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I stood to kiss Anne’s cheek and clapped Jeremy on the shoulder. “You made it.”
“Just in time,” Jer agreed. “Do you have any clue how many fields there are in this park?”
“We almost gave up and cheered for a random team,” Anne added.
“Glad you found us. Sage’ll be happy you came.”
My brother settled his wife beside Carly then moved down the aisle to take the open seat beside me.
“I wouldn’t miss my niece tearing up the field, would I?” Jeremy nodded toward Sage running onto the field, looking fierce as the devil for a girl who didn’t have a mean bone in her body.
“You’re a good uncle like that.”
Once the game got going, he knew better than to try for my attention. All of it was on my baby girl. She was tough, but I couldn’t help still being on the edge of my seat, dreading her getting injured. With the way she played, never backing down, getting in the other players’ faces, it was bound to happen. I kept telling myself that, hoping I didn’t lose my shit when it did.
She played for most of the first half before her coach subbed her out. Only then did I take a full breath and sit back.
Jeremy chuckled. “I’ve never seen you nervous like when Sage is playing.”
“Girls are running after her with sticks.”
“True, true.” He rubbed his hands on his jeans. “So, what’s going on between you and Clara Rossi?”
I went still before slowly turning my head in his direction. “What makes you ask that?”
“Your unhinged behavior at dinner last night. Demanding to see pictures of her art and acting jealous when she invited Trevor to her home. What the hell was all that?” He wasn’t angry or shouting. My brother sounded genuinely confounded.
Welcome to the club.
I was the unrufflable one. Steady. Levelheaded. But something about Clara Rossi riled me in a way that was hard to control.
I didn’t lie to my brother, and starting now wasn’t an option, but he also didn’t need to know everything. That was between Clara and me.
“I’m interested in her, and she knows it.” Jeremy jerked back. “After dinner last night, I laid it on the line and asked her out.”
“On a date?” he clarified.
“Yes, on a date.”
He squeezed the bridge of his nose. “Did she accept?”
“Not yet.”
“Why not?”
“She’s thinking about it.”
He exhaled, long and heavy. “Do you have to prove to her you’re worthy of a date? Is she making you jump through hoops like her brother is doing to us?”
“That isn’t what she’s about, and I’d appreciate you not speaking about her that way.” I folded my arms over my chest. “Are you unhappy with the Rossi negotiations?”
“There are no negotiations to be unhappy about. I’m starting to feel jerked around by Luca Rossi.”
“I don’t think it needs to be said we need them more than they need us.”
His jaw rippled. “It doesn’t, but we’re also not looking for a handout. They’ll profit too.”
“We can do a few dinners, Jer. Let Anne go riding with Luca’s wife. Dance the dance. Luca told us from day one he was going to take his time. That’s what he’s doing.”
