I stared after him, my hands fisted and my nails digging into my palms. That son of a bitch! He’d made it sound like he was the one who’d broken up with me, instead of the other way around.
“Babe?” Wills drew my attention back to him.
“I broke up with him!”
“I believe you.” Those three words reined in my temper, and I took his hand and stared into his chocolate brown eyes.
“I am so fucking lucky I found you, that you wanted me.”
“I was thinking the same thing.”
“If Paul hadn’t wound up in the hospital—”
He held my hand tightly. “I’d have found you, babe. If I’d had to move heaven and earth, I’d have found you.” And in spite of being in such a public place, he leaned forward and kissed me.
Chris had refilled our coffee cups and removed the plates, and I was about to ask for the check when a shadow fell over our table.
“Will?”
He looked up and then grinned and jumped up. “Cathy!”
“I thought that was you. Hello, cuz.” She hugged him over the fence. “It’s good to see you again.”
“It’s good to see you too. This is Theo, my fiancé. Theo, my cousin, Cathy.”
“It’s nice to meet you.” I had risen—Ma had taught me manners—and now I offered her my hand. “I won’t even hold it against you that your father is an…a jerk.”
“You don’t have to mince words with me, although I appreciate the intention. My father is what he is.” Her smile was crooked. “But let’s not talk about him.” She turned back to Wills and drew a petite redhead forward. “I have someone I want you to meet.” Before I had a chance to panic, Cathy blushed prettily and said, “This is Alexis Cavanaugh. Lexi’s my girlfriend.”
“Hello, Lexi.” Wills shook her hand.
“Hi, Lexi. I’m really pleased to meet you!”
She was puzzled by my enthusiasm, but she shook my hand also.
“Do you need to be anywhere, Cath?” Wills asked. “We’ve finished brunch, but if you’d care to join us, we could go for another cup of coffee and more of the sticky buns this place offers.”
“Coffee would be good.”
“Awesome.”
“We’ll be right around.” She and Lexi headed for the front entrance of Charmaine. The outdoor area could only be accessed through the restaurant.
“Will?” I cocked an eyebrow at him.
“The Sabatini side of the family never mingled much with the Matheson side after Mom died, and even less after Dad and Jill married, so they never called me Wills.”
“Got it.”
Just then Cathy and Lexi arrived at our table.
“Sit, please!” Wills looked around for our waiter. “Chris! Two more place settings. What kind of coffee would you like?”
“Nothing fancy.” Cathy smiled at Chris. “Just two regulars, please. Although those sticky buns sound yummy.”
“Two coffees and more…buns coming right up.” He sauntered off, giving that extra wiggle to his butt again, and I glowered after him.
“I swear to God, one of these days…”
“It’s all right, babe.”
“What is it, Will?” Cathy asked.
But I answered. “That…gym bunny…” I snarled, “…makes a pass at Wills every time we come here!”
“Why keep coming?”
“I like the buns.” Both women burst into giggles, and I had to acknowledge my unintended double entendre. “Not those buns, and it’s not funny. I was sitting right here.”
“Now, babe.”
“The only reason why I didn’t punch his lights out is because he isn’t a redhead.”
“Oh?” Cathy looked interested. “That’s right, I remember Uncle Jack saying you always had a thing for redheads.” She turned her head to smile at Lexi. “It must run in the family.”
“Yeah.” But Wills was looking at me, and I smiled reluctantly. “So, Cath. What are you doing in DC?”
“Lex and I are applying for positions on the Ambassador to Italy’s staff. Although I’m not sure if we’ll get them.”
“Why shouldn’t we, Cat? You’re fluent not only in the language but in quite a few dialects, and I’ve got that master’s in psychology.”
“But we’re also lesbians. How are you going to manage it, Will?”
“Marrying Theo?”
“You know it won’t be legal?”
Still steamed by Chris’s actions, I muttered under my breath, “Everyone makes sure to let him know about that.”
Wills just said, “I know. My company doesn’t have any policies against sexual orientation. As a matter of fact, Theo will become beneficiary on my life insurance policy, and he’ll get health benefits also.”
“I already have them, babe.”
“Yeah, but they’re not as good as my company’s.”
Their jaws dropped, and it was easy to tell that surprised them. Wills’s company might ask him to do stuff I’d prefer he didn’t have to do, but they did take care of him.
“You’ll come to our wedding, I hope?”
“I was going to ask if you minded if I brought Lexi with me.”
“The more the merrier. You were at some of my birthday parties before we moved to Cambridge, Cath.”