Page 95 of Without You, Scotch and Sammy 2

“Except to tell you he’s miserable without you.”

“Marc--”

“And that he still loves you.”

“Marc!”

Meg turns at my shouted word, but then all three of us look up when the automatic doors open and Brittany walks in.

Meg steps forward to put space between us all. “You look familiar, but you ain’t a kid anymore.”

“Umm. Hello. I was hoping to speak with Sammy.”

I groan and press my head back against the brick wall. “Noooo.” Why is this happening to me? Why today? Why ever?

“She’s actually a sweetheart,” Marc whispers close by my ear. “She’s one of the best chicks I know. Give her a chance.”

“And if she tries to kick me in the head again?”

He chuckles softly. “I’ll protect you with my life.”

I groan at his wide smile, but I wave my hand in the air and climb to my feet. “Let her past.”

Meg glares for a minute longer, then steps back to allow her entrance. Britt walks toward me with a giant baby in her arms, and the man I saw pick her up last time follows close behind.

“Well at least she brought him,” I murmur. “He saved my ass once.”

Meg steps in front of him after Britt passes, and she pastes on her sexy smile. “Sammy wasn’t wrong. You’re hot as shit, Mr. Britt.”

He smiles a megawatt, single-dimpled smile. “Thanks. The name’s Jack.”

Taking his hand, she replies, “Meg. I heard you saved my girl’s life recently, so thanks.”

“Mostly I was just saving my wife from jail time. I’m kinda fond of her.” He steps up behind Britt as she stares at me in silence, and he takes her hips in his large hands and drops a reassuring kiss on her head.

“I heard you hang out with fighters all the time now.” I nod at her broad husband. “I don’t know how to fight, so maybe don’t try to hit me anymore. It wouldn’t be a fair fight, and I’d probably just cry.”

Britt swallows heavily as her baby looks at the large space around us. “I won’t hit you. I came to apologize.”

“Jesus.” I look back to Marc as he holds Lily securely against his chest and he mirrors Jack’s stance behind me. “It’s like an epidemic. Why’s everyone apologizing to me now?”

Britt swallows nervously. “Because when we’re wrong, we say sorry.”

“Alright. Whatever.” I drop her gaze and start fussing with the blanket in Lily’s stroller to keep busy. “Don’t try to attack me in the street anymore and we’re good.”

“No. Not good.” She steps forward slowly, then looks down at her son, who’s the exact image as his father behind them. “This is Charlie,” and she looks at Lily, “which makes them cousins. I don’t want to just be ‘good.’ We’re family. Lets be family.”

“Family?” I press the bundled blanket to my chest. “She’s not Sam’s. And neither am I.”

“Maybe not, but you walked me to school sometimes when I was a kid. You sat with me and we drew and wrote in our diaries and told secrets while the guys practiced. You hung out with a kid even though you were there with your older friends. That’s what makes us family.”

“Britt--”

“He started writing songs for you when I was like six. You know that, right?”

“Please don’t do this. You say you’re sorry, but then in the next breath, you’re hurting me. I don’t wanna think about him anymore.”

She nods softly and steps back into her husband’s chest. “Fair call. I’m not here to hurt you. I just want you to know I’m sorry, and that I’ll always be around. I’m just a call away, and he doesn’t ever have to know we spoke.”

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