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The woman—Margie's—face softened. “Oh, honey, I'm so happy to hear that.”
Lexi's head bobbled, unruly curls going everywhere, as she nodded. “Yeah. He pays with me and colors and cooks good food.” She leaned closer to Margie’s ear in an attempt to whisper. “Better den Daddy and Nana.”
Margie smiled over at me. “He does, does he? No surprise with your father”—said father scowled in her direction—“but your grandma’s a great cook so that’s saying something.”
Lexi squirmed, and Margie deposited her into her chair. “Yep, so yummy, but dis is pizza night.”
“Yes,” I said. “Please sit. There’s plenty.”
Margie shook her head. “No, thank you. We had dinner before we came.”
George rubbed his hands together briskly. “Not that we’re not happy to join you. I'll never say no to a slice of pizza.”
Margie snorted. “No, you really won’t.”
Kevin huffed.
Picking up a paper plate, I laid two pieces on one for myself. “I'll take this up to my room so you guys can visit.”
Responses came at me from all directions. “Where you goin’, CJ?”
“No, please stay.”
“But I was looking forward to getting to know you.”
But the response that meant the most, the one that set butterflies fluttering in my belly, came from the man who'd stolen my heart. “Why would you go upstairs? This is your home. If anything, George should leave.”
Before I could respond, George wadded up a napkin, throwing it across the table at Kevin. “Why you picking on me? And why does Margie get to stay?”
Kevin picked up his slice and said, “Because I like her better.” Then he took a large bite of his slice.
Lexi peered at her dad through narrowed eyes. “Dat not very nice, Daddy.”
I dropped my head, shaking it slowly and gazed up at Kevin from under my lashes. “No, Kevin. It’s really not. We need to set a good example for our girl.”
A sharp inhalation of breath sent my attention back to Margie. “Are you okay?”
She gave me a shaky smile, but George smirked at Kevin like the cat who caught the canary and rubbed a circle between his wife's shoulder blades. “She’s fine. No worries here.”
Confused, I turned back to Kevin, whose cheeks had gone a delicate pink. “What just happened? I feel like I'm missing something.”
George pulled out a chair for his wife and settled her into it, then sat down next to her and grinned at me, wiggling his eyebrows. “Nope.” He popped the P like a teenage boy. “I’m pretty sure you've been here for every second.”
Sudden clarity dawned inside of me. Holy shit, George and Margie knew about my hook-up with Kevin, and I’d just called Lexi our girl. I was too busy curiously watching Kevin’s reaction to be embarrassed by it, though.
“It’s awfully cozy in here. And our girl says it’s pizza night. It’s just so…domestic.”
“Shut it, George,” Kevin muttered, before shoving another huge bite into his mouth.
Margie raised her hand up to cover her mouth and nose and pretended she was sniffing, but we all knew she was giggling.
“What's wrong, Aunt Margie? You have cold?”
Margie cleared her throat, then dropped her hand and reassured Lexi, “No, honey. I'm fine. Uncle George was just being silly, and he made me laugh.”
George crossed his arms over his barrel chest and leaned back all kinds of smug. “I'm just keeping it real.”
Kevin groaned, keeping his attention focused entirely on his meal. I felt like I was at a tennis match, my head, going from man to man to see what would happen or what would be said next. George winked at me, but Margie drew my attention. “Ignore them, CJ. Tell me a little bit about yourself. How did you become a manny?”
