Total pages in book: 43
Estimated words: 42745 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 171(@250wpm)___ 142(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42745 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 171(@250wpm)___ 142(@300wpm)
“What?” Miller asks.
Guy doesn’t answer. He scrolls, and his jaw gets tight. Then he stands and walks a few steps away from everyone.
Penn sits up straighter beside me. “Guy?”
Guy laughs once, but there’s no humor in it. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Logan walks toward him. “What happened?”
Guy looks at his phone again. “Nothing.”
“That didn’t look like nothing,” I say.
He glances at me and then turns the phone so I can see the headline.
Baseball Bad Boy Guy Brody Spotted Leaving Bar with Mystery Woman — Has His Type Changed?
My stomach turns before I even read the rest.
Under the headline is a blurry picture of Guy outside a bar with a woman beside him. I continue reading.
Brody’s mystery companion is already drawing attention online, mostly because she doesn’t fit the mold of the women usually seen on his arm. Known for dating slim blondes, the baseball star’s latest outing has fans questioning whether this curvy brunette is something more—or just another name in his long list of one-night distractions.
I scrunch my nose up. “Oh, that’s disgusting.”
Guy’s eyes flick to mine.
“Sorry,” I say, even though I’m not sorry at all. “But it is. That’s horrible.”
Lindsey comes over and reads over my shoulder. Her face hardens. “They wrote that?”
Guy locks his phone and shoves it in his pocket. “They write whatever gets clicks.”
“Who is she?” Bree asks softly.
Guy’s face immediately shuts down, and he shakes his head. “No one.”
Penn’s eyebrows lift. “No one?”
Guy glares at him. “Drop it.”
That only makes me more curious. Guy is always light and flirty. This is the first time I’ve ever seen him affected by something like this. He looks like he wants to put his fist through a wall.
Guy drops into the chair beside me again, still angry.
“You okay?” I ask quietly.
He looks over at me. “I’m fine.”
I give him a look. “I don’t believe you.”
He just glares at me.
I nudge him with my shoulder. “You think you should call the woman and give her a heads up… or maybe apologize.”
He glares at me, and I hold my hands up. “What? I’m just saying. If she means anything to you at all, you might want to check on her.”
He opens his mouth and then closes it, shaking his head. “You going to start giving me unsolicited advice too? You’re spending too much time with my family.”
“I married into it. I’m allowed.”
He looks toward Penn then back at me. “Yeah. You are.”
I’m still holding Penn’s hand, and I look down at our joined fingers.
I married into this family.
Even with everything happening between Penn and me, that’s still true. These people are mine. Skyler, Bree, and Lindsey are my sisters. Logan, Miller, Guy, Ozzy, Zach, all of them, they’re mine too. And I don’t want to lose them. I won’t lose Penn either, no matter how much he thinks he needs to save me.
Guy leans back in his chair and stares at the opposite wall.
“So,” I say because I need something to keep my mind from spiraling, “is this mystery woman actually a mystery?”
His eyes jerk to mine. “Aria.”
“What? I’m just asking.”
He shrugs. “She’s a friend.”
I roll my eyes. “Uh-huh.”
He insists, “She is.”
“Okay.” I shrug.
He narrows his eyes. “Why do you sound like you don’t believe me?”
“Because I’m sitting beside a Brody man, and I’ve learned that when one of you says something too quickly, there’s usually more to it.”
Penn makes a sound beside me. “Careful.”
I look at him. “Am I wrong?”
He doesn’t answer.
Guy holds his phone up. “I’m going to call her.”
He stands up and walks away, putting his phone to his ear.
My mind goes back to what we’re here for. I stare at my hand that is being held by Penn. He’s holding on to me like he’s afraid I might disappear if he lets go.
A little while later, Miller stands up so fast his chair scoots back.
Zach is coming down the hallway.
Everyone freezes.
He takes off the scrub cap he’s wearing and smiles. “She’s here. Both mom and baby are doing well.”
The room erupts.
Bree and Lindsey start crying. Skyler’s mother sobs right into her husband’s chest. Logan hugs Miller hard enough to make him grunt, and Guy lets out a relieved laugh. Ozzy walks over to Zach and pulls him in for a hug.
Penn’s hand tightens around mine.
I press my free hand to my mouth, and tears fill my eyes before I can stop them.
I’m so happy.
Zach looks at Skyler’s parents. “Mom, Dad, she wants you first.”
Zach leads them down the hall, and for a minute, the rest of us just stand there waiting for our turn.
Ozzy turns away slightly, and I catch him wiping at his face. He tries to hide it, but I see.
So does Guy, but for once, Guy doesn’t tease him.
Penn stays beside me with his hand still wrapped around mine.
I lean into him, and he looks down at me.