Page 54 of Sleeping with the Frenemy

Leo’s expression cleared and he let out a small smile while shaking his head. “He’s going to have to fight with everyone else here.” He gestured to his younger cousin Alex, who was sitting across the bar from him sipping on something that looked a soft pink. “A few minutes ago, Alex was carrying him around on her hip like a baby and dancing with him to Ginuwine.”

“He’s the perfect dance partner,” Alex said, completely unfazed by her cousins’ teasing. “But I agree with Leo, if anyone is going to abscond with that sweetie, it’s going to be me. Except then I’d need to find a new place because my jerk of a landlord has made it very clear that there are no pets allowed in my apartment.” She shot Saint, said landlord, a faux scowl.

Saint winked at Sofi. “You’re welcome.”

“Well, we own our house,” Lucy said. “We can dognap Tostón and keep him with no problems. Right, babe?” She looked at Liza, who nodded.

“And we have plenty of yard for him to enjoy,” Liza added.

“Um, excuse me.” Sofi stood and scooped up her baby, placing him on her own hip. He immediately began licking her ear and cheek. “This here ismyson and he will be staying withme. Go find your own furbabies to adopt.” She glared at Leo. “And you! What kind of father just lets people plot to steal his son right in front of him?”

Leo smiled widely. “The kind who knows his baby momma is a lioness who would put anyone who tries in their place.”

Kamilah walked behind him at the bar and smacked him across the head. “Don’t call Sofi your baby momma. That’s weird.”

“Ow,” Leo yelped, rubbing at the back of his head. “Is that any way to treat your brother who, out of the goodness in his heart, decided to use his badass mixologist skills to up the ante at your wedding?”

Kamilah rolled her eyes and twisted her lips, but patted him on the head like he was the dog. “You’re right. I’m sowwy I hurt your wittle feewings,” she said in an overly saccharine baby voice.

Leo pushed her hand away. “See, and here everyone likes to pretend like I’m the one who’s mean to you, but they don’t see what a brat you truly are.”

Kamilah looked at Liam. “You gonna let him call me a brat like that?”

Liam shrugged. “If the shoe fits.” He took a sip from his not pink drink, because of course Liam was going to drink straight whiskey even though the whole point was to come up with a cocktail.

Kamilah gasped in shocked outrage. “Oh, I don’t like this at all.” She gestured between Liam and Leo. “If the two of you working together is going to lead to you ganging up on me, then we’re going to have to reevaluate some things.”

“It’s not ganging up on you if it’s true,” Leo said. He was slicing what looked like fresh strawberries.

“Leave her be,” Saint told him. “You always aggravate her until you get a reaction.”

Leo’s jaw dropped while Kamilah smiled widely, having finally gotten someone to stick up for her. “See,” she said, walking over to Saint and giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “That’s why he’s always been my favorite.”

Saint grinned while Leo huffed in offense. “I don’t see him making any of these drinks or taking on extra band practices in order to perform at your receptionfor free.” Leo’s tone was decidedly pouty.

Kamilah giggled and Sofi bit her lip to keep from joining her. It was hilarious how much Kamilah had all four of her brothers wrapped around her finger, especially now that she was getting married. Even Cristian and Eddie had texted Sofi multiple times to ask her if there was anything they could do to help. When Sofi tried to put them off, they sent her a good chunk of money anyway. Kamilah didn’t know it yet, but the twins were the reason she was going to have a glasshouse’s worth of flowers at the ceremony and reception. Usually being around the Vega siblings made Sofi grateful to be an only child, but there were times like these when seeing how much they truly loved each other caused her a pang of loneliness. Luckily, she did have Kamilah and they treated each other like the sister neither of them had. At least, they had before. They’d even planned how to make their feelings a reality.

Sofi fought the urge to bop her best friend on the head with her rattail comb. She’d been trying to make a straight part in Kamilah’s wet hair for the last five minutes and had been unable to because Kamilah wouldn’t stop moving.

Sitting cross-legged on the bed in front of her, Kamilah was still going on and on about the surprise eighteenth birthday party she’d help put together for Liam. “Here, we spent all this time cooking his favorite food, making him a birthday cake, plus getting all those decorations, and he couldn’t even act like he was having a good time,” she complained while throwing her hands around in emphasis. Kamilah was a very animated storyteller, especially when her emotions were high. “He just sat there like a freaking ice statute who is way too cold to actually melt.”

Sofi nodded as she pretended to listen, but the truth was that when it came to her ex–best friend, Kamilah was a bit of a broken record, so Sofi didn’t have to pay much attention to what Kamilah was saying. She already knew it was some version of calling him rude, a jerk, cold, or—when she was feeling extra butthurt—an asshole. It always was. Sofi wanted to point out that maybe Kamilah should just stop doing things for him, but she’d already tried that when Kamilah first mentioned helping his grandfather plan Liam’s party. Look where that had gotten her.

“I mean, sure, he said ‘thank you’ to us, but it was like the most unemotional, borderline sarcastic version ever said. Seriously, you should’ve heard it.”

“I did hear it,” Sofi said, trying to make a straight part down the middle of Kamilah’s head. “I was there.”

Kamilah didn’t hear her. “He practically ran out as soon as he could. I mean, it was barely eight o’clock and it’s not like he had other plans. He doesn’t even have any friends!” She shook her head in disbelief, causing the pointy end of the comb to create a sloppy zigzag from her crown to her hairline.

Sofi had enough. “Stop moving or I swear I’m going to stab you with this.” She poked Kamilah with the rattail in warning.

Kamilah blinked as if coming out of her rage fog. “Oh sorry,” she said, wincing. “I totally forgot you were going to braid my hair for me.” She paused for a second. “Do you think this is why my mom always whacked my head with the brush when I was little?”

“Yes,” Sofi said without hesitation. “Doing your hair is like trying to shove a cooked spaghetti noodle through a straw.”

“I’m not that bad!”

Sofi stared at her, unblinking.

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