Page 59 of Head Over Heels

“What’s so funny, Daddy?” Katie asks.

I’m about to try to explain the joke to a five-year-old when he says, “I like Liv.”

He says it with no particular significance—not, definitely, the way middle school girls saylike—but my heart speeds up anyway, and I glance nervously at his face, but he’s looking at Katie, his gaze rich with affection.

Damn the wine—it’s making me paranoid. The last thing I need is anyone getting in over their head here.

I mean, I’m in a little bit over my head already. I’m in deeper with Chase than I ever meant to be. I almost think, if I let myself, I could fall for him. But I’m still clear with myself that I’m not going there again, or at least not with a guy who has a preexisting (anti)commitment condition.

“I like Liv, too,” says Katie.

Brooks saunters up. He’s a head taller than Chase, with lots of shaggy brown hair and a full beard—very mountain man. “I’m Brooks. I think we’ve met once? Or maybe I just ogled you from afar. Great party.”

“Thanks, I think,” I say, laughing.

“Those salads are fu—”

We both look down at Katie.

“—awesome.”

“Why,thank you,Brooks.” I give Chase a long, hard look, and he holds his palms out in surrender.

“The salads were a tough sell for Chase,” I explain, when Brooks looks confused. “As were the candles, the tablecloths, the wine, the sparkling juice—”

“Just be glad I didn’t let her pick the music,” Chase says.

“The music is the best part,” Brooks says.

“You see?” Chase demands.

“Liv, important question for you,” Brooks says, oblivious to all of it. “Who is the woman sitting at the end of the picnic table?”

“That’s my friend Eve.” I’m used to answering that question. Guys always go after Eve, who is five eight and is built like a supermodel—the bathing suit kind, not the bony kind that looks best draped in a cabled sweater.

“Ah.”

“Do you need an introduction?”

“No,” Brooks says. “I just need to know you won’t kill me if I go home with her tonight.”

“No, butImight kill you if you get me in trouble by association,” Chase puts in.

I laugh. “Eve can take care of herself.”

That’s an understatement. Eve never wants to get married and doesn’t do relationships. Her parents made each other miserable, and after they divorced, Eve’s mom and stepdad made each other miserable and Eve’s dad and stepmom made each other miserable, and her dad is currently making Eve’ssecondstepmom miserable…so yeah, Eve has opted out. She prides herself on having sex like a man: “no regrets, no repeats.” I’d warn Brooks—but based on what Chase has told me about him, Brooks follows the same motto.

“Excellent news,” Brooks says, his face lighting up. “See you later, then.” And off he goes, a moment later at Eve’s side, whispering something in her ear that I can see—even from this distance—makes her smile.

“Huh,” Chase says. “That should be…interesting.”

“How so?”

“Like, irresistible force meets immovable object.”

“I was thinking more two people clad in sumo wrestler suits. Big bump, and then off in totally different directions.”

“Matter and antimatter?” he suggests.

---