Page 30 of Orange Spell
Chapter Eight
The silence in theoffice was heavy.Marlin hadn’t expected Curran to tell anyone that he was the father today, least of all Birch.He was pretty sure that Curran hadn’t meant to if the way he was staring at his brother was an indication of anything.His eyes were wide, his mouth slightly open, and he looked like he was about to bolt.
Marlin felt the same way.He wasn’t ready to deal with Birch now that he knew.He’d only just found out about the baby half an hour ago.He’d thought he’d have time and that he and Curran would have a conversation about what they both expected and wanted before involving their families.
It was too late for that.Birch had been involved, all right, and while he was still staring at Curran, Marlin knew that wouldn’t last.
“Can you forget I said that?”Curran asked.
Birch blinked at him.“Can I forget that you just told me that my best friend is your baby’s father?”
Curran grimaced.“If it makes you feel better, he didn’t mean to get me pregnant.”
Birch slowly turned to look at Marlin.From his expression, Marlin could guess that it didnotmake him feel any better.
“I told you to protect him,” Birch said.
There was nothing Marlin could say to that.Birch had told him to protect Curran.He’d trusted Marlin with his brother, and look how that had ended up.
“You know, I really fucking hate you,” Curran snapped.
Thankfully, that shifted Birch’s attention away from Marlin.“What are you talking about?”
“You remember why we fought just an hour ago, right?”
“Curran.”
“Don’tCurranme.I told you to stop being overprotective.I told you I don’t need your protection.Why are you already forgetting about all of that?”
“I’m not forgetting about it.I just thought I could trust him.”
The words broke Marlin’s heart.He wanted to tell Birch that of course he could trust him with Curran, but maybe he couldn’t.
Curran crossed his arms over his chest.“And what about this situation means that you can’t trust him?You know him.You know the kind of person he is.He’s your best friend because he’s a good person, and you love him, so why wouldn’t you want me to be with him?”
Surely it couldn’t be a good idea for Curran to confront his brother like that, especially after the bomb he’d just exploded over their heads.Marlin wondered what would happen to him if he tried to intervene.
He wasn’t sure he wanted to find out.
“I don’t care that the two of you are together,” Birch said.
Marlin blinked at him because he was sure he hadn’t heard that right.Birch didn’t care if his brother dated Marlin?
“What?”Curran asked, sounding like he couldn’t quite believe it.That made two of them.
“You can date whoever you want, and you could do a lot worse than Marlin.I’m honestly not sure you could do better, so I don’t have anything to say about that.”
“Why are we fighting, then?”
“We’re fighting because you got pregnant, Curran.You didn’t think, and while I’m sure you’ll be a great father, this entire situation is a mess.We’re also fighting because that’s what we seem to be doing every time we talk lately.”
