Bennett (On the Line 2)

“Brought Chinese. I heard you telling Sara you don’t have plans tonight, so I thought we’d hang out.”

“No. I can’t.”

Riley frowned. “Come on. I miss you. You’re my best friend, Charlotte.”

I was about to respond when Riley turned to someone who was approaching my front door. “Who are you?” he asked.

“Bennett Morse. Who are you?”

Bennett walked the last couple steps and I took him in. Jeans, a flannel, and the black leather jacket I remembered so well from our first night together. Instead of his usual easy smile, he had a serious look on his face.

“I’m Riley Beaumont. Charlotte’s, uh . . .”

“My ex-boyfriend,” I finished for him. I grabbed my purse and stepped out the door. “Riley, I appreciate the gesture, but I have plans.”

“Yeah,” he said, sounding defeated.

“Let’s go,” I said to Bennett.

I took his hand and tugged. He followed me, and I heard James say, “Dude, I like Chinese. Wanna watch Teen Titans with me?”

“Did he just drop by unannounced?” Bennett asked as we stopped next to his Jeep.

“Yes. We broke up . . . well, the night you and I . . .”

He smiled and opened the door to the Jeep. When I got in, I noticed his leather smell. A package of breath mints sat in the cup holder and a John Mayer song was playing.

“You look nice,” he said as he got in and closed his door.

“Thanks.”

“It’s good to see you,” he said, his gaze lingering on my face. “Is pizza okay for dinner?”

“I love pizza.”

He gave me a sheepish smile. “Liam’s gonna be at a sports bar tonight, so no worries we’ll run into him.”

I sighed softly. “My mom told him I’m pregnant. He tried to call me earlier but I missed him. I’ll call him tomorrow.”

“What’re you gonna tell him?” Bennett asked as he pulled away from the curb.

“Just that I’m pregnant and I don’t want to discuss anything more than that about it with him.”

“He’s gonna be pissed. Not that you’re pregnant, but that you won’t tell him who the father is.” Bennett had a crease of worry between his brows.

“I can handle my brother, don’t worry about me.”

“If you decide you’re ready to tell him, let me know.”

I smiled at him. “So you can request a trade to another team right before?”

“Nah. I know it’ll be a shitstorm, but Liam and I have fought before. I’ll survive. I get that you can’t keep this from your brother forever.”

Bennett had a sexy coating of stubble on his cheeks. I eyed him and wondered what it would feel like to run my fingers over his cheek.

“Where are you from?” I asked him.

“Orland Park. It’s a suburb of Chicago.”