Evan groaned. “Don’t get him started.”
Mirth and good fun filled the table, as well as good food. Hector talked about life in the Navy with his twin then goaded Evan into a discussion about the Marine Corps, which Kenzie found fascinating. She could see how that kind of structure would suit what she knew of Evan, though he seemed a little too easygoing to have survived in such a regimented field.
“How did you and Kenzie meet?” Evan asked Lila. “And when did Rachel come into the group?”
Lila grinned. “We all met at the same time, believe it or not. Eleven years ago in school. Kenzie was struggling, so Rachel and I helped her out.”
“Design school,” Kenzie elaborated, wishing Lila didn’t make her sound so helpless. “And yes, I was struggling. I was twenty years old trying to navigate college with a two-year-old.”
Hector nodded. “Being a full-time mom at that age must have been hard. Didn’t you have any help?”
“Oh, the baby wasn’t Kenzie’s,” Lila said. “He’s her little brother. Kenzie’s folks died in a car accident, and Kenzie became Daniel’s guardian.”
“He loves calling me Mom to throw people off.” Kenzie didn’t feel the pain of her parents’ passing the way she used to. She’d become numb to it, experiencing only a small sense of loss at their mention.
“I’m sorry.” Evan’s eyes expressed his sincerity. “That had to be tough.” Then he gave her a sly smile. “I’ve met your brother.”
The heavy mood lightened, and she could have kissed him for not making the date that wasn’t a date awkward.
She hadn’t realized she’d been staring at him, and he at her, until Hector cleared his throat.
“Well, I don’t know about you guys, but I’m ready for dessert.”
Lila patted her slender stomach. “Yeah, me too. For my birthday cake. Because it’s not every day a girl turns twenty-four.”
Hector raised a brow. “Now that’s funny, because I would have pegged you as twenty-three, tops.”
“Really?” Evan scratched his head. “I was thinking thirty-two.”
“Nah,” Kenzie said, looking at an amused Lila. “With that beautiful skin? Forty-five, max.”
“You’re an ass,” Lila said to her. “Evan, you were close, but not as close as Hector.” Lila batted her eyelashes at him, and Kenzie did her best not to laugh out loud.
Hector looked entranced.Another one bites the dust.
Evan ordered the pair slices of birthday cake and a brownie sundae to share with Kenzie.
“Ordering for me, Evan? That’s a little high-handed, don’t you think?” Kenzie’s breathy tone sounded playful.Oh my God. I’m flirting. Maybe hell really has frozen over.Even Lila raised a brow.
Kenzie tried again, trying to sound more normal. “Maybe I don’t like chocolate.”
“Really? Because I remember you liking chocolate and mint pretty well.”
She blushed to the roots of her hair, the memory of their explosive kiss impossible to forget.
“Oh, now that’s a response that demands an explanation,” Lila said, bringing attention to Kenzie’s red face.
“I’ll be right back.” Kenzie shot out of her seat for the bathroom, but not before seeing Evan’s satisfied smile.
She used the facilities and took a good minute to study herself in the mirror, doing her best to calm both her raging hormones and her nerves.
Lila entered, saw her, and laughed. “He got you good.”
“Shut up.” She left Lila to her amusement and returned to see Evan and Hector arguing about something.
When they spotted her, they stopped.
“You okay?” Evan asked with all due solicitousness.
