Page 128 of Push

“No Spanish, either!” she hissed. “And leave that table alone! I told you to wait until all our guests arrive. There won’t be anything left if you keep helping yourself!”

Frowning, Liam slid a glance to the table. For once, he and I were on the same page. He could graze for a lifetime and never eat his way through all the platters Cat had crammed on the red-checkered tablecloth. Our cheese platter found an awkward spot squished on the edge.

I was positively thrilled when Elias excused himself to head outside.Good riddance. But the overly familiar hand he touched to Gwen’s arm as he passed just about had me launching out of my skin. What the hell was that bastard playing at? I was standingright there, and he thought it was perfectly fine to waltz around, touchingmy wife.

My gut clenched.Wasshe, though?Mine?

I tilted my head, thinking.

Whatwerewe? I lived at the house most of the time, staying at the apartment only a couple of nights a week. We talked. We touched—not sexual, but… I sighed. We were stuck in a strange limbo somewhere between marriage and separation. Were wejust friends? I was crazy in love with Gwen, and she’d told me she still loved me, but that didn’t mean she wasin lovewith me.

Cat tapped my arm. “Is your friend still coming?” she asked. “With his little ones?”

“Yeah.” Her smiles were so infectious I couldn’t help grinning back. “Zach should be here any minute.”

“Oh! I can’t wait! Gwen.” She flapped an excited hand to get my wife’s attention. “Let me show you what I set up for the little ones!”

Almost bouncing, Cat tugged Gwen to the play area she’d set up in the corner of the dining room. It was safely enclosed—no escapee babies on her watch—and there were soft toys, dolls, and a bucket of plastic books that squeaked arranged neatly inside. She was delighted when Gwen nodded her approval.

“This is all so wonderful,” Gwen whispered.

“What’s wonderful is that you’re finally here. All of you.” Cat’s arm wrapped around my wife’s back and hugged her close. “You should’ve been here all along. He needs you, even though he’ll never admit it, stubborn boy.”

Gwen’s rigid soldier stance relaxed, and as the two of them talked in hushed whispers, she held her head high again. I smiled.That’s my girl.

A flash of red tore my eyes off the perfect sight. Liam’s outstretched hand snuck toward an olive skewered with a toothpick. The second I snapped my head around, his hand disappeared behind his back.

I sidled up beside him. “I saw that,” I said under my breath.

“You saw nothing.”

Liam was such a complete weirdo. “Nice sweater, by the way.” I smirked. It really wasn’t.

“I was informed suits aren’t allowed on Sundays,” he grumbled. “And choose your words wisely about my sweater, sweetheart. It’s delightful. Mama knitted it for me.”

I stifled a laugh.

“Don’t laugh too loudly,” he replied through gritted teeth. “Unless my sister has the sense to get rid of you, you’ll be receiving your very own sweater this Christmas. And youwillbe expected to wear it.”

“Oh, har har.”

“You think I’m joking?” Liam hummed thoughtfully. “If you don’t play nicely, perhaps I’ll mention to Mama how much you loved the charming snowman design with falling snow pompoms she knitted Elias when we were fourteen.”

My smile vanished. “You’re kidding, right?”

“Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’ll tell Mama that you want extra pompoms on yours.” The toothpick reappeared from behind his back, and he popped the olive in his mouth with a satisfied smile.

Sunday lunch had well and truly started.

Game on.

40

He Enjoyed Feeling Useful

Toby

Marnie was the hitof Sunday lunch. She was the sun everyone orbited around, charming the pants off the guests, gossiping, and fluttering through the crowd like a complete natural. We’d grown up in the same social circle, but somehow, she’d always been more comfortable in the uppity crowd than me.

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