“Ofcourse, you are, darling. Just look at our chickadee. He’s positively love sick,” Pattie said, gesturing to where Daemon had curled his own hand over Liv’s, a look of unchecked adoration on his face.
Noah had to look away, the love burning in his soon-to-be brother-in-law’s face too much to take in all at once. He’d always felt sorry for men who looked like that, like their whole world began and ended with someone else. Noah knew the inevitable pain that awaited them—because some day, that world would end, and whoever was left behind to grieve would never be the same. But just then, watching the way his sister glowed under the attention, how in-sync the pair appeared, how helplessly smitten Daemon was… he couldn’t identify the feeling twisting in his stomach, making his throat tight.
Instead, he focused on pulling out Callie’s chair for her, on the goosebumps springing up on her skin as he tucked the tag peeking out from the top of her dress back behind the fabric, on the softness of that skin beneath his fingertips. He let his hand linger on her back as he took his seat beside her, his fingers gliding over smooth skin and the ends of her hair. Something primal stirred deep inside him when she shot a shy smile his way. He liked making her smile, more than he should. As he watched her, pieces of the conversation surrounding him filtered through his own thoughts.
“How long have you owned this place?” Maggie asked Jamie.
Jamie smiled. “Going on three years.”
Mrs. Cole reached across the table and tapped Callie’s hand. “Don’t slouch.”
Liam’s laughter rang out over the conversation as he wrapped his arms around Min from behind, his fiancée blushing in response to some joke Noah hadn’t caught.
“Oh, you’re even more trouble than Daemon!” Pattie said, playfully shoving Liam’s shoulder.
Mrs. Van Aller refilled her wine glass from the bottle on the table. “Liv, have you gotten your something blue—”
Beside Noah, a server appeared at the table. “Does anyone have any allergies or dietary restrictions?” she asked, straining to be heard over their raucous group. Noah seemed to be the only one who noticed her question.
“Hey, Liv,” Min called across the room, “what time are we meeting tomorrow?”
Liv called back, her response lost in the whirlwind of sound.
“I’m so glad you left your hair down, Calandria,” Mrs. Cole said as she dug into the breadbasket on the table.
Noah watched as Callie’s smile fell from her face, tension creeping into her shoulders.What’s that about?
“Allergies?” the server tried again.
Noah glanced around at the rest of their party, few of whom were paying attention to the server. Pattie seemed to shake her head; Daemon shrugged.
“I think we’re good,” he said with a sympathetic smile. The server, obviously relieved to be able to stop vying for the group’s attention, nodded and scurried away.
Mrs. Cole ran a finger through a loose strand of Callie’s hair, and her daughter’s lips pressed into a flat line. “No one can see that gorgeous hair when it’s all tied up in those braids you’re always wearing.”
“Braids are easier to manage,” Callie replied, her smile gone.
Mrs. Cole clucked her tongue in disapproval. “The way you talk, you’d think you were Rapunzel. It’s not that difficult to just leave your hair down.”
“It is for me. I don’t always have the energy to spend on something as insignificant as my hair.” Her fingers tightened around the stem of her water glass. Noah caught her other hand where it sat in her lap, squeezing lightly in solidarity.
“Being attentive to your appearance is not insignificant, dear. Your father—”
“—always preferred you wear your hair down. I know, Mom.”
“I’m sure Noah expects the young lady on his arm to keep up with her appearance. He has so manylovelylady friends, after all,” she said, her words venomous.
Noah turned a practiced smile to Mrs. Cole, the same one he’d used all his life to charm his way in or out of something distasteful. The blood was rushing in his ears, part absolute fury that Mrs. Cole would criticize Callie, that she’d suggest he might even consider being with another woman while he was dating her, and part something that demanded he make damn sure Callie knew how wrong her mother was.
“If I was that concerned about your daughter’s appearance, then I don’t think I would be the kind of person you would want in Callie’s life. She’s a beautiful woman, and that doesn’t change when she wears sweats or her hair is in braids. The way she looks isn’t even half of what makes her beautiful.”
“Hear, hear!” Liv said, raising her glass.
Noah turned to meet Callie’s startled gaze. The fact that his words had come as a surprise, that she didn’tknowthat he thought she was beautiful, hit him with an unexpected pang of guilt. He pressed his lips to her shoulder, planting a kiss beside the thin strap of her dress, and murmured against her skin, “You’re gorgeous, love. Always.”
He hadn’t meant to use the endearment, but he liked the way she beamed when the words left his mouth. He liked helping her see how fucking amazing she was.The same wayI like helping Livi to understand that she’s a rockstar.It was exactly the same thing. Right?
Jamie’s staff began bringing out plates as he explained to everyone about whatever soup was being placed in front of them. Callie squeezed Noah’s hand, and he raised it to his lips, brushing his mouth over her knuckles. He couldn’t help himself. He needed to keep touching her—and that was a dangerous impulse.
