add the last part quietly. “I also know how much you want to get married and have a family.”
He leans over and shoves my shoulder playfully. “There he is, there’s Doctor Reed.” I furrow my brow. “Sometimes Landry can be abrasive, even though he means well. But Doc Reed is just a big teddy bear, and you know it.”
My lips twitch as I fight the smile threatening to overtake my face. “I take back all that mushy shit I just said. No wonder my sister wasn’t into you.”
He laughs again. “So, speaking of bro codes and all, when were you going to tell me?”
Panic hits me again before I remember he’s only talking about Daisy and me moving in together, and I force an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, man. There was a mix up with Loren’s house, and Daisy insisted I take the spare bedroom—just until I find something else,” I fib. That’s technically how it started, anyway.
“Really? And you listened?” His eyebrows shoot up in surprise.
“Only as a favor to you,” I add quickly. “I mean, I know the two of you have always been close and figured you’d appreciate someone looking after Daisy on your behalf.”
“Hmm,” he hums. “I guess that meansmybaby sister’s living with Dr. Reed and not Lando?”
I nod, but I can’t tell whether he’s really buying my story. “I’m trying my best to be nice. And you have my word—nothing’s going to happen.”
Nothing that can’t be undone with an annulment, anyway.
“Oh, I don’t doubt that,” he says, looking more amused than anything. Frankly, I’m a little offended by the implication that he doesn’t seem to think I’m as worthy of his little sister as I thought he was of mine. “I assumed she’d wrangled you into this from the start and that you’d only said yes so you could have someone to take care of. You know, now that your mom’s doing well on her own and Loren doesn’t need you as much.”
I scoff. “Tell me how you really feel, bruh.”
“Why not? You never spare the rest of us,” he retorts, and it’s one of the only times he’s ever been this short with me.
“Sorry,” I say quietly. “No one hates the garbage that comes out of my mouth more than I do.”
“I know, man.” His expression softens again. “But you can’t blame me for worrying about how your disposition might affect Daisy, even if I know you have the best intentions most of the time.”
I nod again. “I’m working on it.”But I’m failing miserably.
“Let her help you,” he says plainly.
“What?” I rear my head.
“It’s like when you tried to set me up with Loren. You just wanted to see me happy, right? I know you care about me, even if you can’t bring yourself to say it out loud. And this is me telling you that I care about you, too, and that you deserve to be happy.”
I cock an eyebrow. “I don’t understand what this has to do with Daisy and me living together.”
