Lib Novel Page 67
I choke on my drink. That was not what I expected. Why in the world did I think he wouldn’t play it dirty?
I guess it’s a kissing game after all. And I should not be smiling right now, damn it.
“Hmm, I’m pretty sure jerking off on the other side of it counts.” Matteo snaps his eyes to mine as they darken again.
That’s right, two can play. Well, I’ll only last so long, but it’s worth it.
“I guess you are right. What shall I drink then?”
Me. I want to say me. It’s right there at the tip of my tongue before I swallow it, pushing the cocktail over to him. Matteo leaves his inventory for a second and takes a sip with his eyes still in mine.
“Your turn.”
What a dangerous little game I’m playing. Yet I can’t stop my next words. “Never have I ever been in love.”
What I said is the truth. One I’ve come to realize after my night with Matteo and when I said it, I was one hundred percent sure Matteo wouldn’t drink. I was confident in that. Yet…
Yet I’m stunned speechless when he takes my drink and drains it full.
He’s been in love…
My eyes search his as my heart is racing but whether it’s from hurt or surprise is yet to be determined. I have a million questions to ask but don’t because the front door opens and loud, joyous laughter fills the whole space and Jenny, Nina, Willa and Fanny stroll in and just as always with Rick, Sam and my dad trailing in behind them.
Who I don’t expect are Hope and Alec to walk in as well but the looks on their faces tell me they have been ambushed just as much as I have been and their date night was ruined by their parents.
“Zoe,” Willa exclaims happily and embraces me in a warm, motherly hug. “How is my favorite daughter-in-law?” she asks with excitement in her eyes.
“Oh, um, if you mean me, I am good. But I’m n—” I don’t get to finish the sentence because Matteo swoops in behind me, drawing his arm around my waist and plastering my back to his front, rendering me speechless while claiming me in front of everyone.
Why would he do that? Isn’t he afraid his playboy status will take a beating if others see him embracing the single mom of LC?
“Hey, you all, are you in for an early happy hour?” he asks them.
I try to move his arm off my hip discreetly, but the behemoth won’t budge.
He’s been in love…
“We sure are,” Sam supplies. That man is in abnormally good shape for his age. “Give us those fall specials you’ve been brewing.”
“And here we thought none of you would show up this early,” Alec grumbles. “Don’t you all have your new rally to plan?” He twists his lips.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Nina asks.
“Means we wanted some privacy for once.”
“We always give you privacy,” she argues back.
“The events of last night prove you very wrong, Mom.” Alec and Nina start going back and forth, and Hope slides next to us.
“They showed up to our place last night. Well, in the middle of it. And while we were in the middle of it,” she says with a small blush and rolls her lips. “Needless to say, they killed the mood and Alec is still very sour about it.”
“What did they want?” Matteo asks, confused. Poor guy lived for too long away from these schemers and they have definitely escalated from what he remembers.
Hope sighs. “Well, you see, we were supposed to be out of town last night, and they knew about it. So, they decided it was a perfect time to hang up some weird pregnancy charms all over our house in discreet places so we wouldn’t find out about them, yet magically would get pregnant.” Matteo looks at her with a stupefied expression. “Oh, and when they walked in and saw that their plan has failed, Nina proceeded to tell us about a position we should try.” Hope cringes. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard my husband yell that loud.”
“No, they didn’t,” he gasps. “Please tell me my mother wasn’t part of this,” he pleads but when Hope scrunches her nose, he gets his answer and groans.
“Um, she was the one who found the charms. So, I recommend going through your house as soon as you can. And look under the floorboards.”