I nudged Jake as my chest tightened. “You just told him that?” I leaned closer. “You’re not worried he’ll think I’m an asshole?”
“No. It’s funny.” Jake shrugged.
Chris leaned forward to look at Jake, and his keen gaze darted from where Jake had turned to clasp my knee—which I hadn’t really noticed until I was being scrutinized—then over to Declan. Chris leaned back and studied my face, and I gave him a nervous smile. The last thing I wanted to do was cause trouble. I was torn about Jake being so casual about being near me. I’d been worried I was going to be a dirty secret, but now I was starting to worry I might cause trouble if everyone knew what we’d been doing together. Would they think I was some sort of homewrecker? There were too many things to be worried about. I set my fork on my plate and rested it on my knee.
“Are you okay?” Declan leaned over to ask.
“Yep.”
Jake nestled back closer to the couch and leaned harder against both my leg and Declan’s.
“Logan, what do you do for a living?” Chris asked, and there was more interest on his face than there had been a minute ago.
“He does voice work!” Jake said, and I was stunned at how proud he sounded.
I flushed and the heat in my cheeks had me ducking my head. “That’s true, but it’s not the type of thing I can live on.”
Jake turned, and I could already tell by the gleam in his eye he was going to make me want to go hide. “Logan records one-man performances.” His wicked grin had me groaning.
Chris glanced around and cleared his throat. He leaned closer to me and had that same look on his face Jake did. “It’s not porn, is it?”
I wanted a hole to the center of the earth to open and swallow me down. Declan laughed so hard he spilled a pepperoni roll off his plate and had to rescue it from his lap.
“Don’t,” I whispered to Jake and nudged him on the back with my knee.
“Why shouldn’t I brag about you? Not many people can do what you do.” He shrugged, and I winced when he said with his mouth full, “Be proud of who you are.”
I sat back, floored, because I’d never expected him to be proud of me, no matterwhatI did.
Chris nodded. “That’s interesting. I’ll have to look you up online.”
“No.” I turned and hid my face against Declan’s shoulder. “It’s not porn.”
Chris laughed. “You’re fun. Much easier to get a reaction out of than Declan.”
Jake snickered. I stayed still. Was Chris comparing me to Declan just because I also knew Jake, or because… Declan belonged to Jake. WaswithJake. Did he realize what was going on?
Nonna walked over with the skirt of her dress fluttering behind her. “What’s so funny? What did I miss out on?”
We all said “nothing” at the same time, and she laughed precisely like she didn’t believe us, but that was fine.
A svelte, tall blonde woman in jeans and a Blizzard’s T-shirt, who couldn’t be anyone other than Declan’s mom, came over to us and patted him, then Jake on the head. “There you boys are! I’ve been looking everywhere.”
“We’ve been right here,” Jake said. “Did you get sidetracked by the baby?”
“Yes,” she said on a laugh before sipping her drink. I caught a whiff of the mulled wine and wasn’t sure if I was disgusted or wanted some. The heavy cinnamon scent was just odd. “How are my boys today?”
“Good,” Declan said, standing to give his mom a quick kiss on the cheek. “This is Logan.” He turned to gesture at me like I was the prize on a game show. All he needed was heels and short-shorts to complete the picture. I thought about diving behind the couch. There was also a squirm of happiness in my gut.
She leaned down to pat me on the head the same way she had them.
I was stunned because she was pretty, and it was clear to see where Declan’s good looks had come from. “Hi,” I murmured.
“This is the friend staying with you, yeah?” She bent and hugged me even though it meant almost dumping her drink down my back. Only Declan taking the glass saved me. “Nice to have you, honey.” She hugged Jake’s dad while she was at it. “You guys be good. I’m off to find that baby again. My God, it’s amazing to think you were that little once. He’s just so small.” She patted Declan’s head again and made soft eyes at him that had Jake laughing. She snatched her drink back from Declan as if he wasn’t old enough to have it, then laughed. “I can’t believe we’re having two parties in a row.”
Chris shrugged. “I didn’t expect they would let Elsie out so quickly, or I’d have waited. But it’s fun, right? And we have a different crowd here today.”
She laughed and wandered off with a wave.
