Chapter Fourteen
Sophia
Brett was tense beside me, shooting Mark a death glare that would’ve had me organizing a funeral if looks really were able to kill. Mark’s own glare wasn’t far behind Brett’s, however.
Mark snorted and scoffed. “That was a shitty thing to do? Are you kidding me? You slept with my sister and then you got her pregnant!”
“Yeah, thanks. I got that memo, and I’m taking full responsibility for that, but at least I never deliberately hurt her,” Brett said as calmly as he could manage. I could see that he was fighting for control.
“Gee, that’s great,” Mark said sarcastically. “You saved all the deliberate hurt for me then.”
I glanced toward my parents, frozen in the doorway as the guys went at it.
My dad watched on with a kind of resigned expression on his face, like a let them get it over and done with kind of look. Mom’s eyes were wide, but she was no stranger to seeing Mark in a fight. It just wasn’t usually with Brett.
Since the very first day they met, those two had fought side by side. I didn’t like seeing them facing off against each other. It was unnatural, wrong.
“Stop it, you guys,” I said, quietly but firmly.
Mark grunted and turned his anger on me. “What? Now you suddenly want to talk? After how long of lying right to my face? You had plenty of time to talk to me, don’t think—”
“You will not speak to her like that,” Brett seethed, taking a step toward Mark. I held his hand, giving it a squeeze, and he came back to my side.
“I will speak to my sister however the fuck I want. She’s been my sister all my life. She’s only been your baby-mama for what? Twenty-four hours? You have no right—”
“Fuck if I don’t have the right,” Brett said, but I cut him off before he could continue.
“That’s enough. Both of you. This isn’t helping anyone with anything. You’re only causing a scene. Let’s go inside and talk like the adults we’re supposed to be.”
It wasn’t often that I sounded authoritative, but in that moment, I did. And I was damn proud of myself. I gave them each a long look, then turned on my heel to do what I came here to do.
Brett didn’t let go of my hand, turning his back on Mark and walking up the steps of the front porch with me. My parents looked at our joined hands, then right at me.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for all of this to happen the way that it did,” I said, my voice shaky with tears that I hadn’t realized I was fighting back.
Mom’s eyes softened, and she pulled me into a tight hug. “We know, sweetheart. I can’t say that the news didn’t come as shock, but you’re right. Let’s go inside and talk.”
My mom’s hugs had always soothed my soul, and it had the exact same effect now. It felt like balm spread over the pain of Mark’s stinging words and my guilt about not having been the one to tell them.
Dad gave me a hug, too, but didn’t say anything. His eyes were on Brett the entire time. Eventually, Brett stuck his hand out to my dad. “Mr. Love.”
For a long second, I thought that my dad was going to ignore his hand, but he glanced at me, sighed, and shook it. “Brett. Come inside. You too, Mark.”
Mark huffed behind me, but we all followed my parents inside. No one said a word until we were settled in my parents living room, glasses of iced water sweating on their coffee table. Brett was sitting close by my side on the white love seat, while my parents sat in their usual pair of leather wingbacks by the unlit fireplace. Mark didn’t sit down, opting to lean against the wall beside my parents instead.
My mother was waiting for me to speak with kind eyes, while my father wore that same resigned expression from before, and Mark glowered at Brett.
“Floor’s yours, Soph,” my mom said. “Why don’t you tell us what happened?”
Mark snorted again. “It’s pretty obvious what happened. They—”
My dad silenced him with a look. “We’ve heard your thoughts on the matter. Give your sister a chance to talk.”
I cleared my throat and grabbed Brett’s hand to try and channel some of his strength. He gave his support willingly, unconditionally, and that, more than anything, gave me the courage to push forward. “Brett and I have been seeing each other for a little while. We know that it was wrong to hide it, but we knew Mark wouldn’t like it.”
Mark scoffed. “So, this is my fault now?”
“That’s not what she said, son,” my dad said. “Just let Sophie speak, please.”
I looked at my brother, willing him to understand, but he refused to meet my eyes. “I’m not saying it’s your fault at all. I’m just saying that we fell in love, and we didn’t want to hurt you. That’s why we didn’t tell you.”
“You’re in love?” my mom asked, the first hint of a smile playing on her lips, despite the circumstances.
I nodded, so did Brett.
My mom sighed, her lips curling into a knowing smile. “I can’t say that it comes as much of a surprise to me. The baby? That’s a surprise, but I always had a feeling about the two of you.”
Even my dad grunted his agreement.
Well, what do you know?
“You’re not angry?” I asked, not able to believe that everything was going so smoothly.
“We’re not thrilled,” my dad said, then glanced at Brett. “Not because of your relationship, I mean. We both expected that would happen eventually, like Martha said. But it would’ve been nice if we’d had a wedding before a grandchild.”
“Speaking of which,” Mom said hesitantly, looking pained by what she was about to say. “You’re an adult now. We understand that, and we understand that it’s your decision, but have you decided what you’re going to do?”
They couldn’t seriously think… “We’re keeping the baby,” I said.
Mom smiled a relieved smile. “That’s good. I’m glad. We like that. I think congratulations are in order then.”
“Seriously?” I gaped. Both my parents nodded and stood, so Brett and I did, too. More hugs were exchanged, and my dad even thumped Brett’s back.
“You’re a good man, Brett. We’ve both always liked you. We know that you’re gonna be a stand-up guy for our Sophie and the baby, and if you’re not, well...”
“You’ll kick my ass?” Brett supplied helpfully, grinning at my dad.
“Exactly.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Brett said. “I love her. I’m going to care of both of them.”
“Glad to hear it,” Mom chimed in, leaning over me to give Brett a quick hug, too.
“That’s it?” Mark muttered incredulously, looking at our parents like they were in on some sort of conspiracy against him. “Un-fucking-believable.”
He stormed out of the room after that. Brett tensed, moving to go after him, but Mom laid a gentle hand on his arm. “Let Sophia go. The two of you, you’re too much alike. One or both of you will end up with a bloody nose if you go out there right now.”
Mom had a solid point. I planted a kiss on Brett’s cheek, ignored his look of warning, and turned to go after my brother. Mark would never hurt me, and Brett knew it. As for a few scathing words, he didn’t have to worry about that. I could take it.
“I’ll be fine,” I assured Brett before I left. “I’ll be right back.”
“Famous last words,” my dad muttered under his breath, smiling when he stuck his thumb up at me. “Go get him, slugger.”
I couldn’t believe that my parents were so okay with this. Now that I thought about it, I probably owed Mark for telling them. I doubt they’d have been as calm if they hadn’t had some time to think it through. I doubted that all that stuff they said to and about Brett earlier were the first things that came to mind when they’d been told I’d gotten pregnant by him.
Mark was on the back patio, slumped in a plastic chair and staring off into the distance. He didn’t look at me when I took a seat next to him.
“Come to rub it in my face, have you?” he spat.
Taking a deep breath, I reminded myself that he had a right to be angry and that I wasn’t out here to fight with him, despite what he might say to me. “You know I would never do that.”
“I don’t know anything anymore.”
“I know that we shook your foundations pretty hard with this. I’m shaken up myself.”
Mark sucked in a breath and shook his head. “At least you knew it might be coming.”
“True,” I agreed. “But you have to know that we didn’t mean to hurt you. We just couldn’t stay away from each other anymore. I’ve loved Brett for a long time, and he loves me, too.”
“Brett doesn’t know how to be in love. He’s going to hurt you, Soph. Why do think I tried to keep him away from you all these years? I knew you had a thing for him. I’m not blind. I tried to protect you from him!” He huffed out an exasperated sigh. “So not only did he betray me, but he’s blown years of friendship because he couldn’t keep his dick in his pants. There’s no way I’d ever be able to look at him again if he breaks your heart.”
“I know you don’t want to hear this, but I’m going to ask you to listen anyway. It might’ve started because he couldn't keep his di—”
Mark held up a hand. “You’re right. I don’t want to hear this. I don’t want to know or think about the two of you fucking behind my back.”
“Well tough, because I’m saying it anyway. It started with his dick, sure.”
“Soph,” he warned.
“I’m done with that part, I promise. That’s what it started with, but that’s not what it’s about anymore. He loves me. I know that you don’t think that he knows how to be in love, but I’ve known him as long as you have, and I’m telling you, he’s in love with me. We’re good together, Mark. If you’d give it a chance, you’ll see that.”
“And if he breaks your heart?” he mumbled.
“Then you help dad kick his ass.”
He let out a low chuckle. “Maybe.”
Reaching across the table, I placed my hand on his forearm, encouraged when he didn’t shake me off. “Both of us love you. I’m going to need you. You’re my big brother. I literally don’t know how to live without you there with me. Brett’s going to need his best friend, too. Please promise me that you’ll at least try to be there for both of us? I know that it’s a selfish thing to ask, but I’m asking it anyway.”
Mark was quiet for a long time, and I let him think. I didn’t want to push him, but I also wasn’t going anywhere until I knew that there was chance of getting my brother and Brett’s best friend back.
When he turned to face me with a tiny upward hitch on his lips, the spark of hope in my chest bloomed and grew.
“Fine, I’ll try. I’ve never really wanted to think about it, but now that I have, I think Mom and Dad might be right. You guys were probably always going to happen.”
“Does that mean—”
“Let me finish. I listened, so now it’s your turn.” He waited for me to nod before continuing.
“I love the both of you, too. I do, but the fact that neither of you told me the truth and that I had to find out the way I did, that burns like a bitch. I want to be there for you both and for the baby, I guess, but I need some time, okay?”
“Okay. Take as much time as you need. I’ll be waiting for you.”
I patted his arm and went back inside.
Brett was waiting for me in the kitchen, talking quietly to my mom. As soon as he saw me, he opened his arms, and I walked right into them, wedging myself between his knees where he sat at the island.
“Everything okay out there?” he asked.
“It’s all good,” I said. “He’s going to come around.”
Brett smiled down at me, love and joy burning bright in his smoky eyes, his dimples deep creases in his cheeks. “Just like that?”
I laughed softly. “Just like that.”