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“Wonderful?” Elliot supplies, grinning over at me. She holds her phone in one hand to take video, while the other cups the underside of her belly. I can tell my nephew is getting heavy by the way Elliot is holding him. She glows now, and I love that about her. I love Alex more since he’s the reason. My eyes drift to the huge heart-shaped diamond on her finger. My sister is living her best life, and I couldn’t be more excited for her. “Have you told Peepaw yet?”
I shake my head. “We’re waiting till after the play-off run to go public.”
She brings in her brows. “What? You’re hiding your relationship?”
I shrug. “It’s not a big deal. Everyone has a lot going on.”
“Still, I don’t like that.”
I give her a pointed look as I rub her diamond ring. “Set a date yet?”
She shakes her head, a flush filling her cheeks since we both know I’m the only one who knows Alex proposed. Her fingers are so swollen, she hasn’t been able to wear her ring before today. She’s a sneaky little thing, for sure. “Not yet. We’re waiting till this little dude comes.”
“And when are you telling everyone?”
She side-eyes me. “Fine.”
“Fine,” I retort. And then I ask, “Still thinking he’ll be Alejandro Jr.?”
She nods. “It’s looking that way.”
“Cool. I shall call him Benito.”
“You would,” she snorts, shaking her head.
But then our attention is pulled away when Riggs suddenly stands, knocking his chair to the floor behind him. “I’m done,” he practically growls before stalking away, and my stomach drops.
“Jeez, he’s big mad.”
I lick my lips. “He takes this very seriously.”
“I know, but he has a temper. He’s not mean to you, is he?”
“What the hell? No, Elliot, he is so good to me. He isn’t like that with me.”
She eyes me in that big-sister way that makes me want to poke her in her now-outie belly button. “Just be careful. He may be able to control his temper now, but?—”
I hold up my hand. “I’m gonna stop you there. He wouldn’t.”
Still, she eyes me, and I glare back. “Oh, Clara… You love him already?”
My glare deepens. “It doesn’t matter. I know him, and he is good to me. Don’t take what you see and what he puts out as who he is inside. He is a good man. My man.”
She presses her lips together, her eyes flooding with guilt. “I’m sorry. I just worry about you.”
“I know,” I say on an exhale. “But trust that I know who I am with.”
She nods. “I will. I’m sorry.”
I swallow past the lump of emotion in my throat. An awkwardness falls between us and I hate it, but I can’t accept her take on Riggs. He is more than what he lets on.
He’s everything.
I lean in, kissing her cheek before rubbing my nephew. “I’m going to go catch up with him.”
Elliot sends me a strained grin, and I feel bad for snapping at her, but I couldn’t help it. I don’t like anyone speaking ill of Riggs. Not even my sisters. Not when I know who he is. How he cares for me. How he makes me laugh to the point of tears. How he’ll carry me on runs or make sure I eat. There is something special between us, and I won’t allow anyone to tarnish that. To speculate because my man is a bit grumpy. He is. But he is also caring, smart, funny, and passionate. I wish people saw what I get to see, but at the same time, I’m glad they don’t.
The real Riggs is all mine.
