Page 86 of Without You, Scotch and Sammy 2

Jack smiles his dimply smile as he pulls my sister against his chest. I look away, because that’s my baby sister and I want to strangle him every time he looks at her. “That’s not true. I’m a virile and energetic young man. I have energy for days.”

Britt giggles like a twit, but I groan. “Can you stop?”

“Sorry,” she laughs. She smacks Jack on the chest, then we all turn and ‘awwww’ when Charlie crawls toward us shakily.

“Jesus. That happened fast.”

Britt bends down and picks him up, hugging him against her chest and kisses his fat cheeks. “It happened way too fast,” she admits. “It feels like it happened overnight. Baby, then crawler, just like that.”

I close my eyes and look away. It’s only been three weeks, so it’s not like Lily grew up overnight and started walking on me, but still. I miss them so much I can feel the ache in my heart, then it spreads like wildfire through my veins until it burns my fingertips and singes my hair.

“What are you up to today?”

I look at my watch for no reason at all, then I shrug my shoulders. “Wanna watch a fight or something?”

Britt’s face scrunches. “I’m sorry. I have a date with the girls today.”

“Which girls?”

“All of them, except Kari’s working all weekend. And not Laine, because she’s hanging with her boyfriend.” Britt rolls her eyes. “Whore’s always with him now.”

I turn to Jack, because I’m pathetic like that. “What are you doing?”

“I gotta go to the gym. I challenged X to a beat down, and now I have to follow through.”

I actually laugh at Jack’s unexpected answer. “Really? He’s coming into the gym to spar with you?”

“Oz said he’d make sure he gets him there. I don’t think X knows yet. But you can come play if you want. I’ve been looking forward to this for a long ass time.”

“What about your arm?”

He shrugs. “Eh. I’ll just not hit him with my left.”

Britt frowns at her husband. “If you break your arm again, I’m gonna be so pissed at you.”

“I won’t. I promise.”

“You promised when you fought Bobby that time, too. You both walked away like cripples.”

Jack looks at my sister with a giant grin. “But it was an amazing fight, right?” He turns to me. “That was a good fight.”

I shrug casually. “It was decent.”

“Decent?” Jack scoffs. “You can’t even pay for that kinda entertainment.”

“Rematch any time soon?”

Jack barks out a laugh. “Bobby said no rematch. He won’t give me the opportunity to take another swing. He’s getting too old and scared.”

I scoff. “Pussy.”

The front door slams closed and Bobby comes striding into the kitchen. He punches me on the shoulder so hard, the chair almost collapses underneath me. “I heard that, asshole.”

I massage circles into my shoulder. “That hurt, jackass.”

“So, don’t come here expecting to play with the big boys then cry when you get hit.”

I can’t even challenge him to a fight, because he’s more than fifty or sixty pounds heavier than me, and he’s been fighting since he could walk. I’ve been busy running around lakes and playing guitar. I have no chance.

---