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“Am I an old Cadillac in this scenario?”
“You’re definitely a fixer-upper.” She sat up straighter. “Don’t you see? This can be our thing!”
“What are you talking about?”
“Our brother-sister bonding thing! A point of commonality and connection.” She grabbed his hand and squeezed, startling him, because Erin didn’t usually touch others, and he wasn’t someone who enjoyed being touched. “You’re lost, Harrison. But I’m going to be your compass. I’m going to help you find your way home.”
Dread and the unwanted pressure of expectation had his shoulders tightening.
Erin sniffled and wiped her nose on her knuckle then stilled. “What’s that smell?”
His cheeks flushed. Now his little peace offering felt foolish. “I, uh, made the crumb cake.”
“You…” Tears flooded her eyes. “You made the crumb cake?”
“Jesus, don’t cry again.” He glanced back at the door then shoved the tissues sitting on the nightstand at her. “Here. Blow your nose.” Was there an off valve on women’s tears?
“I can’t believe this.” She sucked in a jagged breath and stuttered, “S-s-s-see? You’re growing. This is huge.”
“Erin, what’s the matter?”
Harrison winced at the sound of Giovanni’s voice. He slowly turned and came face to face with his brother-in-law’s scowl. Suspicion, concern, and accusation burning from his dark pupils.
The man’s eye’s narrowed on him. “What did he do now?”
“He…” Erin lost her words as a sob slipped out. “He baked the crumb cake.”
Giovanni took a menacing step forward then stilled, processing Erin’s words. “He… Wait. What? Why are you crying?”
“Because I’m pregnant!” she bellowed, an unladylike snot bubble flashing from her nose. “My body just leaks non-stop now. I’m either peeing or crying!”
Harrison laughed and handed her some more tissues. “If this is going to become a habit, you might want to practice a more graceful facial expression.”
She laughed and whaled out another sob, her nose blaring like a trumpet as she blew it into the crumpled tissues. “You’re such an asshole.”
He patted her shoulder. “It’s okay. You can get away with an ugly cry, because you’re usually pretty. You’re just not real pretty right now.”
“Jerk.” She threw her snotty tissues at him and laughed.
As he bent to pick the trash up off the floor, he caught his brother-in-law watching them, a look of approval on his face and what might be the hint of a smile in the corner of his mouth.
Harrison stilled, holding the other man’s stare long enough to send the message that he would try to do better. Not just by Erin, but by everyone, including Mariella. He didn’t like being the villain, and he wanted to change that.
Giovanni, appearing to read his intentions loud and clear, gave a short nod of approval and backed out of the room—leaving them to their brother and sister moment.
CHAPTER 25
An email notification flashed across Harrison’s phone as he closed in on the last mile of his morning run. The fitness center was empty, as usual, and his ears rattled with the upbeat encouraging words of Redbone’s “Come And Get Your Love.”
Another email notification appeared. Then another. His sister was blowing up his phone with relationship articles and goofy Pinterest content about winning over an ex.
Basically driving him crazy, but he sort of loved her determination.
He cranked up the volume and increased his speed. But there was no outrunning his sister’s persistently annoying devotion to fix him.
When he hit six miles, he killed the treadmill and chugged his water. A text cut through his music with a shrill ping. Glancing at the screen of his phone, he rolled his eyes.
* * *
You can’t ignore a pregnant woman. It’s bad luck. God will punish you with a stye.
* * *
It wasn’t even seven a.m. and she’d already used the pregnancy card twice. Once, to beg him to grab a bagel on his way into the store that morning, and now to threaten him with a bacterial infection brought on by an old wives’ tale.
He jammed his thumb into the elevator call button and texted her back as soon as he stepped inside.
* * *
Who dis?
* * *
Ha. Ha. Very funny. Did you read the email I just sent you?
* * *
The one about extending my car warranty?
* * *
You’re hilarious. If you want, I can print it out and bring it to work.
* * *
He ignored the fact that she started calling the hardware store work. It wasn’t work. She had a job managing Giovanni’s touring schedule. And Harrison’s job was back in New York.
Speaking of which, he opened his laptop and scrolled through his email, deleting the junk and marking off the stuff that needed his attention. He scanned the articles Erin had sent and texted her the moment his homework was done.
* * *
Read them all. No need to kill a tree printing them out.
* * *
Each day she sent more and more articles about understanding female needs, communicating openly, and overcoming commitment phobias. He drew the line, however, when she attempted to send him advice about satisfying a woman in bed.
