Getting up, he kisses my cheek.
“I’ll come up and see you before bed.” I affectionately pat his cheek.
I eat my own slice of pizza, which has cooled considerably.
Kit gets up from the table and gets another beer from the fridge. He brings the bottle of wine, topping my glass off.
“Thanks.” I smile at him, and then it fades a little. “Why didn’t Jett call me to tell me he’d made the team?”
“He wanted to wait until he saw you.”
“Right.” I blow out a breath. “I wish I’d been home earlier to hear about it.” I feel a little deflated, hating that I’m not always here for this stuff and that Kit is.
From the day I found out I was pregnant, Kit took care of me. The day Jett was born, Kit became the father figure in his life, and he’s been here ever since.
I will forever be indebted to him for that.
When Jett was a baby, I knew I wanted to give him everything in life that Kit and I never had. So, I made the decision to go to college, then university. Being a single mother didn’t make that easy, so between Kit and me, we’ve raised him, and as the years have gone on, the daily demands of my job have meant that Kit’s around for the important school stuff, more than I am,
“So, are you coming to celebrate with us this weekend, or do you have a hot date?” I tease my brother.
He’s a serial dater. Actually, dater is probably being generous. He can barely stick with the same girl for longer than a day. Not that I’m anyone to judge. I haven’t had a serious relationship, in…well, ever. And I’ve never been in love. Not the real kind.
My extensive psychological training could tell you exactly why Kit and I are the way we are when it comes to relationships, but I’d rather not delve into my own psyche, or my brothers for that matter.
“I don’t date, Indy. You know that.” He gives me a cheeky grin.
“Maybe you should try it and get a steady girlfriend?”
“Like you and Dr. Dull?” He takes a sip of beer.
I frown at him.
Dr. Dull—I mean, Dan is the guy I’m currently dating. I’ve been seeing him for two months. Kit doesn’t think much of him.
“I really wish you wouldn’t call him that.” I sigh. “Jett calls him that now because of you.”
“Jett calls him that because Dan is dull as fuck.”
“Jett hasn’t met him, so he has no clue that Dan is dull—I mean, if he is dull or not!” I bite.
Laughter bursts from Kit.
“And he’s not! He’s not dull at all,” I say, defensively folding my arms. “He’s quite interesting in fact.”
“Oh, yeah?” Kit’s brow lifts. “Then, tell me one interesting fact about him.”
Shit.
Come on, India. There’s got to be something interesting about Dan…
“He, erm…he’s, um…”
With his satisfactory win, Kit’s smirk deepens as his arms fold over his chest, leaning back in his chair.
Kit will not win this.
Dan is not dull. He’s nice. Good. Safe.
“He likes…watching Breaking Bad.” I give a satisfactory look, picking up my slice of pizza and taking a bite.
“Wow. Jesus, I was so wrong about him, Indy. The guy lives on the edge.”
I flip him the bird. “Stop being an arse.”
Kit chuckles. “You can do better than him.”
“Dan’s nice to me.”
“So is the postman.”
“The postman? What the hell are you talking about?” I exclaim, puzzled.
“I’m talking about you playing it safe with Dr. Dull. I get it, Indy. I do. You were burned badly, but it was a long time ago. And I want you to be happy. You’re not happy with dating dull fucks like Dan.”
“I appreciate your concern, but I’m happy as I am.”
“You’re safe and comfortable.”
“And what’s wrong with safe and comfortable?” I frown.
“It’s boring.”
“Yeah, well, look what happened to me the last time I chased excitement.”
“I know.” He blows out a breath, like he’s breathing out the past. “But that was thirteen years ago. You’re a different person now. And you can do way better than Dr. Dull, Indy. You deserve better.”
I don’t know why, but a flash of Leandro Silva’s face passes through my mind.
Brushing it aside, I stare at my brother. My heart swells for him even though he’s irritating me with his interference in my love life, but I know he does it because he cares about me.
“I know you’re only looking out for me. But what I have with Dan works—”
“What you have is boredom.” He grins, back to playful.
I give him the middle finger again.
“Anyway, what about you?” I lean forward, wrapping my hands around my glass.
He’s fine with commenting on the men I date, but at least I date. What he does barely constitutes as dating.
He’s never had a steady girlfriend. Sometimes, a part of me worries that’s because of Jett and me.
“What about me?” He tips his bottle back, taking a drink.
“Why haven’t you settled down?”
“Have you seen me? There’s too much good here not to share it.”
My brother is a good-looking bastard, and he knows it. But he’s also a great person with an amazing heart, and I just wish he’d share that with someone.