“Oh, that’s so special.” Chev brings another dish of food to the table, filled with sausages and grilled tomatoes. “Westley’s a wonderful cook. He always helped me in the kitchen as a child.”
“He helped us make your fairy bread cookies a few weeks ago,” I say as Westley hands a steaming hot mocha to me.
“Did he now?” Chev’s face lights up as she watches Westley take the seat beside me. “That recipe—” She stops abruptly,brows furrowed at the mug in my hands, midway to my mouth. Her head whips to her son with an unimpressed purse of her lips. “Westley Kade. What are you doing giving her that mug?”
I look down, startled by big black text that saysI have a big, with a cartoon rooster underneath it.
Aurora and Chris muffle their laughter, and I’m sure my cheeks turn as red as the tomatoes being served.
“Oh my god!” I hiss at West.
“What?” He shrugs. “It was in her cupboard.”
Chev’s shoulders slump forward, with a resigned sigh. “It was a gag gift.”
The table is silent for all of three seconds before Westley, Chris, and I burst into laughter.
“Ohhh, not like that!” Chev cries. “I got it at a friend’s sexy sixty birthday party.”
“Sounds like a fun party.” I laugh.
Chev’s hands clutch her pink cheeks. “I’m so embarrassed. Westley!” She scolds her son with a playful hit to his shoulder.
“No need to be embarrassed on my account. I’m not sure how much Westley’s told you about me,” I say, my heart in my throat as I prepare myself for how they may react to my line of work.
“He’s been rather secretive, actually.” Chev sends a coy smile to her son.
“I work at a beauty salon five days a week,” I say as Westley picks up my plate and starts piling it with a bit of everything. “And twice a week, I dance at a club called The Matchbox.”
“What kind of dancing do you do?” Chev asks.
My hand spins over my bracelets, where they’re hidden under the table, as I try to read Westley’s face for a hint of how much I should reveal.
“It’s an adult entertainment club,” he says.
I offer a thin-lipped smile, my appetite for the food West just placed in front of me completely gone. “There’s all sorts of dancing at the club, but I’m mostly on the pole.”
“I hear that’s actually quite a bit harder than it looks,” Chev says, reaching for her coffee mug. “Takes a lot of muscle.”
I feel my stomach relax from the tension that was wound tight. From the minute we walked in, Westley’s parents have been warm and welcoming, their house full of love and honour for their family. It’s the complete opposite of what I had growing up.
“It definitely keeps me strong,” I smile as I feel a large palm glide over my thigh, giving a gentle squeeze.
“Where was it you two met?” Chris asks.
“Outside of a coffee shop, and then it turned out we were neighbours,” I say, smiling over at West, finding his attention already on me.
Chev gasps, touching a hand to her heart. “What a small world! Are you new to Heart City?”
“Yes. Aurora and I have always moved quite a bit, actually, but we decided to settle in Heart City for her scholarship.”
Chris blows into his mug. “Where have you lived before here?”
“All over Australia. We started in Port Yarra, though.”
“Is that where the rest of your family is?”
“My parents, yes, but we don’t have anything to do with them.”
