“I wasn’t?”
“No. You knew exactly what you were doing, and you did it very well.”
“Thank you.” He looked pleased with himself.
“And very fast.”
His face fell as he groaned. “God, don’t tell me. All I remember thinking is, ‘oh fuck don’t come oh fuck don’t come oh fuck I came.’”
I couldn’t resist. “That’s pretty much what you said, too.”
“Is it?” He groaned even louder and slammed the rest of his drink. “I need more whiskey. Want something?”
I bit my lip and looked at my empty glass. What number was that? I felt light-headed, but I didn’t know if it was the champagne or the flirting. I felt light-hearted too. “I shouldn’t.”
“Why? Are you driving?”
“No.”
“Are you married?”
“No.”
“Are you worried I’m going to get you drunk and drag you into a closet for round two?”
I smiled coyly. “Maybe.”
He leaned in closer, so close I felt his breath on my lips. “Good.”
Before Levi came back with our next round, Skylar and Sebastian appeared on the patio. Noticing I was by myself, Skylar tugged on her new husband’s hand, whispered in his ear, and left his side to join me at the table.
“Hey, you.” She fanned her face, which was dewy and flushed, but other than the fact that her lipstick had faded, she looked just as radiant and flawless as she had at three o’clock this afternoon. “What are you doing hiding out all alone over here?”
“I’m not hiding, and actually, I’m not alone.” I gave her a cryptic little smile, and her eyes widened.
“What’s that mean?”
Over her shoulder, I saw Sebastian and Levi greet each other with a handshake and a back-thumping man-hug. I knew I’d only have a minute before they came over here, so I spoke fast. “OK, remember the guy I told you about, the one in the dorm closet?”
“Pine Sol?”
“Yeah. He’s here.”
“Pine Sol is here?” Her jaw dropped, and she craned her neck to look over her shoulder as I shushed her.
“Yes. He’s talking to Sebastian right now.”
She faced me again, her eyes huge and sparkling. “Pine Sol is Levi Brooks? The architect? I don’t believe it!”
“Shhhhhhh!” I flapped my hands between us to get her to quiet down. “Will you hush, please? I don’t want him to know I told you about the closet.”
“I’m sorry, I can’t help it. Oh my God, this is amazing. I can’t wait to tell Natalie.” She shook her head and moved around the table to make room for the guys, who were headed our way with drinks. “Wait, isn’t he married? He’s got a kid, I think.”
I shook my head. “Nope. Not married. But yes, one son.” There was no time to get into everything he had told me. “Do you know anything else about him?”
“Not really,” she said, frowning. “Sebastian never gossips about anyone, it’s so annoying.”
“OK, quiet now. Here they come.” Meeting Levi’s eyes as he approached, I smiled, my heart tripping faster.
He set my champagne and his Old Fashioned down and came around the table to kiss my sister on the cheek. “Congratulations, Skylar. You look beautiful.”
She flashed him her ten thousand watt smile. “Thank you. I’m so glad you’re here. You’ve met my big sister, Jillian, I see.”
He came back to his place beside me, standing a little closer this time, his body angled toward mine. “Yes. Actually, we met years ago.”
“So I hear.” Skylar gave him a smile that said I Totally Know What You Did, and I elbowed her. Did she have to be so obvious?
Natalie and Miles strolled up. “What’s going on?” Natalie asked, eyeballing me and Levi and then me again.
Skylar scooted over to make room for them between her and Sebastian. “Levi, this is the youngest Nixon sister, Natalie, and her fiancé, Miles Haas.”
While Miles and Natalie shook hands with Levi and Sebastian explained the connection, Skylar and I had a silent conversation with our facial expressions and eyebrows, the way only two sisters can. It went something like this:
Knock it off!
What? I’m not doing anything.
Yes you are, and you know it.
Relax, I’m only having a little fun. He doesn’t know you told me.
He’s standing right there! You’re making it obvious! Now stop.
But the glint in her eye made me nervous.
“So Jillian, Sebastian was just saying you and Levi met at U of M?” Natalie sounded curious.
“We were just talking about your time at Michigan, weren’t we?” Skylar turned to Natalie. “Remember, Nat? She was telling us about how clean the dorms were? How she loved the way they smelled like Pine Sol?”
If it hadn’t been her wedding day, I might have strangled her. I couldn’t even make eye contact with Levi, I was so mortified, but I thought I heard him chuckle.
“Pine Sol? Wasn’t that the hot guy from college, the one she—wait a minute.” Natalie’s face screwed up in confusion until she noticed the way that Skylar was tilting her head toward Levi. “Ohhhhh.”
“Is anyone else totally fucking confused?” Miles asked, looking around the table.