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“Yes.” I slid my hand along Catherine’s thigh beneath the table and settled on her knee. “I have to go to Dubai in a couple weeks.”
“How does that work?” Weston asked Catherine. “Will you go too?”
She leaned around me to address Weston. “Right now, it doesn’t make sense for me to travel with him. I’d have to take my nanny with me since I don’t have anyone else to watch Joey.”
Weston flicked a glance at me. “It’s a good thing your boss likes you.”
“If he didn’t, I would figure it out. But yeah, I’m pretty lucky Elliot likes me for many other reasons—especially since I like him so very much.”
Elise made a gasping kind of sigh, drawing my attention. She quickly clamped her mouth shut and shook her head. But it was too late. My sister was pleased at what Catherine had to say. It ran in the family because so was I.
Our food was delivered, and Catherine reached for Josephine, who was still hanging out with Miles.
“I’ll put her in her car seat so you can eat in peace,” Catherine offered.
Miles picked up his fork with his free hand. “Don’t worry about me. I’ve got this. I only need one hand to eat pancakes, but if I needed both, I’d keep her until you were done eating. You deserve a meal in peace.”
She hesitated then laughed a little. “Thank you, Miles. You actually sound just like Elliot. When we first went to stay with him, he held Joey while I had dinner and wouldn’t eat until I was done. It’s only been in the past few weeks I—”
She cut herself off when she noticed all eyes were on her.
“You’re living together?” Elise squeaked.
“What the fuck?” Luca hissed.
Catherine turned to me, panic in her wide eyes. Wrapping my arm around her shoulders, I dipped my head down to whisper in her ear.
“You did nothing wrong, sweetheart.”
Then I addressed the rest of the table. “Catherine and Jo are staying with me and have been for a couple months.”
Catherine was quick to add to my statement. “Elliot caught me at my worst. It’s so fudging embarrassing and a really long story. Basically, Joey’s dad left me in a major lurch. My house was almost unlivable, and I…well, let’s just say it was a bad situation. Elliot refused to let us stay there, so we’re living at his place temporarily.”
Silence followed for several moments. Elise, my favorite sister, was the first to break it.
“Well, of course he did. Elliot would take the shirt off his back for people who are important to him.” Elise patted Weston’s arm, no doubt sending a silent message to keep his mouth shut. He did, but I knew I’d be hearing from my oldest friend sooner than later. “I’m glad you’re in a safe place now, Kit.”
Saoirse angled toward me. “I’m miffed I’m still the only one who hasn’t been to your place.”
“Not the only one,” Miles chimed in. “I’m down for a house party at Elliot’s.”
I huffed a laugh. “Not happening.”
“My brother doesn’t enjoy parties,” Elise added.
“Untrue. Parties in places I can leave when I’m done are fine.” I stroked Catherine’s arm with my fingertips, more to calm myself than to comfort her. “We’ll have you over when I get back from my trip.”
“With a time limit?” Luca asked.
“Hell yes. If I don’t state an end time, I won’t be able to get rid of some of you.” I sent a pointed glare at Saoirse and Miles. They would be the ones I’d have to evict. Miles because I had the feeling he wouldn’t know when he had overstayed his welcome, and Saoirse would just stick around to fuck with me.
The rest of brunch went smoothly. The topic moved off Catherine and me to Saoirse and Miles’s business. Inevitably, Luca brought up his cat, and Miles informed everyone he was thinking about adopting a goldfish.
Eventually, plates were emptied, and the bill was paid. The three women went to the bathroom together to change Jo’s diaper, and the four of us ventured outside to wait for them by the fenced-off patio.
Miles addressed Weston. “I’m going over to Mom and Dad’s. Any interest in joining me?”
Weston grimaced. “Not the slightest. You should skip seeing them too for your own well-being.”
