Page 32 of Faking It with my Bestie's Billionaire Brother

Mrs. Moretti was still talking, and I took advantage of the opportunity to watch Ava from beneath my lashes. She really was beautiful and not because of those full lips, big, brown eyes, and curves that made me ache, but because of her spirit, how passionately she argued for anything she believed in, and most of all, how she did not back down. I admired that.

As Mrs. Moretti finished up her prayers, I happened to glance in front of me and caught Leo watching me with a warning in his eyes. I guessed that he caught me staring at his sister, but instead of turning away, I met his eyes and smiled. “I can’t thank you all enough for having me over tonight. Everything looks great,” I said as everyone began passing around dishes.

“You talking about the food or my sister?” Leo asked pointedly.

“Leonardo,” Mrs. Moretti hissed, and the whole table seemed to still, silverware clattering dramatically against dishes.

“What? It’s a valid question. Casanova over here has barely looked at the food since all he’s been doing since he got here has been looking at my sister like he wants to take Ava on the table.”

“Holy shit,” Mikey breathed with a funny smile, as if he’d inadvertently scored front row seats to the hottest boxing match of the century.

“Really, Leo, don’t you think that’s more of an internal thought you should keep to yourself?” Ava asked, her voice dripping with acid.

Leo snorted. “I would have thought that lecherous look would be more internal, too, but here’s Mr. Money Bags practically panting at your skirts.”

“Leonardo Moretti,” Mrs. Moretti intoned in a voice that made absolutely all movement stop. Mikey still appeared like he wanted to cheer the drama on, Tony and Ava looked on worriedly, and Leo stared defiantly at his mother. “I understand that you feel the need to throw your weight around from being the oldest, but you will not make such a vulgar suggestion on today of all days. What would your father think?”

To his credit, Leo looked slightly abashed. “Sorry, Ma,” he said quietly.

But Mrs. Moretti was not done, as she addressed the whole table now. “Ava thinks enough of this man to bring him home and expose him to you buffoons, so I can only assume that he must be special to her. I taught you kids to get to know someone before you draw your own conclusions, and I don’t think it’s too much to ask for Ava’s sake to try to get to know Spencer.”

Her defense of me—granted, it was mostly for her daughter’s benefit—moved me. But the next couple of hours would move me more. The dinner started off somewhat tense and awkward, but once that bottle of wine was uncorked, everyone began to relax. Leo even went as far as to somewhat apologize by catching my eyes and saying, “Hey, about earlier—”

I thought he was going to address the comment about me taking his sister on the table, which for all of its crassness sounded like one hell of an idea and was now permanently lodged in my head, but Leo had something else in mind.

“I hope you weren’t offended by me calling Penny princess. Morettis only hand out nicknames if they like someone, and Penny is a good egg,” Leo explained. His apology only made me wonder if Ava had really liked me all that much when she’d assigned me the nickname of “Duke.”

“Well, I think so,” I told Leo, “I did my best to raise her that way.”

“That’s right,” Mrs. Moretti chimed in. “I forgot Penny mentioning before that it was her brother who raised her.”

“Doesn’t it make it kind of weird for her, then?” Mikey asked. “Her brother/dad dating her best friend?”

I swallowed hard, trying to come up with the most diplomatic answer, knowing that if this situation were for real, Penny would not be happy. Hell, if she had any inkling of the thoughts I was having about her best friend, she would probably go nuclear.

Luckily, Ava stepped in. “I think it might have been a little strange for her at first, but she loves us both and wants us to be happy, so she came around to the idea.”

“Must be pretty serious to broach that with Penny, though…and to bring him here.” Tony smiled, and I could tell it was authentic based on his open expression and kind eyes.

I felt Ava stiffen slightly next to me, and I glanced at her. Moments like these were where the charade chafed a bit. I knew she hated lying to her family, and seeing just how close she was to them, I understood just how much she loved Penny if she was willing to deceive these sweet, albeit slightly unhinged, people she cared for so much.

But Ava just smiled slowly. “Oh, I don’t know, Tony. I’m still pretty sure that you and Zac will beat us down the aisle.”

Tony’s face turned a deep shade of red, and everyone else started chiming in with questions until Mrs. Moretti took control by shushing her children and addressing Tony. “Anthony, I’m again hearing about this Zac person. Why don’t you just bring him to meet us? We might be a little wild, but Spencer here is still standing.” Tony was shaking his head, but she ignored him as she continued, “I know! Why don’t you bring him for next Sunday dinner? I’m sure Spencer here would be relieved not to be the only odd one out.”

I glanced at Ava at the mention of Mrs. Moretti’s expectation that I would be here the following Sunday. Ava tucked in close to my side, her breath hot in my ear as she said in a low voice, “Don’t worry, I’ll find a way out of it for you.”

I couldn’t quite decide what was more disquieting, the feel of her hot breath against my skin or the fact that my gut kind of twisted at the idea that I wouldn’t be a part of the next Sunday dinner.

As the conversation moved on from the mysterious Zac to football season and everything in between, I found myself being pulled into conversational topics I hadn’t thought about in years. It was nice not to have to talk about corporate mergers and potential moles. I felt full in a way that had nothing to do with the food, although by the time we were done, Mrs. Moretti made sure I was full of that, too. Not only that, but she sent Ava and myself away with a hefty doggy bag for later.

“Mrs. Moretti, I cannot thank you enough for welcoming me into your lovely home,” I told her, reaching out my hand, but she just looked down at it in disdain before yanking me into a bear hug.

“You did good, Spencer. It’s not easy coming into this house as a newcomer, especially one who’s with our baby girl,” she said in my ear as Ava’s brothers hugged her goodbye.

Leo was the last one to give his sister a hug, whispering something in her ear that made her brow furrow slightly. When he pulled back, he gave me a quick nod, then told Ava, “Tell Princess Penny I said hi,” before he walked back down the hallway.

The man seemed to have an inordinate amount of interest in my little sister, and I made a mental note to ask Ava about that later.

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