Page 56 of Best Friend's Brother's Surprise Baby

“You don’t know that,” I say softly.

“You’ve already hurt her,” she says. “I can see it in her eyes when she’s around you, Nico, she looks at you like....like—”

“Like what?” I ask, curious.

“Oh, shut up,” Francesca grumbles. “I’m not going to out my best friend’s deepest thoughts and feelings just because you want to stroke your ego.”

I’m genuinely curious as to what Aurora feels, but I keep my mouth shut, knowing that my sister will just get angrier and angrier.

“Look, we’re going to have the baby and co-parent,” I start, and Francesca scoffs.

“You think that’s what she wants? You’re an idiot, Nico,” she says, raising her voice. “You don’t see her.”

“What the hell does that even mean?” I ask, exasperated and looking up at her, and Francesca groans.

“See, you’re sostupid. I can’t believe she ever deigned to sleep with you.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” I drawl, and Francesca glares at me.

“You’re going to do right by her,” Francesca says, pointing her finger into my chest.

“Who says I’m not? Like I said, I’m going to be there for her and the baby.”

“In what capacity?” Francesca demands to know. “In between fucking your strippers and various bar girls?”

I take a deep breath through my nostrils, trying to stay calm. In a way, Francesca is right, and I know it. It’s something I’ve been thinking about ever since we’ve returned home, but at the same time, it’s none of my sister’s fucking business.

“I’m going to handle it,” I say flatly, and Francesca just stands there, staring at me like I’m the dumbest thing she’s ever seen.

“You’d better,” she mumbles. “If you don’t, I’ll kill you myself.”

“Good to know,” I say, rolling my eyes. Francesca’s all bark and no bite. She always has been. I’m her big brother and she’s always deferred to me eventually, and she will about this. She just wants to be a brat about it first.

“I’m serious, Nico. That girl has a big heart, and if you break it—”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say quietly. “She’s just as much to blame for this baby as I am, and we agreed to stay casual.”

“Sure, she agreed to stay casual,” Francesca says sarcastically.

“She did!” I insist, although in reality, I’m not sure she did. It was more like I said I didn’t do relationships and even though she was kind of angry about it, Aurora accepted it.

What else am I supposed to do? Give up my whole life? I don’t know if I can do that.

“She’s not that kind of girl, Nico, and you know it.”

“She’s never said that,” I mumble.

“I know it! She’s my best friend, like a sister to me, and you’ve probably already broken her heart!” Francesca’s voice sounds impassioned, angry, and beseeching, as if she wants me to change my mind.

“What do you want me to do, Francesca?” I ask finally, and she sighs.

“I want you to leave her alone,” she says quietly. “Let her down easy, but leave her alone.”

“I can’t do that,” I say simply, and it’s not because she’s pregnant with my baby. It’s not because Francesca wants me to. It’s because I simply don’t want to give her up. I don’t want to stop what I’m doing with Aurora because Ilikeher. It’s not love, of course. It can’t be, but it’s something, and I think I want to explore it.

“You’re such a fucking asshole,” Francesca mumbles, and walks right back out the door.

I sigh, thinking that I should follow her, thinking that I should probably go and talk this through, but I’m too tired.

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