His eyebrows rise.
I stare at his crotch. Blatantly.
“You’re a vixen, tryin’ to tease when we got my family downstairs.”
I bite my lip and flutter my eyelashes.
“You’ll pay for this later. Let’s go down ‘n eat.” He winks.
“Okay. Question, though.”
“Shoot.”
“Whose make-up table is that?” I ask.
He looks over his shoulder.
My formerly exploding suitcase is beside it and my cosmetics and hair tools are neatly organized on top of it.
“Yours now, I guess.”
“Was it someone else’s?” I ask. “Did you have a girlfriend live here with you or something?”
He smiles. “It was here when I moved in.”
“Oh.”
“But that’s been naggin’ at you, has it?” He looks supremely pleased.
“Nnoooo. Okay, yes.”
“Naw; it got left behind. I think it got built in here, it’s wider than the doorway, so the old owners left it.” He shrugs. “You don’t want it, I’ll take it apart and get rid of it.”
“No, I’ll use it. It’s fabulous. When… um…I’m here, you know.”
“Mm hm.” He smiles with light sparkling in his eyes. “Let’s go to the apartment tomorrow and pack your stuff up, bring it over. Move in with me.”
I rear back.
He kisses me.
“It’s too soon.”
“Life can be short.”
“I know, believe me, but…you’re my enemy.” I smirk.
He smiles. “Think about it. I’ll build you a little hidey hole.”
I bite my lip. “I might not need one.”
“Damn straight you won’t.”
He knows, instinctually that my closet was about my old life. How lucky am I that he’s this intuitive? That he gets me like this?
“My own private dick?”
He laughs. “Move in with me. All dick, all the time.”
“I’ll think about it.”
He squeezes my hand, then leaves me alone in there. I stare off, in a happy daze for a good minute before I shake free of it and change into a pair of raggedy jean shorts and a funky tie-dyed t-shirt. Then, I head down to have a fiesta dinner with Jude’s family, thinking, hoping that someday we can do it again with my mom here.
Am I hoping for too much? It’s felt like a long time since I’ve allowed myself this luxury. Hope does feel like a luxury. But it also feels pretty fucking amazing.
***
“Okay, let’s just get started. He’ll be here when he gets here,” Jude says.
“Okay, okay,” Baka grumbles. “Text him again one more time though.”
“I did that five minutes ago and he said he’s on his way. That means he’s about to get in the shower and then get dressed, then be on his way. You guys know what he’s like.” Jude puts his phone in his pocket and then we all assemble at the dinner table.
We’ve been waiting on the mysterious Julian, who I haven’t met yet, and who I’m a bit nervous to meet after knowing he went to Columbus to dig up everything he could on me for Jude. My guess is he’s the only one of the Novak bunch that knows I’ve got trouble. And will he look down on me for it? Think I’m bad news for his brother?
Dinner looks great. Jude’s huge table is covered with food and even though there’s a massive lazy Susan in the middle to be able to spin most of the ingredients, some have spilled over and will need to be passed around. We’ve got soft tacos, hard tacos, all the typical taco fixings, a salad, a platter of loaded nachos, and Spanish rice. And the mood is jovial.
Luka’s girlfriend Abby is sweet. She’s interested in graphic design and fashion and doesn’t know what direction to take. While she and I are deep in conversation about that, Jude lifts his phone from his pocket and says,
“He’s here.”
“Pass me the guac, Ally?” Luka requests since the guac is beside me as the lazy Susan is way too full. Plus, the guacamole is incredibly delicious, and I may or may not be hogging it.
“I’m sorry but this is all mine,” I say, and I hover over the dish of homemade guacamole like the guy from Lord of the Rings.
The room fills with laughter.
And that’s when I see him. Julian Novak, coming up those stairs in jeans and a white button-down shirt, sunglasses propped on his head. He’s a clean-shaven, curly and longer-haired slightly less tatted up version of Jude.
My heart stops cold for at least two beats.
Oh. My. Fucking…
No.
I blink.
I blink again. It can’t be right. It can’t be.
Porn Not Jude?
Porn Not Jude!
I stare in shock. The blood drains from my face and all the noise in the room suddenly sounds echoey.
“Hey everybody. You save me some food?” He kisses his mother, grandmother, aunt, and great grandmother, and he’s eyeing me with a smile.
My face feels funny. Am I making a funny face? Oh my God, I’m in shock. Utterly and completely. I can’t even blink.
Shit, he’s approaching me.
“Hey, Ally. Good to finally meet you.” He gets to me, and I manage to rise and stand there stiffly while he hugs me.