“Hey, loser.” Reed’s voice snaps me back into reality and tears my gaze from the guy I shouldn’t have been staring at in the first place. But he was staring at me too. Wasn’t he? I glance once more at the pool but Luke’s back is to me as he plays with Nolan. “I’m gonna head out.”

I turn my attention back to Reed. “What? No, you’re not. Mia hasn’t even opened her gifts yet.”

“And?” he asks, pulling out his phone and messing with it. “Your mom thinks I’m some chick, apparently. I’d rather get the hell out of here before she has me on dish duty.”

I step into him, and jab my finger against his chest. “You’re not going anywhere. Not until Mia opens her gifts.” I turn my head, seeing Mia and Ben talking with a few of my cousins. Reed tries to move past me but I slam my hand against his chest and halt him mid-step.

“Hey, Mia! Let’s open your gifts now and then we’ll play some games.”

She acknowledges me with a smile and hands her plate off to Ben before beginning to walk over.

Reed drops his head so that his face is in my hair. “I’m not playing any fucking baby games,” he firmly whispers.

I glare up at him. “You’re playing all of them. Or did you forget two weeks ago when I pretended to be your wife to get that chick away from you at McGill’s?” The memory returns to him and he drops his head in defeat, uttering a muffled curse.

Reed is notorious for picking up girls at bars around Ruxton. He never seems to have any difficulty either. But two weeks ago, he met a major clinger at McGill’s who started talking about how she believed in love at first sight. Or more specifically, love at first sight with Reed. He’d texted me to bail him out when she wouldn’t pick up on the uninterested vibe he was throwing her way. So I’d swooped in, begging him to not give up on our marriage, and put on a good show for everyone watching.

He didn’t get laid that night, but he also didn’t wind up with a Grade A-stalker.

I tap him on his shoulder and he lifts his head. “Yeah, you owe me. I’m still disinfecting my mouth out from that kiss.”

“You liked it,” he states, the smile he reserves only for women, returning. I’m sure that works on the general population of Alabama, but it’ll never work on me. Reed is permanently in the friend zone, where he belongs. I adore him, but strictly in the “I have no desire to see you naked” sort of way.

I push him toward the house. “You wish. Go grab me a notepad from inside.”

He walks away laughing as Mia joins my side. “Ready?” she asks, her smile contorting as she holds on to her belly. I tense, looking over at Ben and then back at her. She shakes her head and blows out a breath forcefully. “Indigestion. I’ve been getting it a lot lately.”

I relax my shoulders, grabbing her hand and walking to the gift table. “Please wait until after the shower to have the baby. My mom will lose her shit if you don’t get to eat the cake she slaved over all morning.”

She sits in the lawn chair I’ve decorated with streamers and balloons, her maternity dress stretching across her belly. “Oh, I’m definitely eating that cake, even if I have to take it with me to the hospital.”

I grab the gift that was delivered a few days ago. “Do you want to open your aunt’s gift first?”

She takes the gift from me, and places it in her lap, sighing. “I really wish she could’ve been here for this. I love that all your family is here, but… I don’t know. It would just be nice if she was here too.” Her eyes lose focus as she clutches the gift.

Mia’s aunt works weekends and didn’t have enough vacation time to take off for this, and the actual delivery. I know it kills her to not have the one connection to her mother here, but she’s always kept her sadness hidden for the most part. Until now.

I bend down, resting my hand on hers and bringing my face to her level. “I’m sorry she couldn’t be here. But she’s definitely coming when you have the baby. There’s no way she’s going to miss that.” Mia smiles, nodding. “Are you ready to start?”

She looks over my shoulder. “Nolan. Do you want to help me open my presents?”

“Oh, yeah!” he yells behind me.

I straighten as Reed comes over with a notepad and pen, holding it out to me. “This first gift is from Mia’s aunt,” I tell him, ignoring the task he’s trying to pass off.

He frowns, looking down at the notepad and then back at me. “Seriously? You’re making me do this?”

“Aww, thanks, Reed. That’s so sweet of you,” Mia says with a huge deliberate grin.

He moves to stand next to me, mumbling some response under his breath and he flips the notepad open.

“Here, buddy. Let me dry you off a little.” Ben wraps Nolan up in a towel, rubbing it over his wild hair. I see Luke emerge out of the water in my peripheral vision, but my eyes decide they want more than just a glimpse. My head turns to fully engage him when movement over his shoulder grabs my attention. My cousin Leah, who was firmly planted in a lawn chair on the other side of the pool moments ago, is now standing by a small table, covered in beach towels, readying one for Luke.

“No fucking way.” I’m moving before I even realize it, marching directly at my slutty cousin and beating Luke to the table. We don’t see much of each other. She’s only in town for the week, and we’ve always been friendly, but I will drop kick her in those fake tits if she thinks she has a chance here.