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“Don’t bring me into this.”
“Don’t you da—"
Greer slaps a hand over her sister’s mouth. “Be honest. She’s a rat girl, isn’t she?”
Kira narrows her eyes, like she’s silently threatening me, and something about the comfort that’s growing between us has me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.
My eyes drop to my feet as I scratch the back of my head. “Maybe like…a really cute, dainty rat,” I mutter.
“Yes! See, I told you,” Greer says, punching the air in victory while Kira crosses her arms, pretending to look pissed. The glare she sends me has my heart skipping a beat.
I can’t help myself. I have a thing for feisty women. Now, I just need her to keep that energy after everyone leaves.
Greer’s celebration comes to a screeching halt when her phone lights up with a call. She bites her lip as her face drains of color. Holding her phone against her chest, she looks at Kira and says, “I need to take this.”
“The back door’s unlocked; you’re welcome to go inside,” I offer.
“It’ll just be a few minutes,” she says apologetically, already hopping up and heading toward the door.
Kira stares after her, a pained expression pulling at her brows. And if I didn’t already sense something going on between them, that look she’s wearing pretty much gives it away.
“What was that all about?” I ask, trying to seem nonchalant.
Kira takes a sip of her margarita, and I consider myself lucky that her inhibitions are lowered. Maybe I’ll get some truth out of her yet.
“Probably her lowlife ex canceling on the kids again, if I had to guess.”
“The soccer player?”
She cuts her eyes at me. “How’d you know that?”
“You mentioned someone you love had their heart broken by a soccer player.” I nod to the three of them playing across the grass. Matilda bites at the ball every time it even gets close to Evie.
“I connected the dots.”
That seems to appease her because she settles back in her seat and seems to relax a little more. “It’s not my business to share, but yeah. Their dad is a professional soccer player. He’s been in and out of the kids’ lives—mostly out—ever since Evie was born.” She blows out a huff and crosses her arms. “I swear if I ever find myself in the same room as him, I’m taking a swing. I don’t care how much more anger management bullshit I have to complete. It’d be fucking worth it…”
As if realizing a moment too late that she just overshared, she snaps her lips closed.
Anger management?
Well, that’s new.
I file it away to revisit later.
I scoot closer, taking over Greer’s seat. “Sounds like your sister’s lucky to have someone so protective of her.”
Her eyes drift down to her hands, where she fidgets with her margarita glass. “Yeah. Someone’s got to take care of her.” Her voice is quieter when she adds, “I’m sort of trying to save up enough money to buy her a bigger house. Something nice that she and the kids can grow into.”
“Is Greer aware of this?”
She shakes her head. “No, of course not. I don’t want to get her hopes up, considering how uncertain my career has become over the past few months…Especially with all the attorney fees Augustus keeps piling on with this revenge tour of his.”
That spineless prick. I fucking knew there was more to that story. As much as I’d love to push her for more details, for now, I’ll continue collecting the crumbs and piece things together on my own.
“Anything I can do to help?” I ask, even though I know she wouldn’t dream of taking me up on my offer.
She gives me a get-real look. “You’re already doing more than enough.”
