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Until he recalled her ex had been a musician with no job, and he’d mooched off her as he fucked around with other women.
Merit was still hunting for a job, his cash stash had dwindled as alarmingly as bills had rolled in over the past week, and though Loyal hadn’t called him Mooch in a while, the hated nickname was sure to slip out sooner or later. Mae was too gun-shy the way it was. The less she knew about the similarities between him and her ex the better, so there would be no baring of his soul or his secret retreat anytime soon.
As they passed the concession stand, Ian sprinted ahead a dozen yards, shouting, “Uncle Bryce! We won!”
A tall guy with light brown hair caught the kid for a hug. They each stepped back to do an elaborate handshake that ended in the universal hand explosion as Mae and Merit joined them.
“How many goals?” Uncle Bryce asked.
“Two.”
“Jinkies. You’re an all-star, Scoob.”
“Thanks.” Ian beamed. “I gotta go practice with Cory. You gonna watch with Mom and Merit?”
The guy’s blue gaze flicked up and locked with Merit’s for a moment. Then he ruffled Ian’s blond hair. “You betcha. Go get ‘em.”
He took off running, and Mae moved forward. “Hey, Bryce.” She gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek. “I thought you were working this morning.”
“The boss knocked off early with the storms coming later. Said he had to get home and get some work done, so here I am.”
“Here you are.” She didn’t sound all that happy to see him. “Well...this is Merit. Merit, this my youngest brother, Bryce.”
Ah. She hadn’t wanted to make the introduction. Tamping down on a little jab of hurt, he shifted the cooler to his left hand. Before he could offer a handshake, the guy braced his feet shoulder width apart and crossed his arms.
“You must be the guy who knocked up my sister.”
Mae gasped and backhanded him on the arm. “Bryce!”
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“What? Is this not the guy?”
“I’m the guy,” Merit confirmed, standing a little straighter as he squared his shoulders.
“Still, you don’t just say something like that,” Mae snapped at her brother in a low undertone. “What if it wasn’t him?”
“Did you suddenly start serial dating?”
She frowned. “Of course not.”
“Then it stands to reason, if you haven’t been with anyone since the jerkwad, and this guy’s here with you and Ian today, then he must be your baby daddy.”
“Oh, my God, shut up already,” she hissed as she cast a furtive look around.
Merit didn’t care she was worried about anyone overhearing them. He was stuck on the haven’t been with anyone since the jerkwad bit. Could that be true? He watched her face. If it was, then he’d been her first in over seven years. Because her and Ian’s birthdays were only a week away.
No way.
“Am I wrong?” Bryce asked.
“He already told you you’re not.”
Fuck. Maybe it had been seven years—
“What are your intentions with my sister?”
Merit flicked his gaze to her brother as Mae muttered, “Oh, God.”
