Page 53 of Entangled

I mouth the word at him behind Jack’s back and he just grins wickedly back at me.

“Well, now—”

The front door opens at that moment and Tiff’s exuberant voice calls out, saving me from having to admit to my culinary ineptitude. “I come bearing the vino!”

She walks into the kitchen like a whirlwind with a ridiculously bright smile on her face, and a bottle of white wine in each hand.

“El!” She leaps forward and wraps me in a tight hug as if I’m some long-lost friend.

Wow. They really are an affectionate bunch.

Jace comes up and takes the wine bottles from her hands where they’re still wrapped around me, giving me an amused look as if he read the thought running through my mind before turning to set them on the counter. Tiff lets go of me and wraps her cousin in a side hug while he digs through a drawer and pulls out a wine opener before turning to give her uncle the same treatment.

Tiff hops up onto the counter beside Jace, her face brimming with excitement. “I was so happy when Uncle Jack told me you were coming to dinner. You should have heard Sam at the bonfire after you and Jace—”

“White or white, Delacroix?” Jace cuts her off, shooting a nervous look at his dad’s back.

“White is fine.” I grin at him.

“Anyway.” Tiff scowls at Jace, watching him pour the wine into three glasses before grabbing one up. “Like I was saying—” She brings the glass to her lips just as Jack walks by and snatches it from her grasp, handing it over to me. “Hey!”

He gives her an admonishing look and I take a sip of the wine to hide my grin.

“Your mama would skin me alive, girly.”

“But I brought it!” she argues indignantly.

“And that’s all you’ll be doing under my roof until you’re twenty-one.” He turns to me and I see Jace pass Tiff his glass behind his dad’s back, sneaking her a large sip. “Now dinner is ready, Eleanor. Bowls are by the stove and these two miscreants can wait while you help yourself.”

“Thanks.” I give him a smile and turn to the stove, feeling all kinds of nostalgia at their family dynamics as I fill my bowl, missing Yvie and the guys. I may not have grown up with a traditional family and Yvie worked late a lot during the week. But the guys and I ate together pretty much every night and Yvie had always made sure she was there for Sunday night dinners.

I walk to the kitchen table and take a seat, watching Jace and Tiff shove each other over who gets to go next before he lets her win. Tiff quickly ladles the soup into her bowl and scurries over, sliding into the seat next to me.

“You know.” She leans in and drops her voice conspiratorially, peeking over her shoulder to where Jace stands at the stove. “I’ve never seen my cousin chase a girl before. Much less through a grocery store parking lot.”

Tiff leans back and gives me a smile that says she’s already picking out wedding invitations but I just roll my eyes at her and take a sip of my wine. Unwilling to dampen her fantasies with my reality. Jace joins us then, taking the seat across from me and casting a curious look between the two of us while his dad sets a breadbasket down in the middle of the table before sitting down next to him. Everyone starts to dig in then without any prompting so I take that as my cue, grabbing a piece of bread from the basket and drenching it in the soup before bringing it to my mouth. Corn, cream, crab, and spices explode over my tongue in a symphony of flavor.

“Holy shit. That’s amazing.” I moan before catching myself. “Shi-uh, sorry.”

Jack and Tiff laugh as Jace’s eyes catch mine and I can practically see the naughty thoughts playing out within their mischievous depths when he grins.

“It’s really good,” I surmise, spooning the soup up and bringing it to my mouth as I steadfastly ignore Jace’s foot now messing with mine under the table.

“I’m glad you like it.” Jack smiles, leaning back in his seat and eyeing me as he picks up his glass of wine and takes a sip. “So tell me, Eleanor. What brought you back to town?”

“She prefers El,” Tiff interrupts, curious eyes catching mine before dropping back down to her bowl.

“El, then.” Jack nods.

“Uh—” I take another bite of soup and try to stomp on Jace’s foot when he runs it up my calf. “I—”

How am I supposed to focus like this?

“Jace,” Jack’s voice snaps out. “Stop playing footsie with the girl and let her speak.”

Jace’s foot drops instantly and his expression turns contrite. “Yes, sir.”

As if.

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