Page 116 of Rule Breakers Fall Hardest

“What’s going on?” he asks warily. His eyes shoot to Sammy in his dad’s arms. “Is the baby okay?”

“The baby’s fine,” Peter assures him. “Your brother here was giving Rosie a hard time.”

Daire clenches his hands into fists and brings them to his hips. Whether he realizes it or not, he purposely positions himself in front of me in a protective stance.

“What’s your problem with Rosie?”

“I don’t have a problem.” He leans around Daire to see me better. “You know I don’t have a problem, right, Rosie? I’m just trying to figure you two out.”

“Figure us out?” Daire fires the words back at his brother. “What does that mean?”

“Daire.” I gently grasp his arm, ready to beg him to drop it. It’s not a big deal, and it’s not really surprising that they’re suspicious.

Roman looks down at the ground, shuffling his feet. “I don’t know, but Cash?—”

Daire throws his arms up. “This is about Cash? I should’ve known. Why are you listening to anything he says? He’s jealous because I got the girl. Is it not obvious to you how I feel about her?”

He looks at me over his shoulder, his blue eyes lit like twin flames, and I nearly collapse from the intensity reflected there.

I don’t want to say I see love there, because I don’t want to even give voice to that possibility—not even in my own thoughts—but the emotion is a strong one. Stronger than any I’ve ever seen focused solely on me.

Roman clears his throat, eyes dropping. “Yeah, it is.”

Daire reaches for Sammy, and his dad quickly hands him over.

The second he’s in his daddy’s arms, Sammy laughs, and Daire practically melts. His rigid posture loosens, and his scowl disappears.

“How can you love someone so much when you don’t even know them?” Daire asks his dad as Sammy wraps a tight fist around his index finger.

Peter chuckles, smoothing Sammy’s downy soft blond hair. “That’s what being a parent is like—instant love.”

Rocking Sammy, Daire turns his attention back to his younger brother. “Just for being a jerk to my wife, you get to put the groceries away.” He claps him on the shoulder, then he turns to me and holds out a hand.

I gladly give it to him and follow him out of the room. As he leads me to the living room, I can’t wipe the stupid, goofy grin off my face.

I’m so screwed.

27

DAIRE

Thank fuck for winter break.Getting used to taking care of the every need of an infant while attending classes and practices would’ve been a nightmare.

I unload the stroller from the trunk while Rosie takes Sammy out of his car seat.

I tested out the stroller when we bought it, to make sure I could get it to open up and fold down fairly quickly, but for some stupid reason, I’m struggling.

The whirl of the sliding door closing on the minivan signals Rosie’s approach.

She’s got a blanket wrapped around him to shield him from the cold on the quick journey from the car into the mall. My dad and brother left this morning, and we decided it would be good practice to get out with Sammy and practice parenting away from the comfort of home for a while.

“Did we bring the diaper bag?”

I blink at Rosie, my stomach sinking. “I didn’t grab it.”

She groans, biting her lip. “I didn’t either. We’re idiots.”

“We’re new at this,” I argue. “We’re going to f—mess up.”

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