Page 80 of One Unexpected Gift

Holden laughed. “Did Mindy have a crush on you? Based on the flowers and Valentines she spoiled you with, I’d say she did.”

“And my brother here,” Logan pointed across the sitting area to Nick, “gave her a box of chocolate and she hasn’t spoken to me since. My heart is still healing from the pain.”

Sky wanted to laugh because his brothers and father were. However, Nick was an ass if he really did try to impress Logan’s girlfriend on Valentine’s Day by giving her gifts. Less than a year ago... while she was growing their child in her womb.

She looked at him over her shoulder. “That was a cold thing to do. Your brother hasn’t gotten over this girl, quite obviously.” She gave Logan a sympathetic smile. “Where is Mindy now?”

“Still pining over my older brother. My very taken older brother.”

Holden and Logan hid their smiles behind their beer bottles. Sky looked to his parents and Camilla to gauge their reaction, but they were so enamored with Gabby and weren’t even paying attention to the conversation.

Spinning to her side, she slapped Nick’s thigh. “You really tried to steal Mindy from your brother? Are you stringing her along now?” She moved away from him, then turned and picked up his wrist, flinging his arm away from her.

She hated the dramatics as well, especially in front of his family, but she could play it off that she was more annoyed with him for hurting his brother than cheating on her. Not that it was cheating since they weren’t in a relationship.

Lots of kisses. Lots of flirting. No commitment.

His brothers burst out in laughter. It was good Logan wasn’t hurting from his brother’s betrayal. Unless this was a thing with the Pierce brothers, swapping girlfriends and cheating on them, even with their age difference.

Nick snickered next to her. “What my brother neglected to tell you was that Mindy and Logan were eight years old and I was a studly fourteen year old finishing my last year in middle school, and that Mindy’s family moved to Dallas before the end of the school year.”

Sagging with relief, and holding back her chuckle, she remained stoic and asked, “Why would you give her your chocolates? You obviously had a thing for Mindy and were trying to steal her from Logan. That’s pretty low.”

His brothers barked out more laughter, and even his parents and sister got involved.

“She’s a keeper, son,” his father said behind his smile.

“Hey, is this gang up on Nick day? I brought you a granddaughter and you numb nuts a niece. You should lay off a little.”

“You also brought us Skylar,” his mother added.

Sky was so filled with emotion she was afraid to speak. Nick returned his arm, this time resting it on her shoulders, and tugged her to his side, dropping a kiss on her temple. “That I did.”

“Oh, that’s so not fair.” Camilla jumped to her feet and planted her hands on her hips. “I was a sure winner this year. You can’t have Skylar and Gabriella. There’s no way any of us will be able to compete until we’re happily married and have kids of our own.”

Heat rushed to Sky’s cheeks. His family had assumed she and Nick were together when they had yet to identify what their relationship was other than Gabby’s parents. She waited for him to correct their assumption. Instead he held her close with a satisfied, smug smile on his face.

“Damn, brother. That’s low,” Holden set his beer bottle on the coffee table with a thud.

“So not fair,” Logan mirrored his brother and sat back in his seat with a sulk on his face.

Nick rubbed Sky’s shoulder and whispered in her ear, “I’m sorry. I really didn’t bring you and Gabriella here as pawns in a game I play with my siblings.”

“I know.” She turned, their faces close, their lips only inches apart. She read the sincerity in his eyes, the serious line between his brows. “But you might as well go with it.” She grinned and patted his thigh.

Those magnificent blue eyes twinkled with mischief before he closed the distance between them and kissed her. Her eyes grew wide with shock on the public display of affection. He kept the kiss fairly PG, but he ended it by taking her bottom lip between his teeth before letting go.

“Well, shit,” Logan said in that same Texas drawl that came out when Nick was flirting.

“Logan Hector Pierce,” Isabella scolded. “There’s a child in your presence. Watch your language.”

Said child started fussing, and Travis took her, hooking her over his shoulder. “When Camilla was a baby she loved having her belly draped over my shoulder like this. It’s why she’s not afraid of heights today.”

“That’s why?” Camilla laughed.

“If only you and the boys didn’t come running anytime she saw a snake or spider she wouldn’t be as petrified of them,” Isabella said.

“Ick. I’m so happy to be in Maine where snakes don’t lurk around every corner.” Camilla curled her legs under her.

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