Ava didn’t freak out at all. The woman chuckled. “You know, I’d be disconcerted if I didn’t have this effect on so many people.” She shoved a packet of tissues at Zoe. “I keep extras in my purse.”
“Go, Ava.”
Theo chose that moment to join them, saw Zoe wiping her eyes, and goggled. “Oh my God. Please tell me the coffee’s okay. It wasn’t the coffee, was it?”
“Relax, Theo. Zoe had something in her eye is all,” Ava explained.
“Yeah, tears,” Zoe muttered, impressed with Ava’s ability to fabricate and relieved she hadn’t made a scene. “So you’re Theo.”
Theo sat and gave her a wide, charming smile. Another heartthrob in the making. “Hel-lo.”
Ava huffed. “Theo, this is Zoe. Gavin’s girlfriend.”
Theo gaped. “This is Zoe? But you’re so pretty.”
Zoe put the tissue down. “I’m sorry?”
He flushed. “I just don’t understand how someone as obnoxious as my brother can get such a hot girlfriend. I mean, he’s got muscles, sure. But doesn’t that attitude rub you the wrong way?”
More like the right way, she thought but would never say, not to Gavin’s brother. Her time with the sexual dynamo last Sunday had been magical. But the guy never stopped. He’d officially worn her out yesterday, giving new meaning tohump day. Still, she’d met him thrust for thrust. Then they’d mutually agreed to give each other a break.
Dinners together, home movie dates, board games; they’d been spending every available waking moment together. Even she knew that couldn’t be healthy.
Theo seemed to be waiting for her answer, so she gave a casual shrug. “I find him tolerable.”
He laughed, a deep boom that didn’t seem to go with his slighter frame. “Well, thanks for getting him out of the house at least.”
Gavin had spent time with her, way into the late hours, but he always went home after. That separation also made it easier to rationalize her time with him. But lately Zoe wanted to wake up in his arms. That she didn’t mind him crowding her precious space alarmed her.
“Can I ask you something?” she said to Theo.
“Sure.”
“Why were you so worried the coffee made me cry? Are you new here? You seem to know people, and you’re doing a great job.”
His smile looked strained. “Thanks. I’ve actually been working here for a while. I kind of left for a little but came back. Maya missed me.” He glanced back at his girlfriend, then sighed. “A few days ago, I got a text message telling me to be careful about what I served at work. A direct threat fromyour boyfriend.”
“What?”
“It’s escalating.”
“The prank wars.” Ava let out a breath. “I told Landon to put a stop to it. But does he listen to me? No. See, the four of them—”
“No,” Theo shook his head. “Mom and Dad too. You remember Mom’s announcement at dinner.”
“Right. The six of them take turns pulling pranks on each other. At our last family dinner, Linda tricked us into thinking she and Van were having marital problems.”
“Really?” Zoe looked from Ava to Theo.
Both nodded.
“Yes.” Ava chuckled. “Of course it all started back up when I was dating Landon. One of them, though they won’t say who, put a blow-up sex doll in his bed. She looked just like me. It shocked the heck out of him.” She laughed.
So did Theo.
Zoe grinned. “Wish I could have seen that.”
Ava snickered. “He was so embarrassed. And not much gets to him.”
