“Maybe.” I shrug as I reach for my water. “You’re insanely talented.”
Her cheeks redden just the slightest and she dips her chin. “Thank you. I guess you’re not too bad yourself. Even if your teammates can throw you around with too much ease.”
“You’re never going to let that go, are you?” I shake my head as a smile breaks free on my face.
“Nope,” she says with a popping sound. “So, Olivia is your niece?” She changes the subject, probably not wanting to reminisce on that night since it ended with her rejecting me.
“Yeah, she’s my sister’s daughter. I assume you’ve met either Camille or her husband, Ryker, at pick-up before.”
“I have, and they both seem very nice. Do you have more siblings?”
I’m slightly confused by her question. She’s the one who told me that night that she didn’t have time forthis, but I answer her question nonetheless. I’m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
“We have three brothers. Simon and Antoine are older than me, while Matheo is two years younger than me. Camille’s the youngest.”
“Wow, you have a big family. Do they all live in Michigan?” she asks as the complimentary focaccia and dipping oils are delivered to the table, and she immediately grabs a piece of the bread.
“No, it’s just Camille and me here. The rest of my family lives back home in Lorsica. My family sort of runs the country, but Camille and I moved here to pursue our own dreams. I don’t see the rest of my family often except for my younger brother Matheo on occasion.”
Talking to her is easy so far, and I find myselfwantingto tell her these things.
My family history isn’t a secret. The media in America just doesn’t care anymore about a guy who left his small island where the royal’s powers don’t extend beyond its borders, but it feels good to share nonetheless.
“Wait a second. Are you like…a runaway prince?” she asks, sounding baffled.
“I’m not technically on the run. They know where I am. Besides, it’s not like I have any affiliation with the royal family anymore,” I explain as I reach for a piece of bread, dip it into the oil, and take a bite. “They disowned me the moment I left the island.”
“Wow, and I thoughtmyfamily was complicated,” she blows out a breath just before taking her last bite of bread.
“What about your family? Might make me feel better about how complicated mine is,” I say, my tone light as I try to keep up with the easygoing vibe we have going on.
Teagan shifts in her seat and clears her throat. “My dad ran away when he found out about me and my mom went off traveling the world. I think I’ve seen her a total of five times since I was seven. My grandparents raised me and my brother, but they passed away three years ago. So now it’s just me and him and well, you actually know him,” she says casually, as if the revelation is completely normal.
Before I get to ask how I would know her brother, our waiter returns with our dishes. While he places our plates in front of us, I rattle my brain to figure out who the hell her brother is.
I can’t think of anyone I know with her last name. Besides, I spend most of my time with the team, so I would have made a connection after looking her up.
“Who’s your brother?” I ask when the waiter leaves the room.
She’s taking a bite of her food, and when she swallows, she nervously glances up at me and says, “Ian Kelly.”
My fork slips between my fingers, the clattering sound as it hits my plate ringing in my ears.
Ian Kelly is her brother.
The guy on my team who I can’t stand. The guy vying for my spot.
The guy whose sister is pregnant.
Chapter 14
Teagan
Quentin’s face pales, and it’s honestly the reaction I expected.
Ian has mentioned his distaste for him since he traded teams, having gone on about their rivalry so many times that I eventually tuned it out.
“I know Ian can be hard to…understand. He keeps to himself and isn’t very friendly. So don’t worry, I won’t fault you if you hate my brother.” I chuckle, trying to lighten the sudden tense mood.
