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“It’s nice to meet you, Leah.” I extend my hand and she weakly takes my hand and shakes it with her fingertips. The oddest handshake I have ever experienced.
“Good to meet you.” Leah pushes her sunglasses further up her nose, covering most of her face, looking like a giant mosquito. And by this first impression, I wouldn’t mind swatting her away like one. “Are you one of Sarah’sSeattlefriends?”
“Leah, Cate is Theo’s girlfriend.” Sarah smiles at me and Leah’s jaw tightens.
“Theo’s girlfriend?”
The way she asks makes it seem like she doesn’t believe it, or she’s disgusted. Either way, it doesn’t sit well with me. My Latina blood starts to boil, and I open my mouth to spew some good old-fashioned put-a-bitch-in-her-place advice but swallow it. I might not be fond of Sarah’s sister, but I am very fond of Sarah. And by the irritation crossing Sarah’s face, I can tell she is not too pleased with her sister’s tone either.
“Yes,” I nod, tilting my head to the side. “I’m Theo’s girlfriend.”
“I didn’t know he was dating anyone.” Leah practically spits, crossing her arms over her nothing-to-write-home-about chest.
“I didn’t know Theo needed to inform you of who he was dating.” I pop a hip to the side.
I have a feeling she might catch these hands before the weekend is up.
“He doesn’t.” Sarah grits her teeth in Leah’s direction.
Leah seems to back down, but I can’t get a good read on her since she’s hiding her eyes behind those enormous and ridiculous sunglasses.
“Speak of the devil,” Leah flashes a smile over my shoulder. “How have you been, stranger?” She swishes past me and when I follow her path, I see her beelining for Theo. She hugs him and slowly strokes her fingers down his tattooed arm.
There ain’t no way this mosquito looking heifer thinks she is about to disrespect me.
It doesn’t matter that Theo and I are technically fake dating. The fact she has been told, by her own sister of all people, that I am Theo’s girlfriend, and she still shamelessly goes out of her way to flirt andTOUCHhim.
My eyes shoot to Theo’s face. He isn’t smiling but he’s not swatting her away either.
“Shameless,” Athena’s hiss slices through my murderous thoughts and I jump. I don’t even know when she and Tess joined me in my bubble of destruction. “Has she no respect?”
Tess nudges me with her hip. “Don’t you pay her any mind.”
“She’s no threat to you, darling,” Athena quickly adds, squinting Leah’s direction, although her back is to us and she doesn’t see it.
“It seems like she’s fond of my boyfriend.” I snort, surprised with how jealous and territorial I am over someone who isn’t actually mine to begin with.
“Theo went out with her a few times when she was visiting Sarah in Seattle. Nothing came of it.” Tess shrugs and places her sunglasses on top of her head.
This new revelation stings. Of course, Theo has a past but for some reason picturing him and Leah together makes me physically ill.
“Did he…” I clear my throat. “Did they date for a long time?”
“Theo honestly only took her out because Caleb and Sarah asked him to.” Tess whispers so only Athena and I can hear. “She was getting on Sarah’s nerves, and they thought if they could get her out of their house for a couple of nights during her visit that it would give them some peace. Caleb especially can’t stand her.”
“But…” I stop.
Athena hooks her arm around mine and forces me to look her in the eye. “You think my son has eyes for her?”
“No, I … I mean, I don’t know… I -”
She interrupts me. “No, darling. His eyes are for you. We ignore those who bear us no threat. She is no threat.”
And I believe her. Or at least, I want to. I look back over at Leah talking to Theo. But instead of him looking at her, his eyes are glued to mine. The corners of his eyes crinkle slightly.
“It was good seeing you again, Leah,” I see him mouth, although he hasn’t broken eye contact with me.
Athena’s arm tightens around mine and she whispers. “See. What did I tell you? No threat to you, Cate, darling. It is too bad you and Leah are both on Team Bride. I would so love to see you crush her like a bug.”
