“Yeah, I’m all right.”
She reached up as if to climb.
“Harlow, you really shouldn’t in your condition,” he said, climbing down.
His sister pouted, and he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in for a hug.
“Don’t go crying like that.You’ve got a baby to consider.”
She sighed and put her hand on her stomach.“Not long to go now.You know, I’m supposed to give birth around Christmas.”
“I know,” Big Dick said.“Hunter told us all more than once.”
“I bet that pleased you.”
“I don’t mind Hunter.He is a dick, but at least he takes care of you.”
Harlow smiled.“He does.”
“You don’t want to kick my ass right now?”
Harlow sighed.“I spoke to Carlos.”
“What is it with everyone speaking to Carlos?”
“You mean you haven’t?”Harlow asked.
“That’s not the point,” he said.
“So you have spoken to Carlos.”
“Yeah, I spoke to him.”
“And you don’t believe him?”Harlow asked.
“You’re asking a lot of questions.”
“You’re my big brother, and I hate to say this, but it seems you’ve got your head right up your ass about this.”
He sighed.“I’m not getting into this.”
“You’re in love with Larissa,” Harlow said.
Big Dick turned to look at his sister.He didn’t say a word.
“That’s okay.It can suck a little when you realize you’re in love with someone who might not love you back.”Harlow sighed.
“You’re not being very comforting right now.”Big Dick spotted a couple of old plastic chairs.They had once been white but were covered in a layer of dirt.He wiped off some old leaves and placed one for Harlow to sit.
“Thanks,” Harlow said.“You don’t need me to be comforting.That is not who you are, George.You need me to be real with you.”
He pulled up another chair and took a seat.Larissa was going to get as big as his sister one day.This pregnancy was scaring the crap out of him.Running a hand down his face, he couldn’t help but feel that pull of wanting his woman.Larissa was his, even if right now she didn’t know it yet.
“Here’s the thing, George, Larissa loves you.”
He turned his head to look at his sister.“No, she doesn’t.”
“Ugh, you men are a pain in the ass.Why do you think it hurts her so much?Why do you think she is cutting you out of her life, or attempting to?Because it hurts.She loves you, and regardless of the truth of that damn bet, it hurt her.Just like when Hunter broke up with me, it shattered me.I loved him so much, which is why it hurt.If I had absolutely no feelings for him, it wouldn’t have mattered.Think about it, she loves you, and she couldn’t even imagine you hurting her like that, so when it happened, she couldn’t handle it.”
