Miles picked up his fork with his free hand. “Don’t worry about me. I’ve got this. I only need one hand to eat pancakes, but if I needed both, I’d keep her until you were done eating. You deserve a meal in peace.”
She hesitated then laughed a little. “Thank you, Miles. You actually sound just like Elliot. When we first went to stay with him, he held Joey while I had dinner and wouldn’t eat until I was done. It’s only been in the past few weeks I—”
She cut herself off when she noticed all eyes were on her.
“You’re living together?” Elise squeaked.
“What the fuck?” Luca hissed.
Catherine turned to me, panic in her wide eyes. Wrapping my arm around her shoulders, I dipped my head down to whisper in her ear.
“You did nothing wrong, sweetheart.”
Then I addressed the rest of the table. “Catherine and Jo are staying with me and have been for a couple months.”
Catherine was quick to add to my statement. “Elliot caught me at my worst. It’s so fudging embarrassing and a really long story. Basically, Joey’s dad left me in a major lurch. My house was almost unlivable, and I…well, let’s just say it was a bad situation. Elliot refused to let us stay there, so we’re living at his place temporarily.”
Silence followed for several moments. Elise, my favorite sister, was the first to break it.
“Well, of course he did. Elliot would take the shirt off his back for people who are important to him.” Elise patted Weston’s arm, no doubt sending a silent message to keep his mouth shut. He did, but I knew I’d be hearing from my oldest friend sooner than later. “I’m glad you’re in a safe place now, Kit.”
Saoirse angled toward me. “I’m miffed I’m still the only one who hasn’t been to your place.”
“Not the only one,” Miles chimed in. “I’m down for a house party at Elliot’s.”
I huffed a laugh. “Not happening.”
“My brother doesn’t enjoy parties,” Elise added.
“Untrue. Parties in places I can leave when I’m done are fine.” I stroked Catherine’s arm with my fingertips, more to calm myself than to comfort her. “We’ll have you over when I get back from my trip.”
“With a time limit?” Luca asked.
“Hell yes. If I don’t state an end time, I won’t be able to get rid of some of you.” I sent a pointed glare at Saoirse and Miles. They would be the ones I’d have to evict. Miles because I had the feeling he wouldn’t know when he had overstayed his welcome, and Saoirse would just stick around to fuck with me.
The rest of brunch went smoothly. The topic moved off Catherine and me to Saoirse and Miles’s business. Inevitably, Luca brought up his cat, and Miles informed everyone he was thinking about adopting a goldfish.
Eventually, plates were emptied, and the bill was paid. The three women went to the bathroom together to change Jo’s diaper, and the four of us ventured outside to wait for them by the fenced-off patio.
Miles addressed Weston. “I’m going over to Mom and Dad’s. Any interest in joining me?”
Weston grimaced. “Not the slightest. You should skip seeing them too for your own well-being.”
Miles shrugged. “Nah. Gotta do it.”
Their parents were shitty to each other and their sons but refused to divorce or remove their claws from either of them. Weston had extracted them himself, but Miles hadn’t gotten there yet. I got it. I’d had a mother who I’d tried to help until her last day. Some people just didn’t want to be helped, though.
Once Miles was gone, Luca and Weston rounded on me.
“What the fuck, Levy?” Luca started.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “What’s the problem?”
Weston was stony-faced. “What is going on with you?”
They were pissed I’d kept my relationship with Catherine from them, and I got that. But from my point of view, neither had a leg to stand on.
“Just spit it out. Say what you want.” I pointed at West. “But remember, I didn’t find out about you and Elise until you were outed.” Then I swung my finger to Luca. “And you showed up married to Saoirse. Don’t act like the three of us are in a knitting circle, spilling every detail of our lives to each other. That’s not what we do.”
Weston put his hands on his hips, nodding slowly. “No, I understand that. But you’ve worked with Catherine…Kit for over a year without paying her any interest.”
Luca scoffed. “I had to tell you she was pregnant.”
Weston went on. “Then suddenly, she has a kid and needs a place to live. Have you examined why you suddenly jumped into action? Is it really about her?”
I looked at my two best friends, who’d been with me through thick and thin, who I cared about like brothers, and all I wanted to do was rip their fucking heads off.
Through gritted teeth, I asked, “Why would you think this would be about anything other than her?”
Luca and West looked at each other briefly. They were on the same page. Sharing the same thoughts. I didn’t want to hear it but fuck it, they were going to say it.
Weston stepped forward, bracing his hand on my shoulder. “Think about it, Elliot. Did this start because you have real feelings for her, or was it because you saw another mother in crisis and this time you could help her?”
I knocked his hand off me, seething at his audacity. I wasn’t a violent person, but right now, it was strumming through my veins. “The fuck did you just ask me?”
I craned my neck to check the front door. No sign of Catherine yet, thank Christ.
Weston held his hands up. “I’m not trying to insult you or Kit, I swear.”
Luca edged between us. “We’re looking out for you—and her.”
“It seems to me like you’re insulting us both.” I crossed my arms so I didn’t use them. I was close. So fucking close.
Luca chuffed. “You had no problem questioning my marriage to Saoirse. None of us are ‘yes’ men. We don’t hold back with each other.”
“Your questions are so far out of line it would be laughable if I weren’t furious.”
Weston patted Luca on the arm, moving him aside. “If we’re out of line, then I’m sorry. I hope I’m wrong. But I know you, Elliot. I was there when your mother lost it and you couldn’t do anything to prevent what happened. I saw your gnawing guilt when she died. I wouldn’t be your friend if I didn’t question your motives behind becoming entrenched in Kit and Joey’s lives as quickly as you have. Is this real, or are you—?”
“Enough,” I hissed. “Your concern is so goddamn ridiculous, I don’t have words. I have wanted that woman since the first moment I saw her, and I’m lucky she wants me back. Joey is a bonus, not a drawback. Allow me to set you straight right now. Catherine is nothing like my mother. If I ever hear you say another negative thing about her, we’ll be done.”
Weston flinched, and Luca released a jagged exhale. I might have been harsh in my delivery, but at least the message had been received. My relationship with Catherine was not up for discussion.
“This is concern, not judgment.” Luca sounded more subdued than I’d ever heard him. “She’s really lovely.”