“I do too.Probably a little more than you.Or like,a lotmore.”
His lips twitch.“I would hope so.I never thought I’d see you settle down.I thought you’d fight it until you were in a nursing home, and then you’d only give it a try because it’s the only thing left that you haven’t done.”
I nod in agreement because he isn’t far off.The other me, the one who sought out excitement, would have done that.This me only wants Summer.
“Be honest, how many of you bet it would just be a fling?”I question because I’ve been dying to know.
“We made bets before you were official.Wyatt and the twins were the only ones who said she wouldn’t give you the time of day,” he admits.“Eli, Luke and Isaac all gave various dates of when you’d have your one-night stand.Paisley wouldn’t get involved because she wants you to be happy, but Landon said he gives you a month before you fucked it up.”
“Prick!”I hiss.
“Evie and Becca said the tension would turn into a relationship.Lily said you two will be happy, so we didn’t count hers since she never gave a timeline or state if you’d be happy together.Granddad said she’ll be carrying your baby in a few years, but to be fair, he made his bet after the night you took her there for a date—which by the way, surprised everyone since we had bets on where you’d take her.”
I roll my eyes because I know about that one.The only reason I didn’t get payback is because I won three hundred quid since none of them guessed right.The rules are, if you aren’t close, the person you’re betting on, gets the money or the one who makes the bet.“And you and Mum?”I ask, paying more attention to this answer.
“Pretty sure Mum has a joint burial plot picked out for the both of you.That’s how long she sees you two together.”
I arch an eyebrow.“Seriously?Dead?Nice.”
He chuckles.“Think she saw it as forever.She even made sure you’d have space for your kids.”
Morbid.Still, I have to question, “How could she have known?”
His lips pull out in a smirk as he shrugs.“It’s Mum.She has a second sense, I swear.She made her bet the day Liam’s house exploded.Said she just knew.”
“And you?”I ask, my stomach twisting.
He grins now.“Brother, I knew the moment you drove her and Milly back to their farm.”
“No, you didn’t,” I argue, but inside, my heart is racing.Because he believed I could have this.He believed I was good enough for someone.
“Yeah, I did.You want to know why?”
“Yeah.”No.Maybe.
“Because you fight with Hayden like she’s a relative you want to rage bait into losing their cool.Summer, you bantered back and forth with because it was foreplay to you.”
I nod.“She liked the tit for tat.”
He scrunches his nose up.“Andyou came back home.Any other girl, you would have flirted your way into her knickers.”
“You clearly don’t know Summer.It took more than flirting,” I tell him.
He chuckles.“Obviously.There’s a reason you are an item and not fuck buddies.”
His phone blares at the same time mine vibrates in my back pocket.I pull it out, seeing Isaac’s name flash on the screen.
“It’s Isaac,” I announce.
“It’s Liam,” he breathes, quickly answering his call.
I step away to answer Isaac.“Yo,” I greet.
“You need to get to Tom’s house.We think he’s here.”
“Who?”I ask as my heart begins to race.
“Black.”
