I'm Not Your Enemy (Enemies 2)

“Why can’t I have a beer?” she demanded. Not sitting down…because that would’ve been too easy. “It’s tradition.”

Was she honestly asking me that?

I folded my arms over my chest and stared her down. “Don’t make me say it.”

That did something. Even as she jutted out her chin stubbornly, her gaze flickered with uncertainty and a silent oh shit.

“Momma, are you keeping secrets?” Teddy asked, munching on a strip of bacon.

Soph swallowed hard. “I can’t be,” she whispered to me in a pleading tone.

I grasped her shoulders and bent down to her level. “Can’t you, though?”

I got a glare for that. But she knew I was right. She couldn’t deny it any longer; she had to pick up a test on the way home later to confirm what she already knew deep down. Deep, deep down.

It was a done deal. I was gonna treat myself to a breakfast game trifecta of coffee, beer, and juice. The pregnant lady and the kid would have to settle for juice.

Our hearts were fucking racing when the second quarter finally ended, and the whole bar breathed a collective sigh of relief. Or disappointment for the Tech fans who’d just witnessed their team missing a field goal.

“That was too close.” I finished my beer and contemplated a third.

The chips and salsa we’d ordered were soaking up all the alcohol.

“Momma, is it halftime now?” Teddy asked. “Bastian is late!”

I checked my watch. Christ, yeah, he was more than a little late, too.

“I’m sure he’ll be here soon, sweetie,” Soph reassured Teddy.

I fired off a text to him.

Hey, quit playing hooky and come to the bar. We’re crushing the enemy. You don’t wanna miss it!

“I can teach Bastian what a touchdown is,” Teddy said, bouncing in his seat. His excitement was cute, even though he wasn’t so much a fan of football as the energy that came with it. He was here for the cheering and dressing up in team jerseys.

Sebastian’s reply popped up before I could pocket my phone again.

Looking for parking.

It was the only occasion he cursed my truck.

“He’s parking the truck right now,” I announced.

“Yay!” Teddy clapped.

Soph smiled and combed her fingers through his hair, and I could tell she was simultaneously miles away in her thoughts. I wished she wouldn’t worry, though. We were family. She and Dylan wouldn’t be alone in this. Besides, they both had promotions coming their way, not to mention a big house. Shit was golden. Another baby would just be a blessing.

“Hey.” I reached across the table and grabbed Soph’s hand, and I gave it a squeeze.

She smiled slightly. She knew what I was gonna say, what I thought, what I wholeheartedly believed.

“Me too, me too.” Teddy flew forward and put both his hands on ours. “Sic ’em, woof, go Dawgs!”

I grinned.

“This is a good thing,” I told her.

Her smile turned rueful. “I hope Dylan will think so too.”

Of course he would. “He will,” I replied firmly. “Once he’s done shittin’ his pants.”

That drew a laugh from her.

“Melissa will bury you in baby clothes the second we get to Nashville,” I said. “David told me she’s already packed two boxes. And that’s just girl clothes for Bella.”

Our brother had done well for himself, and had he lived alone, he’d probably have been driving around in a Mercedes or something. As it was, with eight kids and a wife who was a homemaker, money was sometimes tight for them too. But we’d been born resourceful in our family—same with Melissa. Clothes were mended and handed down; toys were always saved. They had a shed in the backyard—that I’d worked on, actually, making sure it was insulated properly—full of clothes and baby stuff.

At forty-three, Melissa was hopefully done with pregnancies. Last few times I’d seen her, she’d been devoted to gardening. My two eldest nephews had helped her build a greenhouse. Those boys had potential.

Soph was about to say something when she gaped at someone behind me. “What the fuck is he wearing?”

“Huh?” I looked over my shoulder, and a spark of attraction and an instant fuck yeah flew through me at the sight of Sebastian walking over to us. But he had to ruin it. He was breaking my goddamn heart. How was I gonna move past such a betrayal?

His jacket was open, revealing a red tee underneath.

It read “Roll Tide.”

“If you wanna break up with me, darlin’, you could’ve just ghosted me,” I said.

“I see you, Bastian!” Teddy smiled widely and held out his fist.

“I see you too, little man.” Sebastian bumped their fists together, their new thing, before he sat down next to me and kissed my cheek. “I was told football gear was encouraged.”

“Do we look amused?” Soph cocked the bitch brow.

Sebastian laughed. “It wasn’t for your amusement I bought it, toots. It was for my own—and as you can see, I’m highly amused.”