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“The spaghetti thing?” Remy glanced at Tempest in confusion, having no idea what Lexi was talking about.
“Yes, the spaghetti thing!” Tempest said enthusiastically, totally on board with the girl’s request. “Of course we can. That would be so fun!”
Young Ashley shouted out an excited yay, and while hopping from foot to foot, she clapped her hands merrily, capturing the attention of nearby tables, who turned their eyes to the little girl’s outburst to see what she was so thrilled about.
Tempest used a fork to pull a long strand of pasta from the tray, then lifted the noodle between herself and Remy. “This is how it goes,” she said, her eyes twinkling playfully as she explained. “We each take an end and eat the strand of spaghetti until we meet in the middle.”
He frowned, certain he’d misunderstood, but Tempest gave him a look that said just go with it while whispering, “Do not crush this little girl’s excitement by being a grumpy pants.”
At that moment, a song began to play from someone’s phone, reverberating throughout the silent hall, and Remy realized that everyone was now watching him and Tempest, their anticipation nearly palpable.
“Why is that person playing that song?” he murmured, feeling as though he was being punked.
“It’s ‘Bella Notte,’” Tempest said, as if he should know what that meant. “They’re setting the mood for the spaghetti scene between Lady and the Tramp.”
Okaayyy. Not wanting to disappoint the little girl, who was waiting and watching so avidly, Remy accepted one end of the noodle between his lips, while Tempest did the same. And while he stared into her dancing, mischievous eyes that did crazy things to his heart, they both started nibbling toward the middle, where their last bite was met by the touching of their lips in a soft kiss that probably lingered longer than it should have.
Everyone clapped and cheered, and when Tempest pulled away, a telltale blush swept across her cheeks. The whole thing was ridiculous as far as Remy was concerned, but the adults and children loved the moment, and Tempest curtsied and played it off by laughing. Remy smiled at her and chuckled, too, before catching sight of Maddux, who was standing in the doorway leading to the kitchen, watching the two of them with a frown on his face and his arms folded across his chest.
After a few long moments, Maddux finally walked away, and for some reason, the very short encounter made Remy uneasy.
Another hour and a half passed before people started to leave for the evening, until the hall was empty once again. The six of them helped clean up the area, tossing trash and carrying things back into the kitchen that needed to be washed. With everyone else otherwise occupied, Maddux walked up to Remy and nodded his head toward a side door that led to the back area of the building.
“Got a minute to talk?” the other man asked.
Since Maddux had witnessed that spaghetti kiss between him and Tempest, Remy could easily guess what the topic of this conversation was going to be. As much as Remy wanted to avoid the discussion, he was man enough to look Tempest’s older brother in the eyes and face the music, so to speak.
“Sure,” Remy replied, and followed Maddux out the door, to a concrete area that immediately lit up with a motion-detecting light when they stepped outside. There were a coup
le of chairs set up, but Remy remained standing, as did Maddux.
The other man glanced at him, his expression surprisingly relaxed. “How is everything going on the Wilder Things project?”
“Really well.” They were only a few weeks into the construction, which Maddux probably already knew, but Remy appreciated the casual business talk. “It helps that your sister has a clear vision of what she wants.”
“She always has.” A proud smile tipped the corners of Maddux’s mouth before his gaze turned more direct. “And what about you? Do you have a clear vision of what you want?”
There were two very different ways for Remy to answer Maddux’s question, and he had no idea which direction to take. “Excuse me?”
“When it comes to my sister,” the other man said, getting right to the point of his interrogation. “Do you have a clear vision of what you want?”
Remy shoved his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. “I’m not sure what you mean?”
“Do I look stupid to you?” Maddux arched a dark brow. “I’ve watched you and Tempest interact over the past few hours, and I’ve seen the way you look at her when you think no one is around. More to the point, I see the way she looks at you. Clearly, there is something more going on between the two of you than a signed contract. Are you dating my sister?” he asked more bluntly.
Remy wasn’t going to lie to a man he considered a good friend. “Yes.”
“And what are your intentions?” Maddux asked.
The question seemed so antiquated, but the other man obviously wasn’t joking. His expression was serious, his concern for his sister unmistakable.
“I like and care about your sister very much,” Remy replied honestly. “We’re enjoying each other’s company for now.”
“For now?” Maddux repeated in a flat tone. “Is she just a temporary itch you’re scratching?”
Jesus Christ. Remy met Maddux’s gaze, really trying not to offend the other man. “With all due respect, I’m not sure our relationship is any of your business.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Lowell.” Maddux’s gaze narrowed in on Remy. “Tempest is my baby sister, who I raised, so it’s very much my business. The last thing I want to see is Tempest getting hurt.”
