Me: I made a friend, I think.
Rhett: Cats don’t count.
This time, I’m the one to send him middle finger emojis because cats absolutely do count.
Me: Her name is Casey. She seems nice.
Rhett: Did you tell her about me being the father?
I can sense the anxiety in his text. It’s a reminder that I’m his hidden secret that’s meant to stay hidden.
Me: No, Rhett. Your perfect life isn’t in jeopardy. No need to worry.
Rhett: You make me sound like such a dick. I’m not a dick.
Rogue rubs up against my leg and meows. I scoop him up and reply to Rhett.
Me: Give me some credit. I’m not out to ruin your life. None of this was because of some nefarious plan to get you.
That’s more my sister’s style.
Rhett: Fuck. I know. This is hard.
Me: We can screw up together. Poor Buck never stood a chance.
He leaves me a voice note, and I shiver at the sound of his deep timbre. “We are not calling him Buck, honey. Saying it a thousand times won’t make it stick.”
That sounds like a challenge, and I do love challenging the great Rhett Monahan.
Chapter 7
Rhett
“You haven’t kissed me in months, Rhett.”
I blink away my daze and stare at Angela. “What?”
“And like that? You’re always somewhere else.”
Panic fills my chest. “I have a lot on my plate with practice and games and school.”And spending every waking moment making sure your sister is taken care of.
“If I didn’t know you better, I’d say you were cheating on me.”
My tongue goes dry and I gape at her. “I’m not sleeping with anyone,” I blurt out, voice bordering on shrill. “Why would you say that?”
Not sleeping with anyone at the moment.
But you did before…
“You’re just so distant,” she mutters. “And here I thought all the secrecy was because you were going to propose. How wrong was I?”
“Propose?”
Her parents choose that exact moment to approach the table. Vivian squeals with excitement but David grunts.
“I know you’re not proposing to my daughter like that,” David says, voice tight. “My little girl deserves something farmore special than an offhanded comment at dinner. Plus, if you were to get a ring, I know you’d get it from me.”
Well, fuck.
