Page 2 of Taking the Pitch
Oh yeah, fun fact. Lucy is three months pregnant. With twins. Which is another reason we’re here tonight. They wanted to get married before the babies were born and Lucy wanted it to happen before she’s as big as a house. Her words, not mine. So, in true Lucy and Kessler fashion, they decided to get married on Christmas…which is in two months. Their reasoning being everyone who they were going to spend Christmas with would be at the wedding anyway. Honestly, I can’t argue with that logic, not that I would. Lucy has gotten a little scary with all the extra pregnancy hormones coursing through her body.
Something hits me between the ribs, and I absently rub at it.
One of Tony’s daughters comes over. Marie, I think, I don’t know. They all look similar, and I’m not as close to them as Kess is. After she orders a glass of wine, she looks over at me, giving me a shy smile.
I return the smile, but don’t pursue it from there. She’s pretty, dark brown eyes, the color of whiskey, dark chocolate-brown shoulder length hair, beautiful really, but I don’t feel an attraction there.
Giving me one last look, she takes her drink and heads over to Kara and the girl group that’s formed around Lucy.
Seeing my brother has finally peeled himself from Lucy’s side, I make my way over to his little group. He’s been a little…over-protective of Lucy since finding out she’s pregnant. Mom thinks it’s adorable. Lucy is slightly annoyed, but grateful to actually have her partner with her this time.
Squeezing in between my brother and Brent, I clap Kessler on the back a few times. “I thought Lucy was going to have to pry you off her side with a crowbar,” I joke.
“I’m not that bad,” Kessler grumbles, looking over at Lucy with a mixture of adoration and concern. Feeling his gaze on her, Lucy looks over and gives Kessler a wink, making him smile and his body relaxes slightly. “Okay, maybe I’m a little…protective.”
I scoff. “A little? I recall Lucy telling Mom at the last Sunday dinner she had to sneak out of the house the other day so she could go on a run.”
Kessler rolls his eyes like I’m the one being dramatic.
“Then,then,when you couldn’t find her, you. Tracked. Her. Phone.” Kessler’s face turns a slight shade of red. Driving my point home, I finish, “Thendroveto her location and insisted she get in the truck so you can drive her back.”
Brent and Reese snicker beside him. Duke rolls his eyes and Garrett just takes a drink of his beer.
Kessler grips the back of his neck like he does when he’s stressed. “I was concerned about her jostling the babies around.” Pulling his hand from his neck, he waves it around in the air. “How was I supposed to know that’s not what happens? I’ve never done this before. I knownothingabout babies, or pregnancies.” He stops and takes a drink of his own beer.
Feeling a twinge guilty for giving him a hard time, I lay my hand on his shoulder. “You’re going to be a great dad, Kessler; you already are to Hud. Plus, we’ve had a great role model. You have nothing to worry about.”
Kessler nods and takes another drink of his beer. Trying to lighten the mood, I turn to Brent, who has been eyeballing Lucy’s group. “So, Brent, who are you eye fucking over there?”
Brent chokes on the drink of beer he was taking. Reese smacks his back hard a few times. “What?” he chokes out. “I’m, no, I.” He coughs a few more times, then takes another drink. “I’m notlookingat anyone,” he says, his voice a little higher than normal.
I grin. “Riiight. That’s why you haven’t taken your eyes off Lucy’s little group over there,” I say, pointing with my bottle to Lucy’s girl gang. Brent looks over again, right as Marie looks up. Their eyes lock and they both turn red and look away.
Oh…
“She’s cute man, you should go for it,” I tell him.
Brent shakes his head and moves off, muttering something about needing another drink. I chuckle and Kessler just shakes his head. “Always have to stir up trouble, don’t you?”
I shrug. It’s always been my duty as the younger brother to cause trouble. Why stop now?
“Sooo Garrett,” I start, turning to him.
“Nope,” he says, staring me down, blue eyes blazing into me.
I laugh, but don’t push it. Garrett is a retired Navy SEAL. I may like to cause trouble, but I don’t have a death wish. Holding my hand up in surrender. “Okay, chill. Just thought there was a certain BFF over there that caught your eye.”
He cocks his eyebrow at me in warning, but there’s a hint of a smile on his lips.
I smirk back, but decide to keep quiet, not wanting to push my luck.
“What about you?” Reese asks, looking at me.
“What about me?”
He tips his chin at me. “You seem invested in everyone’s love life. What about yours?”
I shrug. “Don’t have one.” Another twinge hits me between the ribs, and I try to ignore it. “You know me. I’m not the relationship type.” Apparently, I’m not the hook-up type anymore, either. It’s been longer than I care to admit since I’ve been with anyone. Not that I’m going to tell them that.
