My lips turned downward hearing those words come out of Tori’s mouth. Sure, I’d said them, but they sounded even worse coming out of someone else’s mouth. To add insult to injury, Marjorie gave me a remorseful look as she came closer to stand in front of me, reaching out to grip my shoulders.
“Chanel, you cannot possibly think that, after all that’s happened, your father and brother don’t care.”
“I didn’t say that, nor did I imply it,” I interrupted. “I’m just not used to it. That’s all. Can we drop it? It’s no big deal.”
She gave me another look, staring into my eyes for a few heartbeats before nodding and dropping her hands. Thankfully, as soon as she did, we heard a barrage of footsteps making their way up the hallway.
My father appeared first at the entranceway of the living room. His eyes lit up once he spotted Marjorie. For once, noticing his demeanor change as he looked at his wife, my heart didn’t ache. I actually felt my lips form a smile. When my father broke eye contact with Marjorie, he found me, and his eyes held a similar sparkle.
“Chanel,” he greeted, coming over to plant a kiss on my cheek and pull me into a short embrace that felt natural.
Next, Jay, dressed in dark slacks and a light blue button-up came over to greet me before kneeling to play with the kids a little. Finally, my gaze collided with a pair of dark brown irises I’d been missing since we’d arrived. It hadn’t even been that long, maybe fifteen minutes, but in that short period, I’d missed his presence. And that same look I saw my father give Marjorie just a few seconds prior, I would’ve bet my life, was the same look Xavier gave me when he stepped into the room.
I didn’t even realize my feet were moving until I was a few inches away from him. Silly as it sounds, I sometimes felt like there was a magnetic pull between us, invisible to the naked eye, but powerful.
“Everything okay?” I asked him.
He leaned down, pressing a kiss to my cheek and taking my hand in his. “Why wouldn’t it be?” That question told me he wasn’t about to say what’d been discussed. I angled my head and looked at him through slanted eyes, and his ass had the nerve to grin, causing that dimple that always made my knees a little wobbly, to emerge.
I hated him.
I loved him.
I sighed.
“I hope you all are hungry,” Marjorie began. “Tonight’s dinner is starting off with fried calamari salad, followed by lobster risotto, and dessert will be gelato. I’m going to check to see if they’re ready for us. Elliott, could you come with me?”
Sure enough, my father followed her.
The rest of us made conversation about work, Tori asking Xavier about his restaurants in Vegas. I loved the way his face brightened as he spoke about his progress in Vegas. My chest tightened a little bit when he mentioned that he’d have to fly out there again this Sunday evening, for at least a week, and then he’d be on the east coast for another few days, doing some business. Like I’d told Wanda, I adored his ambition and drive, but I did hate how it took him away so often.
I remembered something my mom had told me early on.“If you don’t want to settle for a broke man, you’re going to have to settle for a busy man.”She’d shared that little tidbit when I was about eight years old and asked yet again why my father rarely ate dinner with us. I know now he wasn’t always working, but her advice wasn’t a fabrication. Both my father and Xavier owned wildly successful businesses that pulled their attention in a lot of different directions.
“You okay?” His whisper in my ear caused a trail of goosebumps down my arm.
I stared up at him and gave him the same answer he’d given me earlier. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Touché.”
“We’re ready,” Marjorie called as she and my father returned to the living room.
Xavier’s hand went to the small of my back as he escorted us down the long hallway to the dining room. My nose was hit by the different aromas in the kitchen, and my stomach began to growl.
“Someone’s hungry,” Xavier chuckled low in my ear.
“I haven’t eaten since a late morning snack,” I said.
His face turned serious, and his lips formed a frown on his beautifully masculine face. “You didn’t have lunch?” he asked as he held one of the black wooden dining room chairs out for me.
I waited for him to take his seat next to me before answering. “I kinda forgot,” I admitted.
“What’re you two whispering about over there?” Jay asked as he sat across from Xavier.
“Your sister hasn’t eaten since this morning. She skipped lunch.” He had the nerve to look at me accusingly.
I gave him a glare right back for ratting me out.
“That’s not good, Chanel.”
