Tammy gives me a sad smile. “You deserve happiness, sis.”
I turn to her. “So do you. Maybe it’s time you started dating again.”
She blurts out a laugh. “Can you imagine? The Davenports would have a field day with that. They already think I’m an unfit mother. If I started dating, they would make my life hell.”
I want to argue with her, to insist it isn’t fair, but deep down, I know she’s right. Eli’s grandparents would never accept another man in his life. They would try to take him from Tammy again, and there’s no way she would risk that.
I slip my arm through my sister’s and rest my head on her shoulder. “We’ll stay single together.”
“Grow old,” Tammy adds.
“With cats,” I say.
She laughs. “Neither of us even has a cat, and they’re not allowed in thebuilding.”
I shrug. “One day we’ll live somewhere that allows them, and we’ll have at least three.”
She leans into me. “Just because I have to stay single doesn’t mean you do.”
I shrug again. “It’s safer this way.”
Tammy is still beside me. I mean my heart, the way it stays intact when I keep my distance. For her, it means something else entirely. Something heavier. Something she barely escaped. “I love you, sis,” I whisper.
She sighs, and I can hear the contentment in her voice. “I love you, too.”
CHAPTER 8
MILLER
It’s like I’ve been in a fog.
I know my family is fed up with me. Hell, I’m over my attitude.
But I’ve never been in love before, and I had no idea it would hurt like this.
Lindsey wrecked me.
She won’t go out with me. She won’t let me explain. Hell, she wants nothing to do with me.
As if I could have the best night of my life and walk away.
My brother claps me on the shoulder. “What the fuck you frowning for, man? This is a party. Plus,Ozzy has the grumpiness on lockdown. We can’t deal with two grumpy asses.”
I blow out a breath and force a smile to my face. “I’m fine. I’m good.”
But I can tell that he doesn’t believe the lie. Guy just smirks. “Is this about that girl?”
My mouth drops, and I shake my head. None of my brothers believe me when I tell them Lindsey is the one. They think I’m full of crap and I’ll get over it, but I can’t see myself getting over her. Hell, not a second goes by that I’m not thinking about her.
“Her name is Lindsey.”
Guy shrugs. “Yeah, Lindsey. Is that what the frown is about?”
My shoulders tense.
Guy throws his hands up. “I don’t get it. You can have any woman you want, and you’re all knotted up over some pussy?—”
I grab him by the shirt collar and slam him against the wall. Guy gets paid to be in shape. Hell, he’s a fuckin’ legend in the world of baseball, and he works out every day, but right now I could take him. “She’s not just some pussy. We didn’t even have sex. I love her.”
