Chapter 14
CHAPTER 14
KIKI EMMERSON
I bring the pot of soup I made into the dining room and set it down on a trivet. I sit down at the table, Skyler to the left of me, Micah on the right. Tobias and Levi sit across from me. It feels like a family, and I choke back sudden emotions. I haven’t had that since my grandmother died. And I won’t have it ever again. This is not my family, no matter how much I wish it was. I’m just an impostor who invaded their home for my own purposes.
“Smells delicious,” Levi says. He grabs Tobias’s bowl and scoops a hearty portion for him, then continues to serve everyone else. “Is it made with sausage?”
“Yes, and potatoes.”
“I love potatoes,” Levi says.
I chance a glance at Tobias. I have no idea what to think. Things were going well as we played with Skyler, then he just left. Did I say something that offended him? I didn’t mean to. And now he’s strangely silent.
“You have a tattoo,” Levi says as he places my bowl in front of me. “Can I see it?”
Last night flits through my brain. Tobias said the same thing to me, right before he tenderly touched my skin, and my heart melted. I don’t know why, but it felt very intimate. That intimacy is gone now. I shove my wrist at Levi. “Sure.”
“That’s cool,” Micah says, leaning over to see it. “A phoenix?”
“Yes.”
Levi finishes dishing out dinner for everyone and sits down. “When did you get that? I don’t remember you having one yesterday.”
I look down at the table. “I sometimes cover it with makeup.”
Micah nudges my arm. “You shouldn’t. It’s cool. I’d get a tattoo if my brother would let me.”
Tobias jerks his head up. “What?”
“I mean, a tattoo would be cool,” Micah says, scooping up a potato from his bowl.
“You’re too young.” Tobias clenches his spoon.
“I knew you’d say that,” Micah mumbles.
I watch as Skyler fishes out a piece of sausage from her soup. “Blow on it before you eat it, okay?”
She nods. “Okay.”
I look at Micah. “I heard you singing last night. You’re pretty good.”
He blushes and ducks his head. “You heard that?”
“Well, sort of. I couldn’t tell which song you were singing. But I could hear you had a great singing voice.”
“Thanks.” Micah’s face turns three shades of red.
“What’s the name of your YouTube channel? I want to go watch your videos.” I take a sip of the soup.
“You’re being careful on the Internet, right?” Tobias asks.
Micah makes a face. “I’m careful. I don’t post my real name. I don’t even show my face.” He turns to me. “It’s Midnight Velocity.”
“Ooh,” I say. “That’s a cool name. I’ll look it up after I get done quilting with Ellie.”
Tobias finally looks at me. “You’re busy tonight?”
“Sorry, did I forget to mention it?” I was pretty sure he was there when Ellie invited me to quilt with her and the other ladies on Wednesdays. Maybe he forgot.
He pulls out his cell phone. “You’d better give me your cell number, in case something happens, and I need to get a hold of you.”
I shake my head. “I don’t have one.”
Levi and Micah stare at me like I’m an alien. “You don’t have one?” Tobias finally asks.
“No.” Most phones were out of my price range, and there were advantages to not being reachable.
“All right.” Tobias puts his phone away. “How late will you be out?”
“Ellie’s coming to pick me up at seven, but I don’t know how long we’ll quilt.” I scoop another generous bite of the soup.
“I’ll text Ellie then.” Tobias shoves his spoon into his bowl, and it clanks.
I stare at him. Something’s wrong, but I can’t pinpoint what it is. “Is it okay that I’m helping the quilters tonight?”
“Yes. Of course.” He waves away my question but still doesn’t meet my gaze.
I’m tired of trying to figure him out, so I go back to my soup. “How’s the job hunting going?” I ask Levi. He’d been filling out paperwork earlier.
“Fine. I’m applying at the diner where Savannah works.” Levi looks around the table as his brothers stare back at him.
“Who’s Savannah?” I ask.
The Barrett brothers seem to communicate without words as they all exchange glances with Levi. My gaze zips around the room at them as I try to figure out what’s not being said. Finally, Tobias pipes up. “She’s Noah’s ex.”
“Oh. Do tell.” I lean forward, ready to get the scoop.
The brothers all look at each other uncomfortably. No one speaks. “What?” I ask. “No one’s going to spill the tea?”
Levi scrubs a hand over his jaw. “They dated all senior year in high school. They were inseparable. Then, right before prom, she dumped him.” Levi shrugs. “Noah never found out why. She just ghosted him.”
“Ouch,” I say, leaning back in my seat. “That had to hurt.”
“Yeah. He avoids her like the plague now. But it’s hard, because the island is small, ya know?” Micah says, motioning like the table were the whole island.
“I can only imagine.” I help Skyler eat the last of her soup because it keeps dribbling off her spoon.
After dinner I bring the bowls into the kitchen. Levi comes in and walks to the sink. “I’ll help with the dishes. I can rinse them off, you put them in the dishwasher?” He grins at me.
“It’s okay,” Tobias says behind me. “I’ve got them.” He comes to the sink and practically shoves Levi out of the way. “You should continue to fill out applications.”
Levi looks at me, then Tobias. “Sure. Okay, bro.” He hits his brother’s shoulder with his fist before leaving.
Tobias picks up a bowl and runs it under the faucet. He glances at me. “Do you think you’ll be out later than nine?”
I nod and open the dishwasher. “I think so.”
“No problem. I’ll put Skyler to bed.”
“She’ll be very happy. She tells me how much she loves it when you read to her.”
He lifts his eyebrows. “Really?”
I put my hand on his arm and a surge of warmth flows through my fingers. “You’re a good father.”
He meets my gaze, and my heart stops. His eyes are so stunning. “That means a lot to me. Thank you for saying so.”
I stare at him, and time slows. His arm muscles tense, but I can’t seem to let go. An electric current runs between us, drawing me to him. “I mean it,” I hear myself saying. “You’re great with Skyler. I’m so happy she has a father like you.” The words get all tangled up in my emotions, and they come out sounding funny.
He stares at me, as if he’s looking into my soul. I’m so close to him now, energy pulsates through me. His gaze is mesmerizing. “You care a lot about her, don’t you?”
All thought leaves my brain, and I can’t stop looking at his high cheekbones. His five-o-clock shadow. And his perfect lips. What would it feel like to kiss him? “I do,” I say, forcing myself to look back at his eyes.
Micah comes into the kitchen, and I jump back from Tobias, my heart pounding. “Ellie’s here for you, Kiki.” He heads to the refrigerator and grabs a cheese stick.
“Sorry, I have to go,” I say, trying to get my heart back under control. It’s for the best that I get out of there. I was making a fool of myself anyway.
“No problem,” Tobias says, his voice sounding hoarse. That makes me feel a little better. Maybe he was affected by our close proximity, too. “Come check in with me when you get home.”
I nod, even though it’s a strange request. Why would he want me to check in with him?
I exit out the front door. Ellie sits in a little bright red, two-seater BMW convertible. “Cute car,” I say as I hop in.
“Aren’t you the sweetest thing?” She grins at me as she pulls out of the driveway.
Ellie’s wearing a red and white polka-dot dress, and a white hat tied under her chin with a large bow. I feel underdressed again in my tank top and cut offs. “How has the gallery been?”
She sighs. “We’re struggling, but I bet Tobias told you that.”
“He did, and I’ve been thinking about what you could do. Have you thought about inviting a well-known artist to showcase some pieces there? Maybe have an event where we can get people to come over from the mainland?”
“Hmm, now that’s an idea.” She pats me on the knee. “You’re a smart one, aren’t you?”
Ellie pulls up to her two-story home and shuts off her engine. I follow her into her home and to the sewing room where she’s got various quilts laid out at different stages of completion. Josephine is sitting on a chair, and a young woman sits next to her on the couch. “Kiki, this is Savannah,” Josephine says, motioning to the woman.
So, this is Noah’s ex. She’s a petite blonde, and she’s also wearing a dress. There must be a secret dress code on this island I’m not privy to. I smile and extend my hand. “Nice to meet you.”