Page 43 of Sterling Heat

In answer to Stone’s question, I hadn’t planned on sticking around for the game, hoping that once I put in a presence and grabbed a quick burger, I could skip out on family time and maybe meet up with Enya at the hospital. I needed an Adara fix. Almost more importantly, I needed to see Enya. Since our near-kiss at midnight, we’ve slipped by one another without crossing paths despite the close proximity of my apartment and the bakery. We need to talk and I can’t believe I’m thinking such a thing.

Now, I was roped into an entire afternoon with my family, taking their razzing about a woman living in my apartment and my fake-daddy status.

“So,” Knox nudges me while we stand near the grill watching Stone flip burgers. “Bag the babe yet?”

“Dude,” Clay groans.

“There are so many things wrong with that question. First, the nineties called and want their language back.” I wrinkle my nose. “Next, I’m not bagging anyone.” And last, how does he know Enya is a babe?

Knox shrugs. “Saw her at the Seed and Soil a few times. She’s hot.”

“Oh yeah, speaking of S and S.” I turn on Clay. “Why didn’t you ever mention you were being audited?” And had a hot as fuck accountant working for you.

Clay chuckles. “That was months ago, and I sent you the quarterly reports.”

Which I typically don’t read. I don’t care how the Seed and Soil is doing. I accept my dividends but don’t pay them much attention as they drop directly into my account.

“That report might have forgotten a detail or two.” I tip up my non-alcoholic beer eyeing my brother over the lip of the bottle.

Clay laughs again, flashing his dimples. “Didn’t know I was supposed to state a smokeshow was working for us.”

Enya is hot, but I’m kind of irritated that Clay noticed. “Did you hit on her?”

Knox chokes on his beer. Clay smacks our brother’s back while answering me. “No, we had a professional relationship. She worked more closely with Judd.”

“Speaking of Judd, where is he today?” Vale asks, coming up to Stone with a plate of hot dogs.

Stone shakes his head while Knox groans. “He’s with Heather.”

Heather Remington is a real socialite, as far as small towns have them. Her daddy owns a set of car dealerships throughout Milton County and somehow Judd has gotten tangled up with Remington Automotive’s princess. Little did her daddy know that what sold his cars might not be what’s beneath the hood but his daughter laying herself out on top of them.

My family is not a fan and surprised that Old Man Remington allows his daughter near a Sylver. We are definitely not royalty around here. Of the bunch, Judd might be considered the smartest, though.

“God, I hope he doesn’t ask her to marry him,” Knox mutters.

“That’s not nice,” Vale scolds.

“She isn’t exactly nice,” Clay grumbles.

“Still, if Judd likes her, we need to accept her.” Vale’s fierce statement has me wondering if my family would like Enya. I nearly laugh at the thought. They’d eat her and Adara up.

“Speaking of acceptance, I’m real disappointed that you didn’t bring Enya with you today,” Vale turns on me. “Heard you two are becoming quite the friends.”

Not only did Vale bring Enya clothes, but she had visited the hospital again to drop off a baby gift. She couldn’t see the baby, but she met Enya in the family waiting area where extended family can hang out and support moms and dads who visit their newborns.

Each time I pass through the room I’m reminded that Enya doesn’t have anyone. Her parents haven’t come to the hospital. I don’t even know if they talk. I kind of can’t wait for Enya’s sister, Cadence, to arrive so Enya has someone in her corner.

Well, someone besides me, but I’d happily fill all her corners if she needed me.

“Heard you were spreading gossip about us,” I quip, reminded that Knox called Enya my baby mama and he’d heard things from our sister.

“Not gossip.” Vale shrugs. “I like her. And I know how hard it is to be a single mom.” My sister was married for a short time. Her husband wasn’t great, and he relinquished all rights as a father when he moved away to work on an oil rig.

Stone’s head pops up at Vale’s words. “You aren’t alone, though.” Our eldest brother came through again, taking care of our sister when she was young, newly divorced, and a new mother.

Serving time when Hudson was born, I’d been MIA when she needed me.

“I know, which makes me feel even more compassion for Enya.” Vale squints at me. “Her parents haven’t even called to check on the baby.”