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“Here are the slices I saved for you,” Chloe was telling him as she lifted a paper plate loaded with pizza.
Vaughn seemed momentarily uncertain since his arms were currently full, so my cousin Teagan surged forward, her hands outstretched. “Ooh, I’ll hold the baby for you.”
I sighed as I strolled forward. “Have you just been waiting for the perfect opportunity to steal her from him?”
Teagan arched her eyebrows haughtily my way and hugged Ava close before confessing, “Hell, yes. Harper gets too jealous whenever I hold another baby around her. But since she’s with Mom and Dad right now, this might be my last opportunity to snuggle with Ava. Isn’t that right, precious?”
As she made a game of kissing my baby all over the face, I neared the dozen pizza boxes, only to find them all empty, save for a handful of crust wedges.
“Didn’t save any for me, huh?” I asked, lifting an eyebrow Chloe’s way.
She flushed as she sank her teeth into her own piece. “Sorry. I didn’t know you’d be here, and I promised Vaughn I’d hold some back for him.”
I sighed, trying to convince myself I wasn’t that hungry, anyway, even though my mouth was watering over the garlic and cheese aroma filling the air while everyone around me snarfed down their slices.
“Here, I have plenty,” Vaughn offered, lifting his plate to show me that Chloe had definitely kept her promise to him.
But dammit, he needed to stop being so amazing.
“Are you sure?” I asked warily, just knowing I would be in trouble of falling flat in love with him if we dared share a single plate of pizza together.
He nodded, taking a bite from one slice as he lifted his plate again in offering. And just like that, the spider had effectively bated the fly. I was hooked.
“Okay,” I murmured, feeling this trance-like pull as I moved toward him and lifted my hand to accept a piece of pepperoni and cheese.
But God, it tasted so good.
I moaned my approval and nodded my gratitude to him.
All the available seating in the yard had been taken so we just continued to stand there next to each other, eating in unison. I could tell the others were worn out after a day full of packing and moving. They weren’t their usual loud, rambunctious selves but more sedate and yawning, talking quietly in small groups.
I glanced around, strangely not weirded out by the fact that my life with these people had clashed with my growing friendship with Vaughn. He just seemed to merge well with them, as if he were already one of the gang.
When I spotted a kettle grill lying on its side with the legs and lid mangled and dented, I blinked in surprise. “Did a storm get a hold of your grill?”
Vaughn’s gaze strayed to his fallen cooker, where he nodded immediately and finished chewing before he wiped his mouth and answered. “Yep. A big one.”
I nodded too, feeling bad for him. “You know, I have a grill at my place if you ever want to use it.”
He coughed as if something was obstructing his airway, then, bobbing his head some more, he answered, “Thanks. I might just take you up on that.”
I squinted at him when he refused to look my way, and just as I started to wonder if he was blushing, Trick called across the yard.
“Hey, Chloe. I thought you said you broke up with that dude with the Mitsubishi.”
Standing on the other side of Vaughn, she lifted her face in surprise. “I don’t know if break up is the right word, exactly. We didn’t even go out enough times to technically be dating in the first place, but yeah… That’s over. Why?”
Trick shrugged. “No reason. I just swear I saw him drive by earlier.”
“What!?” That caused Chloe to frown hard. “Outside this house? Are you sure?”
“Yep.” Trick finished his slice of pizza and tossed the crust into a nearby empty box, which Luke snagged up and began to eat. “I don’t forget douched-out rides like that. I mean, he seriously tricked that poor car up with some truly tacky features.”
“But you’re sure he was the one driving?” Chloe insisted.
“I mean, yeah.” Trick lifted an uncertain hand, signaling that he wasn’t sure at all. “I waved at him, and he waved back.”
Chloe shuddered and hugged herself. “Creepy. I wonder if he knew I was here or if it was just a coincidence that he was driving by?”
