Page 34 of Crazy In Love

“Got a few hours,” I lie. “It’s probably gonna be chilly out there. Do you have a sweater?”

“Oh…” Frowning, she glances over her shoulder. “No. I didn’t bring one from the apartment. Shoot.”

“Wake him up, and I’ll get you one of Tommy’s.” I hold her gaze for a moment more, absorbing her early-morning niceness, since I know she’ll return to her regular pain-in-the-ass self soon enough. Then, straightening my legs and maneuvering the gap between her, the couch, and the coffee table, I come out the other side and turn my slow walk to a sprint.

Sweater. Coffee. Car.

I race through the house and collect the things we need, draping a hoodie over my arm and pouring a to-go cup of coffee for the road, then returning to the living room less than a minute later, I stride in to find Franky still asleep.

Fuck it.

I flip the lights on and clap my hands.

“Wake up, Page!”

He shoots straight up on the couch, wild hair pointing in every direction and a nasty, mean scowl folding his lips down. “What the heck?”

“You’re a big brother, kiddo! Let’s go.”

ROUND ELEVEN

FOX

“You doing okay?” I glance across in the dark, but for the streetlamps above, as Chris pulls his truck off the road and into the hospital parking lot. We hit potholes and bounce, the squeak of the truck’s chassis the only sound we hear besides Franky’s mouth-breathing.

He’s nervous as hell, clutching the cute pink teddy he picked out for his sister with shaking hands and eyes that swing in every direction at once.

Iknowhe’s anxious. That much is expected.

But Chris… well, while I fully expected a mental breakdown due to his routine being tossed out the door anddifferentis in, he merely presents as cool and collected. He’s relaxed, if not a little eager and fidgety.

He grabs the keys from the ignition, fists them in his hand, and meets my eyes. Then his lips curl up, and his gaze drops to the hoodie he tossed in my face not ten minutes ago.

It’s wildly too big, and comfortable as hell, but best of all, the fabric on the inside is neither pilly, nor cheap. This is anicehoodie. Quality threads and an expensive finish. Which seems almost counterintuitive, considering it’s a Love & War gym-branded hoodie.

Surely, there was a cheaper option for them to offer their customers.

“I’m doing okay,” he murmurs over the top of Franky’s head. “Kinda excited to meet the baby. Do you know her name?”

“The baby’s? No.”

“Tommy and Alana said they picked it out ages ago, but they’re keeping it a secret.”

Together, we peer down at Franky.

He only shakes his head. “I don’t know it either. She’s just ‘the baby’. Do you think she’ll like the teddy I got her?” He lifts the stuffy, thoughtfully staring at its little black-thread eyes. “It’s kinda dumb, don’t you think?”

“No, honey. I think it’s wonderful.” Carefully, I take it in my hands and brush the silky fur back. It’s softer than a brand-new baby’s peach fuzz hair. And since I get the feeling Franky isn’t moving until I do, I turn and push my door open. I slide onto the blacktop and tuck a fraction of the bottom of Tommy’s hoodie into the top of my shorts.

If I don’t, people will think I forgot my pants.

“I think this bear is the greatest, most special gift your baby sister will ever receive.” I lean back into the truck and take Franky’s shaking hand in mine, gently tugging him my way, while on the other side, Chris opens his door and climbs out with a frown. “She’ll cherish it. I just know it. Not only because it was given to her the day she was born, but because it came fromyou.”

“Maybe she won’t even like it.” Dropping to his feet and closing the door, he takes the teddy again and stares down at it. “Maybe she’d prefer a different bear.”

“Or maybe she’ll be as obsessed with you as you already are with her?” I slip my fingers into his hair and tug him in until his shoulder tucks beneath mine and his cheek rests against the top of my ribcage. “When she’s the age you are now, you’ll be all grown up. Doesn’t that sound crazy?”

“Maybe she’ll think I’m too old to hang out with.”