Upside Down (Breaking the Rules #3) - A.M. Madden Page 0,7

of my frat brothers, dared by his girlfriend. A few more stolen moments with a friend of a friend during a party. Each time, I’d felt no different than any other sexual encounter I’d had with a woman. It had been nothing more than a physical act while under the influence. It hadn’t been earth-shattering. And it most definitely hadn’t been an “aha” revelation that I was gay.

“Hey,” Sam said before plopping down on the lounge Ricky had vacated with his own beer in hand. He stared at me and frowned. “You okay?”

“Yep.” The rest of the beer slid down my throat, and I said, “I can’t believe you’re finally marrying Lydia.”

“Me too. It’s been quite a tumultuous journey.”

“But worth it.” I tilted my now-empty bottle toward him and waited for him to tap it with his. “To one hundred years of happiness for you guys.”

“And to you finding what we have someday very soon,” he added with a second tap.

“Eh, not sure that will happen. Maybe I should become a man-whore like you used to be. Sounds fun.”

“Or a comedian… asshat.” I watched his amused profile as he stared at the ocean. “You’re just looking too hard. They say when you stop searching, it suddenly appears.”

“Who’s they?” I teased. “Are you now part of some romance cult I’m not aware of?” He laughed out loud as I added, “Let’s not forget it wasn’t long ago when you swore that you’d never get married or even fall in love again.”

“Yeah, well… I was a cynical dumbass. If it can happen for me, it most definitely can happen for you, Coop.”

“If not, then I’ll just be the fun uncle to all the minions that you guys populate the earth with,” I joked, while deep in my core failing to see the humor.

Chapter Three

Cooper

“Coop!”

Sam and I swung our gazes to see our sister soaring across the deck as though she had taken flight. “Oh my God. I missed you so much!” she shrieked as I stood to greet her, and through an oomph and a chuckle, I caught her midair.

“Me too, Becks,” I said, rocking her from side to side. With each sway, her hold tightened around my neck. “But Becks?”

“Yeah?”

“You’re choking me.”

A sweet giggle followed as she released me just a smidge. “Oh, sorry.”

“I didn’t get that reception,” Sam griped.

I lowered my sister until she had footing on the highly polished teakwood. She twisted her head and snapped, “You shouldn’t have been so mean to me growing up.”

“Touché,” he countered without argument.

Rebecca and I always had a very special connection. It was true: being born a year apart had Sam and Becks butting heads for most of their childhood. And because our two older siblings were in their own worlds, that naturally made me the mediator between them. But I was also Becks’s protector, confidant, and, until Ricky had come along, best friend.

She had been so busy lately we rarely talked for more than a few minutes a day. I got that being a wife and mother, all while running a luxury yacht, kept her life hectic, but I selfishly missed our connection.

I took a moment to study my sister. Now pregnant with her second, she looked tired but still beautiful. “How are you feeling, Becks?” I asked with a smile.

“Ready for this kid to get here already,” she said, confirming my suspicions. At least she and Marco were on land more than sea these days. Now that Antonio was walking, having a toddler on a ship wasn’t ideal, and another on the way made living on a ship even harder. They’d sold their condo, bought a home in Fort Lauderdale, and finally begun delegating to their crew. But their home base being so far from Jersey, coupled with my school schedule, kept me from visiting them as much as I would like.

“Well, you look gorgeous.” Once we returned on Thursday, I planned on spending a few more days with Rebecca and Marco before heading back to Jersey until the semester was over in early May. I planned to spend the summer with her in Florida. She’d be in the home stretch by then, and I wanted to be there for the birth. “You’re barely showing. What are you, six months already?”

“Only five! I popped so much sooner this time.” She looked down and rubbed her little bump. “It’s going so fast. I’m trying to enjoy the changes, but Antonio keeps me very busy. Wait until you see how tall he