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I attempted to step around her, and she promptly stepped into my path. “Like hell, Mal! I told you to be careful with her.”
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I had to try not to lose my temper with my baby sister. Any other day, I could easily brush off her meddling ways, but today was not that day. Sitting my beer down on the counter, I stepped forward, and wrapped my arms around Macy. I picked her up, and moved her off to the side, then picked up my beer again.
“It doesn’t concern you.”
Ginger sat on the floor playing with London and Shawn. She looked up at me when I stepped back into the room.
“Malcolm!”
I dropped my head, hearing Macy’s annoyed voice behind me. I looked over at our parents who both stared in our direction. “Mom, will you please explain to your daughter that I am in fact an adult who doesn’t have to answer to her.”
“Can you tell your son he shouldn’t manhandle his pregnant sister.”
“I didn’t manhandle you. I simply, and gently, removed you from my path. You were in the way.”
She stepped in front of me, looking madder than hell. “We weren’t finished talking.”
“Yeah, we were.”
“You two are too old to still need us to run interference,” Mom stated.
“Not when someone still acts like a Neanderthal.”
“Or when someone doesn’t know when to mind her own damn business!”
Mitch walked over, placing London in Macy’s arms. “I think your daughter needs a new diaper.”
“Why can’t you change it?”
“Because you need to walk away and leave your brother alone.”
I gave Mitch a grateful look. I liked him. He was good to Macy, and very level-headed. Just what she needed in her life. He gave me a pat on my shoulder, and shook his head as he walked away with her.
“Honestly, what is it with you two? This is a happy occasion and here you are acting like you’re both kids,” Dad said.
I looked over at Ginger, who quickly avoided my gaze. “I...I’m going to go change Shawn.”
I drained the rest of my beer as I watched her scramble from the room.
Mom waited until she was gone before speaking. “I noticed some tension between you two. I’m guessing Macy did as well.”
I briefly considered bringing up the panic attack. Dad could possibly give me some insight, but I held my tongue. I didn’t know how long it would be before Macy came back, and I knew that Ginger most likely wouldn’t appreciate me discussing that issue.
“It’s nothing.”
Chapter 24
Calida
I stood on Malcolm’s porch waiting on him to come to the door. Last night had turned into a disaster. When Malcolm had made the comment about wanting to get the night over, I thought it was about not wanting to be around me, but I quickly realized Macy was the issue.
I saw his distorted figure through the decorative, lead glass door. The lock clicked. A flurry of butterflies let loose in my stomach. I always seemed to be nervous around him these days. I missed the easy-going nature we used to have. That change rested on my shoulders.
“Hey,” he said.
He was shirtless. I don’t know why that surprised me, I’d seen him shirtless many times, but I was still unprepared for the sight of his bare chest. God, he was fit. In better shape than I remembered. His abs, while not a full-on six-pack, were still very defined. His waist tapered, and he had that V thing going on that led down to...
“Eyes up here.”
