The guy threw it at him.
“So, you’re Sebastian,” he said.
Seething, Seb punched his arms through the sleeves. “This isn’t what it looks like.”
“I know exactly what it looks like. Where’s my wife?”
Helen appeared at the door, a baby bundled in her arms.
What the actual hell? Looshewas ababy!
“I really don’t know what kinda shit is going on here, but I’m out!” Probation was one thing, but this? “Your wife has gone too far.”
The guy blinked several times, then looked at Helen. “Did you think—”
“That we—”
“Aw, spew!” They said together, squealing like children.
The guy took the baby from Helen’s arms. “Mate, she isn’t my … oh, my god, I can’t even say it.” He made a gagging sound. “I can barely put up with her as a sister. She’d drive me insane as a …ewwww.”
“Thanks a lot.” Helen folded her arms, then nodded in Seb’s direction. “See what I mean about him being uptight?”
“Dearest sister, if you were my girlfriend, I’d be off the uptight scale.” Helen’s brother expertly shifted the baby into the crook of his left arm and stuck out his right hand. “I’m Tom. I’ve heard a lot about you, but I take it you’ve heard nothing about me.”
“No.” Pulse steadying, Seb shook Tom’s hand. “Helen didn’t mention she has a brother.”
“To be fair, you didn’t ask,” Helen said.
Seb rubbed at his stiff neck. Helen had crashed into his life out of nowhere, so yeah, there were questions he hadn’t asked—mainly because he’d dreaded the answers.
The house filled with the unmistakable wheezing of Helen’s toilet flushing.
“Now, here’s my wife.” Tom’s face lit up as a plump, dark-haired woman with rounded cheeks entered. “This is Emma. Em, meet Sebastian, Helen’s new boyfriend.”
The woman grinned, flicking an eager gaze at Helen. “Nice to meet you, Sebastian. I did wonder what was going on when I saw you sprawled out on the sofa.”
Sprawled out … in boxers. Awesome.Seb found a smile and shook her hand. “It’s very nice to meet you, too.”
“I’m sorry Harry woke you. The little ratbag escaped me.”
“Harry and Lucy areourchildren,” Tom added as Emma took the baby from his arms.
Seb felt like an idiot. More so when everyone just stood there, staring at him. Even the baby had hushed. “Well, this is …”
Whatever the hell it was. In his usual world, Seb would have no problem saying something—anything—to fill the silence, but now? His brain hurt, his body ached from a night on the sofa, and with the calamities of yesterday beating for attention in his head, he couldn’t muster the energy to act like anyone’s boyfriend, let alone Helen’s. There seriously wasn’t enough flowery bullshit in the world right now to make anyone believe he was in love with her.
Or her with him if the look she’d just given him was anything to go by.
“I suppose I should make some tea,” Helen said, glancing away from her sister-in-law whose facial muscles seemed to be working overtime keeping a grin in check. “But, Sebastian, I bet you’d prefer coffee, freshly ground, filtered, and percolated.”
“Out of a jar would be perfect, thanks,” he replied.
“I’ll help,” Emma said, disappearing into the kitchen after Helen.
Seconds later, whispers and squeals were shut down with sharp hisses and gasps. The world’s worst attempt ever at a covert conversation.
Tom pinched the bridge of his nose. “So … you’re dating my sister.”
