Page 35 of Rival Hearts

“Anyway, when you two get married, you do have to let me be the maid of honor,” Brody said.

Jett choked on laughter. “Yeah right.”

“Oh, come on,” Brody said. “We both know that you don’t have actual friends to make into your bridesmaid.”

Jett gasped, mock offended, before she stuck her tongue out at her brother. “Fine,” she said, “but only if you wear a dress.”

“Okay,” Brody said with a completely serious expression on his face, “but you better know I’ll steal the show. I’m gonna rock that dress so hard all the girls will cry.”

Jett laughed and so did Riley. The idea was too funny. But she was also starting to get a little worried. Here Jett and Brody were talking about marriage and Riley didn’t even know where their relationship stood. Was that normal banter between siblings, or did Jett see more of a relationship with Riley than she let on?

Riley looked at Jett’s mom, who was watching her children argue and rolling her eyes. She caught Riley’s eye and smiled. “Just ignore them,” she said. “Those two are rarely ever serious.”

“Oh, I’m serious about this one,” Jett argued. “If I ever get married, I’m making him wear a dress.”

“I am also serious,” Brody said. “I’m going to look hot as fuck in said dress.”

Jett’s mom rolled her eyes again and looked back at Riley to smile again. She walked over to Riley, who was able to prepare herself for a hug this time. Jett’s mom’s hugs were definitely weaker than her brother’s, and it was a short hug, to Riley’s relief.

“It’s good to see you again, sweetheart,” Jett’s mom and Riley immediately understood where Jett got the calling her sweetheart thing from.

Riley smiled. “It’s good to see you again, too,” she said, and then looked back to Brody, who was still teasing Jett.

“Oh, and congratulations on the baby,” Riley said.

Brody stopped his smacking war with Jett and turned to Riley with a wide, happy, new-father smile. “Thanks,” he said. “She’s absolutely beautiful. Though it’s kind of crazy to realize that I’m now a dad. I had nine months to prepare and it still doesn’t feel real.”

Riley smiled as Brody reached for his phone and offered to show Riley some pictures of the baby, Emma, and she let him show her every picture he had taken—and there were a lot.

The baby was beautiful and although Riley wasn’t sure she was saying the right things, she did her best.

“Speaking of Emma…” Jett’s mom said after Brody finished showing Riley the pictures. “Hannah is in the living room right now, so why don’t we join them?” she asked and pointed through the glass patio doors to the living room where a young woman with long brown curly hair was holding an infant.

Brody saw his wife and his face lit up. “Good idea,” he said.

The four of them walked back inside and Becky looked up at them from the couch as Riley closed the patio doors behind her.

“It’s about time you two came back in,” Becky said. “What on Earth were you all doing?”

“Brody was showing Riley pictures of Emma,” Jett said.

Becky laughed and nodded. “Oh yeah, that’ll keep him going for a while.”

Riley walked over to where Hannah was standing, in order to introduce herself.

“Hi,” Riley said, a little nervous, “I’m Riley.”

“She’s Jett’sfriend,” Brody said.

Becky laughed and pointed at Jett. “See, even your brother sees it and you expect us not to?” she asked.

Jett’s face was burning bright red. “Oh, shut up.”

Riley was definitely unfamiliar with this kind of family dynamic—the close proximity, conversations, teasing, and telling one another off. She looked around at everyone else and they all seemed incredibly comfortable.

“It’s nice to meet you, Riley,” Hannah said. “I’m Hannah.”

Riley smiled and looked at the baby in Hannah’s arms. She gave the infant a tiny wave.

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