Chapter 9
LUKE
So, my sister is having a baby, and Asher is losing his shit. No, the two things have nothing to do with each other, but there’s a lot going on at this party.
I already knew about Missy being pregnant. She and my sister have been trying for a while, and when they told me it’s happening last week, I couldn’t have been more excited for them.
It was still really cool to hear them say it again—and for all of Oakley’s Crew to hear. I knew Oakley would be thrilled, and I have no doubt that my little niece or nephew will be spoiled as hell.
As for Asher . . . He’s got it bad. I’m sure everyone already knows that though—well, except maybe Jackson. And Asher too, for that matter . . .
They both need to pull their heads out of their asses and just be together already. Everything else will work out just fine. God, I wish I’d have taken my own advice, but I didn’t.
And now the love of my life is happily married to someone else and has moved to Chicago to live with his new husband and their two perfect little Yorkies. They even dressed them up in sweaters for the holiday season. Stalking them on Instagram? No. Not me.
My sister sidles up to me and wraps her arm around my shoulder. “Hey, little brother. What are you doing over here all alone?”
I chuckle, letting her joy soak into my soul. Sarah’s always been a happy person, she can’t help it. She sees the good in the world—when I tend to fall on the more realistic side. She’d say I’m cynical, but I think I’m right.
“I’m just watching the show,” I say, nodding over to where Gabe is trying to sober up Asher.
My sister’s frown lasts only for a brief moment before she quickly fixes it into a smile. “He’ll be okay.”
“Sure,” I say, taking a sip of my whiskey on the rocks.
“You don’t think they will be?” she asks me, her big blue eyes wide and hopeful like she’s willing me to be a romantic too. Spoiler alert—I’m not. Realistic, remember? And romance is for movies and books, not real life.
“I don’t know, Sarah. I think they need to get out of their own way first, and that doesn’t really happen with Jackson or Asher.”
She frowns again. The frown almost reaches her eyes this time before she forces it back into a smile.
“I think they will.” Her eyes flicker with something, and oh no—I know that look.
I’m already shaking my head before she starts to talk again.
“Speaking of getting out of your own way . . . I know you’re lonely. Let me set you up.”
And here we go. Sarah is a fixer. She wants to fix this. But I’m not broken. I was in love once, and we couldn’t make it work. And now, I just know I’m better off single. No big deal.
Except she has to make it into a big deal any time we’re around each other. “Sarah—”
She holds up one of her small hands and gives me the sternest look she can muster. “No. Don’t shut me down so fast. I know you don’t want to be set up—”
“I don’t,” I quickly interrupt. “I really, really don’t.”
“I know that.” She doesn’t miss a beat. “But I know you better than anyone else in the world knows you, and I know you want a family.”
“I have a family.” I look around at the crowded home and smile. Not only do I have Missy and Sarah and soon a baby to spoil, I also have Oakley’s Crew. They’re always there for me. What else can a guy need?
“You bounce from one meaningless hookup to the next.”
“Judgy?” I ask, quirking my brow.
“No. That’s fine for anyone who wants it.”
“But not your little brother,” I counter.
“If I thought you were happy, I wouldn’t say a word. But I see the way you look at the couples around here. I know you were in love with Cameron.” I flinch at the mention of my ex’s name. “Sorry,” she quietly apologizes, and I hate that she picked up on the pain I still feel.
It’s been two years. Why the hell can’t I just get over him already?
“It’s fine. He’s moved on, and so have I.”
“But have you?”
“I have,” I try to confirm so she’ll leave me alone about it. I know she cares about me, but I can’t keep doing this with her. “I’m fine.”
“Maybe you and Cam could . . .”
“No.” I hold up one hand to hopefully stop the trajectory of that sentence. “He’s married. Married, Sarah. He’s moved on.”
She shrugs. “Marriage isn’t always permanent. You can’t tell me he really loves his fancy husband all that much. I mean, he’s from the city.” She makes a fake gagging noise, and damn it, I laugh. I can’t help it.
“Really? You love love, and you love marriage, and now you’re like, well, maybe those two won’t get their happily ever after?”
She just shrugs. “I don’t trust that hoity-toity city boy.”
I snort. Cam was on Oakley’s Crew. We met right after high school when we both joined the crew and had an instant connection. We were inseparable, but we fought. A lot. We were young and stupid.
Hot-headed.
And it became too much. We broke up and got back together over and over. It was toxic as fuck. And during one of our breaks, Cameron met Michael, who had a huge fancy house but wanted a pool put in.
The rest is history.
As are we.
“Cameron does,” I say, my heart aching, thinking about his post I saw this morning. Michael and him, sitting in their living room with a huge tree all decorated with their dogs. All of them in matching sweaters.
It’s so not him.
He’s as country as they come.
Who is he trying to impress?
“Hey.” I look over at Sarah, realizing I’ve zoned out a little. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”
I know she feels guilty, and I can’t have that. “It’s okay. I know your nosiness just means you care,” I tease.
She shoves me playfully, but I pull her into a hug and kiss the top of her head. “I just love you, you jackass. I don’t want you to be lonely.”
“I’m really not. I’m happy. I’m happy for Missy and you, and I cannot wait to meet this kid.”
She’s beaming now, looking over at the love of her life, who’s talking to Oakley and Travis about baby names, I suspect. Oakley is, of course, pushing for the name Oakley. I grin and turn back to Sarah. “I can’t wait to meet them either. I guess that’s why I want to see you settled.”
I laugh but not cruelly. “It’s hilarious you think if I’m with someone, you won’t worry anymore.”
“Shut up.” She chuckles, and I squeeze her a little tighter in a side hug. I know she worries. She always has. It’s been like that since we were kids.
Our parents were fine but always working and usually working opposite shifts, so we mostly just saw one at a time, and they were exhausted when we did get to see them.
Sarah was my rock. She was the one who made sure I woke up on time and got to school.
She was the one making sure I had a hot meal here and there.
But she can’t fix this for me.
No one can.