Running into Love
Page 36

“Thanks,” I say, giving him a smile that he returns. Dinner is awkward, but not for my family or anyone else, really. No, it’s just awkward for me, because almost since the moment everyone came back from watching the parade, Lucas’s wife, Eva, has been talking about Levi’s ex-fiancée, Heather, who is apparently amazing—and moving into the city in a few weeks to work for some magazine. I thought when I met Eva this morning that she was nice, but it turns out I was wrong—very wrong. She’s catty and a total bitch, and I seriously don’t get why Lucas is with her when he seems so down-to-earth and sweet. Plus, the way he is with his daughter is adorable.
“Should I give Heather your new number?” Eva asks, and I feel Levi tense next to me as my own body goes rigid.
“Why on earth would Levi want to talk to her?” Cole asks. Ruby puts her hand on top of his on the table.
“Just drop it,” Lucas says quietly, and Eva looks at him.
“What? I was just wondering. She’s going to be new to the city, just like he was, and it would be nice if she had someone to show her around,” she says, and Levi’s hand that has been on my thigh since the moment we sat down tightens, like he’s afraid I’m going to get up and take off. Which I might.
“I don’t want to speak to her. I don’t want anything to do with her,” Levi states in a low, deep rumble, and I can tell he’s trying to keep control over his tone.
“I just . . . You two were good friends before you got together,” Eva says, looking at him. I bite my lip because his hold on me has tightened almost painfully.
“Eva, now is not the time for this discussion,” Lisa, who is glaring at Eva, states. Pulling my eyes from them, I look around at my family, who are spaced throughout the tables, and feel my face heat when I realize they all have their eyes on me with varying looks of anger and pity. I don’t know what to do in this situation, but I do know that if I open my mouth and say what I want to say to Eva, Levi and his family will probably never speak to me again.
“Fine.” She lets out a little huff before picking at the minuscule amount of food she put on her plate. Dropping my eyes to my own plate, I try to eat, but every bite tastes like cardboard and I have to force it down.
“So, Fawn, Levi said you’re a teacher. What grade do you teach?” Ruby asks, and I reluctantly look at her.
“Fifth grade. Most of my students are ten and eleven,” I say, attempting to smile.
“I wanted to be a teacher, but then Allison and I got into baking, one thing led to another, and our baked goods took off, so I dropped out of college to open a bakery with my sister.”
“Well, the cake you made for my birthday was delicious, so I think you made the right move,” I say, meaning that, and she smiles softly.
“Thanks.”
“So how did you guys end up dating brothers?” I’ve wanted to ask since the moment I found out she and Allison are sisters, but I regret asking almost immediately, knowing it’s none of my business and probably sounds rude. “Sorry, ignore me—my filter doesn’t always work.”
“It’s fine.” She laughs. “I met Cole first when he came into the bakery to put in an order for a cake for his mom’s birthday, and we exchanged numbers that day,” she says.
“She fell in love with me on the spot,” Cole says, and she smiles at him.
“I did,” she agrees, then she looks at Cooper and Allison. “Cooper came in to pick up the cake since Cole couldn’t, and that’s when he met Allison.”
“I thought he was a jerk,” Allison chimes in, and I grin at her. “He was totally arrogant.” She shakes her head, then smiles as he leans over to kiss the side of her head.
“So how did you two end up together, then?” Libby asks, looking between the two who are very obviously in love.
“We were forced to be around each other since our siblings were in love, then one thing led to another.”
“She was secretly in love with me the whole time and just playing hard to get,” Cooper says.
Allison mutters, “That’s partly true,” with a smile on her face that says it’s really very true.
“That’s awesome.” I smile at them, then look over at Mac and Libby, who are talking quietly. I can’t make out what they are saying, since they are down at the other end of the table, but I can tell Mac is annoyed. Mac hasn’t been herself since Wesley got here, and I swear there was a moment of recognition when Levi introduced them—not that Mac will tell me if she knows Wesley or not. She’s been a closed book lately, which is really damn annoying, especially since she’s been all up in my business about Levi, though I did overhear Libby asking her about some guy she was seeing or sleeping with. I’m not sure which, since I was trying to listen through the door when they were talking.
“So Ruby and Allison run a bakery. What about you, Eva? What do you do?” Mom asks, and Eva sits up straight in her chair.
“I don’t work, I’m a full-time mom,” she says, and I swear I hear either Allison or Ruby snort.
“That’s the hardest job in the world,” Mom says quietly, and Eva nods, but her eyes narrow when Madeline giggles and Libby laughs. Madeline insisted on sitting next to Libby when we were setting the table, because apparently they hit it off when they were out at the parade and sightseeing. Looking at my sister, I watch her make a face at the little girl that makes her giggle again. Libby has always had a way with kids, especially little girls, because they are all about the color pink, hair, and makeup, just like she is.
“Madeline, you know better than to play at the table,” Eva says, and her daughter looks at her with wide eyes. Libby bristles next to her and shoots daggers at her mom.
“Sorry, Mom.”
“She’s fine,” Lucas says, and Eva turns her head to glare at him.
“It’s not fine, she knows better.”
“Jesus,” Lucas growls as his jaw tightens.
“I’m going to go get the desserts and bring them over,” I announce, probably a little too loudly as I stand quickly and look around the table. I need to get out of here for a few minutes. I need to get away from everyone before I say something to Eva that I will regret.
“I’ll help,” Libby says as she pushes away from the table.
“Me, too.” Mac stands and without a backward glance I head for Levi’s apartment for the pies and cakes Allison and Ruby brought over.
“Oh my god, that chick is just awful,” Libby mutters shutting Levi’s front door as I walk across his apartment to his bedroom, where Muffin has been most of the day. She’s done much better with the men around, but I haven’t wanted to risk her getting out by accident.
“This whole day is awful,” I say under my breath. My family showed up, Levi’s family showed up, I almost ruined the turkey, I found out the guy I’m falling in love with had a fiancée at one time, I found out the ex-fiancée is moving to the city, and to top it all off, Eva is a bitch. I want to go home and crawl into bed with a book, but unfortunately that isn’t possible, seeing how everyone is sitting in my apartment.
“Are you okay?” Mac asks as I take a seat on the couch with Muffin, wondering if anyone would notice if I disappeared to take her for a walk—for a couple of hours.
“Yep, fabulous.”
“Liar.” She shakes her head as she takes a seat next to me. “Talk to me, what’s going on?”
“You want to talk? Let’s talk about why it looked like you know Wesley,” I say, raising a brow and she looks away from me.
“You’re right, we don’t need to talk.”
“I give up.” I shake my head at her while I stand.
“Where are you going?” she questions, watching me attach Muffin’s leash to her collar.
“I’m taking Muffin out for a walk. Can you and Libby take the desserts over to my apartment and tell everyone I’ll be back in a bit?”
“Sure,” Mac agrees softly. I look to Libby, who has a fork in her hand and is digging into one of the pies.
“Yeah,” Libby says, chewing and swallowing. “But do you think Levi’s going to be happy about you just taking off?”