“He drives a Mercedes S-class, but his true love is a fully restored 1955 Jaguar XK-140 in racing green,” she said, caressing the hood of J.C.’s gorgeous car with both palms. “He’d approve of this baby.”
She smiled down at the pristine paint job before raising her glance to find J.C. staring at her with barely restrained lust from the other side of the car.
“If I say something, can you try not to take it the wrong way?”
She tilted her head to the side and nodded once.
“I could listen to you talk about cars for hours.”
“Really?”
He nodded slowly. “It’s the hottest fucking thing I’ve heard in months.”
“What was the hottest thing before that?” she asked in a breathy voice, trapped in the intensity of his stare.
He shook his head like something was funny.
“You,” he said simply, “telling me I was a ‘disgusting egomaniac.’”
She bit her bottom lip and dropped his eyes.
“Lib,” he said, his voice rough, and it occurred to her that it was the first time he’d ever shortened her name like that…and she liked it. She liked it so fucking much.
Raising her chin, she looked up at him.
“I’m sorry for calling you a bitch,” he said. “You’re not. And even if you were, I was totally out of line to say that.”
He couldn’t have surprised her more if he’d pulled out a ukulele and started strumming “Blue Moon” while doing a soft shoe. She stared at him, so undone by his sincere apology, she was speechless.
“That’s all I wanted to say,” he added. Then, “No, there’s more. We’re going to be Noelle’s godparents, and I still don’t know why Kate and Ten would choose me for the job, but they did. And I just…I mean, it’s important to me. I don’t want us to hate each other and be fighting and…fuck. I’m not doing this very well.”
“No. You’re doing great,” said Libitz softly. “I feel the same way.”
“You do?”
She nodded. “We don’t have to like each other, but we can be civil. For her sake.”
He flinched as she spoke, his lips tightening as he opened his door and plunked down in the driver’s seat. His voice had lost all its previous warmth when he muttered, “Yeah. We definitely don’t have to like each other.”
She sighed, realizing where she’d gone wrong. Sitting down in the passenger seat beside him, she put her bag on her lap and touched his arm.
“Hey…I didn’t mean it like that. I was trying to say I agree with you. I want us to be really awesome godparents for Noelle. No matter what.”
He stared straight ahead, nodding distractedly like he was thinking about something or trying to figure out something that was troubling him. His profile was devastating, and she took some pleasure in openly gazing at him as they sat in silence with her hand on his arm and a tentative truce blooming between them.
Finally, he turned to her, pushing his sunglasses on top of his head so he could look her in the eyes.
“Hi. I’m étienne’s brother, Jean-Christian. It’s nice to meet you,” he said, offering her his hand.
She took off her glasses too, folding them and placing them in her purse before reaching out to take his hand in hers. “Hi. I’m Libitz Feingold, Kate’s best friend.”
She knew that they were both remembering the way she’d capped off the introduction the first time they’d met—by telling him it wasn’t cold enough in hell for her to fall for him.
As they clasped hands, he raised an eyebrow in challenge. “Anything else?”
No matter how much of a jerk he’d been at Kate and étienne’s wedding, he seemed different now. Mellowed out. Matured. More careful. Less smarmy. She assumed it was because of the responsibility they’d share for Noelle, and she respected that he was trying to turn over a new leaf with her. Plus, he was making it so much easier for her, since she’d promised herself to do the same, and he was doing most of the work. It made her feel grateful. It made her want to give him a chance.
“Yes.” She cocked her head to the side, offering him a small, warm smile as she pumped his hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”
Chapter 5
“Lib!”
“KK!”
Kate, who was waiting outside the front door, put her arm around Libitz’s shoulders, ushering her inside the enormous brick house. “I see you survived the drive from the station.” She glanced over her shoulder at J.C., who was getting Lib’s suitcase out of the trunk. “And J.C. appears to have both eyeballs still in place.”
Libitz raised an eyebrow in question.
Kate shrugged. “You didn’t scratch them out.”
She chuckled softly and raised her hands. “Nails sheathed…for now.”
“Good to hear it,” said Kate, squeezing her shoulder with approval. “Do you want to freshen up before cocktails?”
“No way I’m delaying alcohol,” said Lib, grinning up at her friend.
“Where should I put Lib’s bags, Kate?”
Kate gave Libitz a look and mouthed “Lib?” before turning to her brother-in-law. “Would you be a darling and put them in the gray guest room at the end of the upstairs hallway to the right?”