Page 40 of My Brother's Forbidden Friend

“We’ve managed fine,” I say.

“I knew we should’ve bet on it,” Jed says, rocking his new baby, Joshua.

All eyes are on us. I want to hide so no one sees that my usual MO of always starting shit with Cam is lessening because I’m with him so much. I’ll be the first to admit maybe I didn’t know Cameron Baker as well as I thought I did. After all, he hasn’t gone on one date since he’s moved into my house. He hasn’t been partying. He hasn’t been a major pig where I’m concerned. In fact, he’s been somewhat thoughtful and funny, and…

I shake my head, shutting down that line of thought. A crush on Cam is one thing. Falling for him is something else entirely.

I glance at Fisher, looking at Cam’s hand dangling off my neck, dangerously close to my breast. Sliding out of Cam’s hold, I pick up my niece Leighton. She’s just about to walk and squirms out of my hold.

“She’s independent, don’t you know,” Presley, her mom, says, running her hand over her very pregnant belly.

“She’s ready to move,” I say.

“If only she wouldn’t just rock the furniture and let go. She’s like her father.” She smiles at my brother, Cade, who rolls his eyes.

“Let’s go back to the house. Marla has a ton of food,” my dad announces, and everyone follows him out.

Cam ends up meeting me at my car when he could probably have gone with one of my siblings.

“Still riding with me?” I unlock the doors.

“Nah, I’d only be trading down. I’m sticking with you.” He slides into the car, driving me crazy with his lines today.

I climb in, buckle my seat belt, and start the car while feeling his gaze on me.

“Does it ever change your mind?” I ask.

“Change my mind?”

“Well, clearly you aren’t the settling down type, but seeing all my brothers and sisters with their spouses and children… does it change things for you? Make you think twice about it?” I follow the line of cars like a funeral procession toward my parents’ house.

“Does it change it for you?”

“I asked you first,” I say, glancing over to see his full attention on me. I quickly look back at the road.

“I’ve never been against marriage. Although my parents aren’t exactly a great example of it. Sure, they’ve made it work, but my mom bends to my dad’s will at every turn. I wouldn’t want a wife like that.”

I scoff. “Oh really? You’d want one who challenges you? You enjoy fighting every day?”

“Some of my favorite moments in life have been fighting with you.”

My heart just about leaps out of my chest, and I glance at him.

He smiles wide. “In all seriousness, I’d never want a woman to just do what I want all the time. One thing I’ve always admired about your dad and Marla is how they work together—sometimes she gets her way, sometimes he does. I can’t imagine being a stepparent to someone and having to walk that line so carefully.”

“What do you mean?” I never really thought about my dad and Marla. I don’t remember my dad with my mom, unfortunately, so the only example I have of a long-term marriage is my dad’s second marriage.

“Well, Marla’s kids still have a dad. Sure, they don’t have much of a relationship with him, but he’s there. I’m sure it’s hard for your dad when he might have an opinion on how something should go, but he talks to Marla on the side or doesn’t say anything at all. And Marla.” He blows out a breath.

“What about her?”

He touches my knee and I jerk, making my foot come off the gas. Cade slams on his horn behind me. I lift my hand to wave sorry.

“She’s competing with a memory. I love your siblings, but your mom is on a pedestal. As she should be. I can’t imagine how hard it is for Marla to toe that line, wanting to be a mother to you but knowing she can’t replace the one you lost. Add on…”

The car falls silent because he doesn’t want to address the biggest issue—me being responsible for my mother’s death.

“Add on what, Cam?” The bite in my tone is there to force him off the topic, but I should know that isn’t his style.

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