Page 51 of Badd Daddy

“How should I? I ain’t never met her before.”

Sebastian laughed, scrubbing his stubble. “She’s famous, man. Like, household name famous.”

I looked at the four women, who were now standing in a circle of which Liv was the focal point, and realized I did recognize one of them.

“Ohhh, yeah. I remember, now. Your youngest brother, Xavier. He’s dating that actress.” I pointed at the one I recognized. “Her.”

Sebastian nodded. “Yeah. That’s Harlow. We all call her Low.” He pointed at the tiny blonde. “That’s Claire, obviously, by process of deduction. And, just so you know, Low and Xavier got engaged last week. Pretty big news in the entertainment world.”

I watched Liv engaging in a lively conversation, a can of…whatever she called it, something French sounding, in her hand. She had a huge grin on her face, and occasionally laughed at something one of the other women said.

“She’s a beautiful woman, Uncle Lucas,” Sebastian said.

I nodded. “That she is.”

“You guys dating?”

I shook my head. “We’re just friends.”

He glanced at me skeptically. “Just friends don’t go to family get-togethers together.”

I sighed. “I sort of didn’t tell her that’s what this was until just before we walked in.”

“And she’s still here?”

I shrugged, gesturing at her. “Obviously.”

“She digs you.”

I frowned at him. “Mind your business, son.”

He growled, a deep in his chest sound. “Not your son, Uncle Lucas. Don’t much care for that term.”

I held up my hands. “Just a phrase. Sorry.”

He was quiet a moment. “I have a lot of questions.”

I growled, sounding a lot like he had a moment before. “I guessed you would. This may not be the best time or place for that, though.”

He nodded. “Agreed. I’m just saying. My brothers and I…there’s a lot we don’t know. About you, about Dad. Mom.”

My sigh then was long, low, slow, and contained a note of pain audible even to me. “That there is a hell of a big topic, Sebastian.”

“Call me Bast. You’re my uncle. Only strangers call me Sebastian…and my wife if she’s pissed.”

I laughed at that. “Bast. Funny name.”

He rolled a heavy shoulder. “Xavier couldn’t say Sebastian when he was little, so he started calling me Bast, and it just stuck.”

I shoved my hands in the pockets of my shorts. “You guys have a good bunch of kids, here.”

Bast nodded. “Sure do. Dru’s at the tail end of her pregnancy, as a matter of fact. Doc says it could happen in the next week or ten days.”

My eyebrows lifted. “You’re havin’ a baby?”

He grinned. “Yep. She’s thirty-six weeks, and doc says she’s carrying a big ol’ baby boy, so they’re thinking they may induce her early just to make it easier.”

I felt a surge of guilt. “Damn. I didn’t even know.”