Jack a chance, I wouldn’t be in this mess and you wouldn’t be dating my brother, which by the way we are still going to talk about.”
“What did you tell him?”
Abby studied the grout. “That I had to think about it.”
A muffled voice came through the door. It was Trey. “Christ, man, I know this is all new to you, but give the lady some space.”
“Told you,” Abby whispered, wiping her eyes and standing up.
There was rustling as though some brotherly shoving and maybe a noogie was taking place on the other side of the door. Then Marc spoke. “She’s in there with Abby.”
“Doing what?” Trey sounded completely confused.
“Not playing spin the bottle,” Lexi hollered at the door, smothering a laugh.
“They’re either sharing secrets or they’re trying to sneak out the window above the commode again,” ChiChi said a moment before the door shot open.
Dressed in an apron that read Got Cannoli? and a pair of red kitten heels that cost more than Lexi’s entire wardrobe, stood ChiChi. Beside her was Pricilla, looking stunning in her teal slacks and a tucked-in David Hasselhoff T-shirt with a seascape of gems bedazzled around the neckline, making the ensemble evening appropriate. At least in Pricilla’s mind.
“We weren’t trying to sneak out,” Abby defended, standing up.
“Of course you weren’t, dear,” Pricilla said, stepping into the bathroom and sitting on the commode. She held a covered dish in her right hand and her crocheted bag of treats in her left. She was smiling and in arm’s reach of both Abby’s and Lexi’s mouths. Most grannies discouraged lying with a mouthful of soap; Pricilla believed more in the if-your-mouth-is-too-full-of-chocolate-the-lie-can’t-come-out method.
“That’s exactly what you told me the last time, right before Mr. Patterson caught you two skinny-dipping in his pool,” ChiChi accused.
Abby was about to say something when Marc peeked his head over ChiChi’s. “You went skinny-dipping?”
“The night she stole my car,” Pricilla added.
“I had on underwear,” Lexi clarified, forcing her shoulders back but failing to hide the embarrassment creeping up her face. “And I just borrowed it.”
“What color was the underwear?” Trey wanted to know, popping his head in.
Marc elbowed him in the ribs and saved Lexi from answering.
“She hasn’t even had dinner and you’re going to scare her away.” A petite woman with striking blue eyes pushed her way in the room. One hand was securely tangled with Gabe’s, and the other rubbed back and forth over her pregnant belly. “The DeLucas are still learning the concept of personal space and that a bathroom isn’t the place for a family reunion.”
“You’ll get used to it,” Gabe said right as Nate and Tanner came through the door.
“Is it true you’re shacking up with this guy?” Trey wanted to know. Marc slugged him in the arm, and Trey slugged back when Nate pushed his way into the room and between the two brothers.
“Leave the poor thing alone,” Regan said with a reprimanding swat to Trey’s gut.
“I never really knew,” Lexi whispered to Abby.
“Oh, this is nothing,” she whispered back. “Wait until one of them questions the other’s manliness. Then it is on.”
“Shame on you, Trey. Where are your manners? Sleeping in sin is one thing.” ChiChi shook her head and made the sign of the cross. “Making her admit it in front her grandmother is plain rude.”
Lexi felt the blush rise even higher in her cheeks. Did they know about last night? Making people think they were having sex was part of the original plan, but that was before they had done the pantry-floor shuffle.
Marc ran a hand through his hair. “Christ, Nonna—”
Pricilla shoved a summer fiesta cake ball in Marc’s mouth and scolded, “Language. Plus, I don’t think he’s eaten the apple.” Her eyes narrowed, assessing Lexi and then Marc before frowning. “Tart, pie, or strudel. What’s wrong with you, son?”
“None of our business,” Trey said in a mocking tone that had all the guys laughing. Well, all of the guys except Marc, who was chewing furiously. Cake ball or not, Pricilla’s summer fiesta was more of a three-biter.
Lexi’s chest went tight and her heart heavy at their ribbing. It didn’t bother her that they were laughing or that she didn’t get the joke. What bothered her was that Marc was somehow the butt of their fun. Abby was right, Lexi didn’t have siblings, didn’t know what it was like to be a part of a big family. But she did know how much it stung when the people you loved discounted your feelings.