Fen. Wild hair completely disheveled by the wrestling. A pair of folded sunglasses hung askew at the neck of a short-sleeve black button-down that was untucked from soft gray chino shorts.
“That’s my brother,” Ani told me.
“Uh-huh, yes, nice to meet you,” I said to Ari. But I was staring at Fen, feeling dizzy in places I shouldn’t feel dizzy. My head. Feet. Ribs. Oh, I wanted to be mad at him for not telling me he was going to be here. I really did. But my body was so delighted to see his body—hello, friend—that I couldn’t pull myself out of the hypnotic spell he was weaving.
Who had a witchy oven? Not me. He was the dark sorcerer. Ifhe’d raised his hand and commanded me to fall to my knees right then and there, I might have.
“Fennec,” Jasmine commanded in a voice that sounded faraway.
“You don’t have to introduce them, Mama,” Ani said matter-of-factly.
I blinked and glanced at the girl in a panic—she definitely knew something was going on between me and Fen. Then I glanced at Ari, who was confused, which was a relief. And lastly, I glanced at Jasmine, who had a look on her face that only could be described assmug. Why, I did not know. Jasmine was on a different playing field than the rest of us mortals. But she was brewing up something, and it sparked guilty feelings to twist inside my gut.
Sweat broke across my forehead.
This was going to be the longest lunch in the history of lunches.
We headed outside, onto their main back terrace. It had an outdoor kitchen with a bar and a long cedar dining table. The green grass rolled down beyond it toward a pier, where a black speedboat was moored, and four chaise longues waited for sun worshippers.
“How have you been?” Fen said, feigning formality as we hung back from the pack. They could still hear us, along with the two caterers who were prepping food at the grill. We had no privacy whatsoever. But when no one was watching, his fingers brushed down the middle of my palm.
I inhaled sharply and snatched my hand away. “So good, I’ve been. Um, hello.”
He chuckled, a dark little laugh. Barely there, but I heard it. I slapped the air, missing his arm, but eventually got it. He cleared his throat and cut his eyes at me. There was humor there, and it sent a little thrill through me.
S-u-ucha long lunch.
“I didn’t think you lived here,” I finally managed. “In this…” Dammit. Word missing. “Line?” I whispered, feeling a little frantic.
“House?” he guessed, and when I pointed at him in confirmation, he continued, “The house’s owner is out of town, and whenever that happens, I get to sneak back in, like a poor beggar child.”
“Our dad’s a dick,” Ari explained, leaning on a chair.
Jasmine pointed at him. “No. Your father is doing the best he can. We love and respect him. He is a good man.”
Ani lifted her hands. “He is an important man. Let’s choose more precise words, Mama.”
“Important,”Jasmine said, smiling. “Agreed.”
“Hard disagree,” Fen mumbled.
“Yeah, I’m sticking with ‘dick,’?” Ari said.
“Word of advice?” Fen said, clapping a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Don’t use ‘stick’ and ‘dick’ in the same sentence.”
Ari laughed and shoved Fen away.
Jasmine’s head dropped. “Saint Gregory, please help me tame these wicked children.”
“Can we eat before we call down the wrath of the saints?” Ani asked. “I’m starving.”
“Yes, my sweet girl,” Jasmine said before waving me to the cedar dining table.
I pulled out a seat with my back to the house, the lake in front of me, and was all too aware that Fen moved around his brother to grab the seat next to mine. Not Jasmine, though. She sat across from us. All the better to watch us, I realized with dawning terror.
Was she testing me and Fen because she suspected we were together? Or was she pushing Fen’s buttons because she knew he used to have feelings for me when we were younger? Team Eddie or Fen? I didn’t understand her endgame, and that was beyond frustrating.
But it wasn’t just her watchful, sharp gaze. Everything was stressful. The twins were curious, and the caterers were bringing out big plates of food, family style. It was beautiful and smelled amazing, but I didn’t know what any of it was. Falafel? Were these salads? I wasn’t sure, and I didn’t care about that so much as how incredibly odd it was tobe served.
