Page 81 of The Break Out

He comes around to sit next to Chandler on the couch. “Speaking of spoiled,” he retorts.

I smirk until I realize he’s referring to me, “Wait, what? I am not.”

“Are you kidding me?” he scoffs.

“I’m not,” I insist again.

He just looks toward the large pile of gifts I brought with me like that makes his point.

“How does that prove anything? I’m agivingperson.”

“Okay the two of you, it’s Christmas, no arguing is rule number one.” Chandler attempts to mediate.

“Bunny making rules? What are the other ones?” Matt chimes in, entering the room and taking a seat in the open spot on the other side of Chandler.

“Rule number two is that you get to deal with all dirty diapers today.” She smiles sweetly at Matt who frowns.

“Yeah, I was hoping for rules that are more fun. Maybe a little sexier.” He wraps an arm around her shoulders.

She smacks his chest lightly with the back of her hand. “Rule three is not to make Brynn uncomfortable.”

I raise my hands, shaking my head. “I only get uncomfortable when my brother starts to talk. Or move. Or breathe.”

“You have never been good at following the rules, must be the wholespoiledthing,” Brent says with a glare in my direction.

“That’s not arguing, right, Chan?”

She shakes her head. “Vince, help,” she calls out.

Vince comes running back into the room like there’s an emergency. As soon as his eyes lock onto Chandler and Evie his posture softens seeing that there’s not an emergency.

“Why did you call for help?” he asks, concerned.

“I need a buffer.” She smiles at Vince which makes him immediately relax even more. I can see the way he actually melts for her.

That damn pang is back. I rub my hand against my chest trying to make the feeling go away.

“Why am I not enough of a buffer?” Matt asks, offended.

“You’re the cause of most of the problems, you can’t be a buffer,” Vince rolls his eyes.

“It wasn’t even me this time, it’s those two,” Matt says as he gestures between Brent and me.

“Present time!” I announce because clearly they will keep going. I may not want to know much of anything that goes on in this house, but I will admit I am curious how those two both live here and don’t kill each other.

I’m sure Brent has to step in quite a bit, just like he did with Brandon when we were younger.

Chandler and I open the presents with Evie, while she mostly sleeps through it all, only waking up and looking at the toys that make noises. I got her lots of things that she can’t use for a couple months, but I don’t care. At least she will have them when she gets older.

The day goes on and I can’t help but start to feel like an outsider to the family they have started. Obviously, Chandler does what she can to include me, but it doesn’t matter because seeing how they all are together makes me see how I truly don’t have a place within their close knit group.

I’m sitting on the couch after dinner, watching Vince and Chandler play with Evie while Matt watches with a small smile on his face. Brent was cleaning up the kitchen, but then I feel him sit next to me.

“Are you okay?” he asks.

I do my best to relax my posture because I realize how stiff I’ve been sitting.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Why?”

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