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Three pairs of eyes land on me.
Mitch starts with me right away. “You have some explaining to do, my friend. Who is that beautiful woman, and why have you been hiding her from us?”
My eyes dart around the table. “Where’s Noah?”
“She went upstairs to call her friend.” Trent kicks out my chair. “Have a seat. Let’s chat.”
“She looks young.” Jason folds his arms over his chest. “How old is she?”
I grab two empty beer bottles from the table and move toward the kitchen. “I think it’s time for you guys to get going.”
Trent howls as he shoots up out of his seat. “Oh, no. You can’t introduce us to a woman like that and not give us an explanation.”
“She’s just the neighbor,” I call over my shoulder as I head into the kitchen, knowing damn well that Elena is way more than just the neighbor.
“‘Just the neighbor’he says.” Mitch chuckles, following me inside. “You have eyeballs. I know you see what she looks like.”
I spin around. “And what do her looks have to do with anything, hmm? What are you insinuating?”
Trent puts his hands on his waist. “She’s too old to be one of Noah’s friends, and you haven’t even so much as spoken about a woman in years, let alone allow her to hang out with your daughter. We’re just…curious.”
“She’s been helping Noah with her math. That’s it.”
The lie tastes like acid on my tongue because that is so not it.
Jason enters the room and leans against the counter. “So then you wouldn’t mind if I asked for her number?”
I swallow down the ball of anger in my throat. “I don’t think she’d appreciate it if I just gave out her number like that.”
He shoves his hands into his pockets. “I could go ring her bell and ask for it.”
The thought of Jason anywhere near Elena makes me want to rip off his head and punt it.
But I can’t be selfish. I can’t claim her for myself.
My hands clench and unclench, torn with what to say. “Be my guest, Jay. She’s in the white house across the street.”
Mitch shakes his head. “Fucking disappointing.”
“What is?”
“You, man. You’re clearly into her, but you won’t let yourself admit it.”
I brace my hands on the counter and squeeze my eyes shut.
Just tell them.
“Is she into you?” Jason asks.
“I don’t know.”
“You think she’s baking cookies with your daughter on a Friday night because she isn’t into you?” Mitch laughs. “She getting paid?”
I shoot him a glare. “No.”
“Exactly.”
“Hey, this is a good thing.” Trent rests his hand on my shoulder. “Don’t you think it’d be good for Noah to finally see her father in a healthy, happy relationship? How is she going to know what to base her own love life on if you don’t show her?”
