Page 19 of The Single Dad

Adrian’s tongue peeks at the corner of his mouth. “Oh yeah? You sure?”

Before I can react, he swoops in, kissing me quickly on the mouth.

I blink, my jaw hanging open. “Did you just?—”

“Yep.”

“Right in front of your kid?”

Thomas grins from his Jeep. “Daddy likes you. I like you too.”

I shake my head, trying to suppress a smile. These boys are really?—

“What the hell is going on?! What’s this?”

I jump, whipping around to see my brother, Peter, standing at the back porch, arms crossed, brows raised so high they might launch off his face. He’s the reddest I’ve ever seen him.

I glance at Adrian, who’s frustratingly calm and unfazed.

“Hey, man,” he says easily, like we weren’t just caught in a kiss. Okay, a peck, but whatever. No one gives their nannies a peck unless…

My brother gapes. “That’s it? Hey, man?” He gestures wildly between us. “My sister?! My baby sister?”

I sigh. “Nice to see you too, Peter. And for the record, I’m not a baby. I’m twenty-five years old, thank you very much.”

He ignores me, drilling his glare into my boyfriend and jabbing an accusing finger. “How long has this been going on? You’re so much older than her, man!”

Adrian meets his gaze evenly. “Since she got here. Listen, Pete. I didn’t mean for it to happen, okay? It just did. I saw her, all grown and sweet and beautiful and kind, and I fell for her hard. I got lucky because she was already in love with me.”

“Of course she was! Why the hell did you think she kept hanging around my room when you were there? Obviously, it wasn’t because she liked her brother’s company.” Peter’s hands go to his hair. For a second, I pity him. Then again, he’s being unnecessarily dramatic. We’re all adults here. “Why did neither of you think to tell me, huh? Were you planning to spring it on me at a family lunch or something?”

“We’re telling you now,” Adrian points out, ever the rational one.

Peter lets out an exasperated sound, then groans. “You didn’t tell me. I caught you!” He mutters a curse under his breath, being mindful that Thomas is around. “She’s my sister, bro.”

Adrian leans back on his hands and shrugs. “And?”

Peter’s jaw works, his nostrils flaring. “And…” He exhales sharply, rubbing his temples and trying to calm himself down. “I should punch you.”

“Probably,” Adrian agrees.

My brother glares at me. “And you?”

“What about me?” I ask innocently.

“You’re supposed to be smarter than this.”

I give him the sweetest smile I can muster. “Maybe I’m not.”

He starts to say something, but then notices Thomas staring up at him, entirely unaffected by the drama. With a resignedsigh, Peter kneels, pulling a wrapped box from behind his back. “Here, Tomtom. Got you something.”

Thomas’s eyes light up. “A present?”

“Yeah.” My brother ruffles his hair and smiles softly at him. “Unlike these two traitors, I actually like you.”

Thomas eagerly tears into the wrapping, revealing a box of LEGOs. “Awesome!”

Adrian and I groan, and I say, “Is this your revenge? Gifting him even more LEGOs that I might, probably will, step on?”

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