“She overheard how much Abe does not find anything about her appealing.”
Haden flinched, knowing that Elowyn had a big crush on Abe, but also knowing that he didn’t feel the same.
“Well, he could have fooled me; look at him.” Haden nodded his head toward the window. I watched Abe standing off to the side talking to Ezra, but his eyes were on Elowyn as she sat by the pond away from everyone with some friend Ezra brought. The man was making his way over to her, and Abe could not look away.
I didn’t know Ezra’s friend, but he said something to her, and she looked up to him and nodded. He smiled and sat down next to her. Abe’s jaw was clearly clenched as he was not listening to a word Ezra was saying. Ezra seemed to notice and slowly stopped talking before looking over at whatever Abe was staring at, then nudged him and said something that made him storm off in anger.
Ezra then looked up and saw Haden and I spying. We both ducked, trying not to be obvious that we were gawking, then we began laughing when we looked at one another. But someone clearing their throat behind us made us turn to see Ezra with his hands on his hips. He looked like a disappointed parent.
“Thanks a lot; now Abe is mad at me.” He glared.
“For what?” Haden asked.
Ezra pointed out of the window at his friend and Elowyn sitting at the pond.
“That. He’s pissed that I brought a friend.”
“Well, he just told her that she was not appealing to him in the slightest, so he can deal with it,” I said.
Ezra frowned, and I realized that it was similar to what Farris had said to him. He refused to talk about her. Even years later, he couldn’t think about her without an astounding amount of grief filling his eyes.
“Maybe you should go see her.” I frowned at his somber look.
“No, she is probably happy with her husband. I don’t want to ruin it.” His quick response made me think he had rehearsed it a thousand times. “She didn’t want me before, and nothing haschanged. I can’t change who I am, and I already know that I am not what she wants.”
I frowned but dropped it because this was Ezra’s choice, and he had not changed his mind in twenty-five years. Ezra sighed as he looked at Haden and me holding hands. A commotion behind him made all of us focus on Cassius as he came in. His golden eyes were wide as he set down a plate of food.
“Prepare yourselves; she’s in a mood today,” he said warily.
We all smiled when Thea came in. Her face was in a hard-pressed line as she looked at Cassius, who was smiling.
“Why are you in such a good mood?” she asked Cassius grumpily. Haden turned away from them as he began laughing.
“You are so beautiful, little viper; you make me happy.”
Her eyes narrowed on him as he came over and hugged her tightly. She gave him a kiss before he reached forward and rested his hands on her huge belly. Thea watched Cassius stare at her pregnant stomach with wonderment, and she smiled softly at him.
“Well, I don’t feel beautiful. I feel extremely uncomfortable. I wish these babies would get out of me.”
Cassius reached over and grabbed a dessert, handing it to her. Thea immediately smiled brightly and started eating it.
“I love you.” She smiled, and Cassius’ eyes burned bright with his amusement when he looked at us.
“I love you too, my love.”
“These are so good. Who made them?” Thea asked.
“Elowyn.” I smiled.
“She’s an angel; this is exactly what I needed.”
Cassius looked at us and the desserts, then out the window.
“What’s going on there?” he asked, making all of us turn to look.
Abe and Elowyn were having a heated argument, and then suddenly, she slapped him.
“Oh shit,” Haden whispered.
