Page 87 of Family Bonds: Coy & Angel

“Us either,” she said. “You know how I feel about this. I want to focus on my career.”

Her bottom lip started to tremble a little and he sat down and pulled her close. “I’m very happy about the baby,” he said. “Thrilled. But I know it’s not what Angel had planned. I’m going to support her in her career. She knows that. I’ll be there with her one hundred percent of the way. We have been protected. Things just happen without our control.”

Angel nodded. “Coy is right. We’ve talked about it. I’m going to be fine. Just so much going on at once.”

He turned his head and saw Spencer standing out in the cold with his hands on the railing and his head down.

“Go talk to him,” Todd said.

Coy stood up and grabbed his jacket and Spencer’s and opened the glass doors. There was a breeze and flurries in the air.

“You’re going to get frostbite,” he said, tossing Spencer his jacket.

“You’re going to marry her, right?” Spencer said. “You know how we both feel about this.”

“I am,” he said. “I need to work on her some more. She’s a little fragile at the moment and it’s not the time or place.”

“I want to fucking deck you,” Spencer said.

“I wouldn’t advise it,” he said. “I’m bigger than you.”

The two of them wrestled enough in their college days and he always bested Spencer. He’d had years of losing to his older brothers who were bigger than him, but it made him stronger and taught him to fight dirty when he needed to.

“How the hell did this happen?” Spencer asked.

He saw the pained look on his best friend’s face. “Do I have to explain the birds and bees to you? You’re the one who had more women than me in college.”

Probably not what he should have said when Spencer clenched his fists. “It’s not funny.”

“No,” he said. “It’s not. This is serious. I need my best friend now.”

“So now you’re my best friend and not the guy sleeping with my sister.”

He wanted to grab Spencer by the shirtfront and shake some sense into him, but it wouldn’t accomplish anything.

“Dude. I’m scared shitless over this. You three are the first to know. I’ve had no one to talk to other than Angel and I’ve spent a week calming her down and getting her to understand it’s going to be okay. I don’t need any more shit from you. I just don’t. There was a time when we had each other’s back. If it was anyone else other than your sister, you’d be there for me. I’d like to think that you’d be there even more now.”

Spencer ran his hands through his hair. “You know I will. You dumped a lot of crap on my shoulders just now.”

“You’re the one choosing to react the way you are about our relationship. I expected the shock over it but not as much anger as you’re showing and I’m not sure why that is. Do you think I’m that horrible of a person and not worthy of your sister?”

“No,” Spencer said. “I still see her as this thirteen-year-old who had open heart surgery.”

He blinked his eyes a few times and tried to not let any emotion show. “And I was there listening to you through it all. Being there for you. Why do you think it was so hard for me when I started to see her as someone other than that teen? As Spencer’s younger sister? But she’s a grown adult. A beautiful person inside and out. She’s strong and capable and deserves to be respected for that.”

“If I don’t, she’ll slap me again,” Spencer said. “My mother might do it too. Why are you scared?”

“Come inside,” he said. “Let’s all talk.”

“What aren’t you saying?” Spencer asked, grabbing his arm when he turned to leave. “I know you. I know when there is more going on. What is it?”

He didn’t say anything but opened the screen door for them to return to the family room.

“Are you calmed down now?” Barb asked her son.

“About as much as I’m going to be,” Spencer said. “Don’t expect miracles at the moment.”

Coy looked at Angel and nodded his head.

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