Mae flashes me a look, and Sam comes out with, “What was that about?”
“No idea,” I murmur, but no sounds can be heard from the kitchen, and I wonder what Poppy and Bennett are talking about. Or doing.
“Did Evan tell anyone if he’s coming?” Nathan re-enters the living area with Radish on his heels.
“The food’s going to get cold if we wait any longer.” Mae glances at the clock, and Cam shrugs.
“I wouldn’t hold your breath,” is Nathan’s response.
I take a sip of my soda water and wine. “He said this morning that he’d be here.”
“Well, should we call him to see where—”
The sound of someone entering through the front door catches our attention.
“Sorry, we’re late,” Evan calls, and Leo’s own little “Sorry,” echoes through the hall a second later.
The kid toddles in, Donkey in hand, and is greeted by everyone.
“Evan, you came. I knew you would.” Mae’s grinning, and Cam turns to Nathan.
“You owe me ten bucks. Cough it up, loser.”
Nathan grumbles a low, “Fine,” before he digs around in his pocket and pulls out some cash, placing it into Cam’s open palm.
“You bet on me coming today?”
“Yep,” Nathan pops the ‘P’ with a smile. “And I lost. Bad.”
I snicker into the rim of my glass.
“You find that funny, Florence?” Evan mocks gently, and I throw a nod his way.
“Come on. My chilli chicken thighs are meant to be eaten hot, so let’s go!” Mae pats Evan on the shoulder as she passes him, winking at Leo before heading into the kitchen, and I just hope that Bennett and Poppy have finished whatever important discussion they were having before everyone barges in.
“I was starting to think you weren’t going to show up,” I say, helping Leo take off his shoes, which he’s struggling with.
“I had to drop in to see Alexander. He’s been driving me crazy lately, so I thought visiting him would shut him up for a little while.”
“You could have asked me to take care of Leo.”
“It’s your day off, Flo, and Leo just sits in his stool in the corner and watches Whisker Wheelers with his headphones on, anyway.”
I smile, booping Leo on the nose, and then doing the same with Donkey. “Well, I missed you today.”
“Me too,” Leo giggles before he waddles off into the kitchen, chasing Radish’s tail.
My eyes now find Evan’s. Judging by his hard expression, his meeting with Alexander didn’t go well, and I find myself desperately wanting to cheer him up.
I can’t stop thinking about what I said to him the other night outside the cabin, and more importantly, what he responded with. I know he finds me attractive. I can tell by how he looks at me, but to know that the idea of ‘practising’ with me tempts him… it makes my core ache.
My mind shouldn’t be going there, but it’s completely comfortable in this lane, conjuring up images of Evan on top of me, peppering kisses down my neck while he groans into it about how good I feel.
Fuck.
“New top, trouble?” Evan nods down to the frilly white babydoll top I’m wearing, and I cock my head at him.
That nickname has stuck, I see.
