Madison caught my eye and smiled at me. “I spoke to my Mum the other day and she said she loves working at your bar, Layla. Thank you for giving her a job. I can see a change in her since she started working there.”
I returned her smile before looking at Donovan. “You should thank Donovan because he put me onto your Mum. I had no idea who to hire until he suggested Sharon. The customers love her which is great and she’s doing a wonderful job so I couldn’t ask for more than that.”
She smiled at Donovan but didn’t say anything further about Sharon. I figured they’d already spoken about it.
Velvet changed the subject. “What’s everyone doing for Christmas?”
J groaned. “Fuck, don’t get Madison started on that.”
Madison glared at him and smacked him lightly on the chest. Looking at me, she said, “Just ignore, J, he gets grumpy around Christmas time.”
“Only because you go on and fucking on about Christmas for weeks, babe,” he muttered.
Nash grinned a cheeky grin. “I vote we have a Christmas party here.”
The look J hit him with could have killed, but Madison’s face lit up with a huge smile. “I love that idea, Nash.”
“Thought you might, babe,” he said, grinning at J.
“Fuck you, asshole,” J directed at Nash.
Velvet slid her arm across Nash’s shoulders and pulled him to her so she could say, “You’re a devious man, Nash Walker. I like it.”
He turned his face to hers and kissed her. “I know you do, sweet thing. I keep that shit up just for you.”
As they continued bantering back and forth, I watched Scott. He’d hardly engaged in the conversation today and sat staring into space. It was pretty clear he wasn’t interested in what was being said and I wondered again what was troubling him.
“Will you come to the Christmas party, Layla?” Madison asked, interrupting my thoughts.
I dragged my attention from Scott to look at her. “If I can get someone to work the bar, I will.”
“We could lend you some staff from Indigo if you need it,” Nash offered.
“Thanks,” I said.
J nodded. “Yeah, we’ve got some good staff there who won’t let you down.”
I was amazed at their generosity. They hardly knew me and yet they were offering to help me out and it wasn’t the first time they’d done that. It wasn’t often I’d come across such giving people in my life.
Donovan whispered in my ear, “You okay?”
I turned to him. “Yeah, I’m more than okay,” I said with a smile.
He nodded, and turned back to the conversation. Looking at Madison, he asked, “So, what date are you doing this?”
J groaned again, and I had to laugh.
Warmth spread throughout me.
This was what family was.
***
Donovan’s hand rested on my leg underneath the table, and while I did my best to keep up with the conversation, his touch distracted me, forcing my thoughts to wander off in his direction. Thinking about his hands all over me was not the thing to be doing while sitting across from his sister, so I pushed his hand away.
He turned to me as he moved his hand back to my leg. I glared at him and pushed him away again. He shook his head slightly, slid his arm around my shoulders, and pulled me close so he could whisper in my ear, “Don’t fight me, baby. You tell me no, the more I’ll push.”
Shit, his words shot straight to my core, and I squeezed my legs together as the desire moved through me. “Not in front of your family, Donovan,” I whispered back. The lunch had been going so well, and I’d felt completely welcomed by everyone. I didn’t want to risk ruining that.