Miles nodded. “Yeah, that makes more sense.” Then he stuck his hand out to her across the table. She slid hers into his and they shook. “Miles Aldrich. The food here is incredible, so the spontaneous kidnapping worked in your favor. Cute baby, by the way.”
Her blush deepened, and it was all I could do not to knock his hand off hers. Flirty bastard.
“Catherine Warner, but everyone besides Elliot calls me Kit.” She patted Jo’s stomach. “This little girl is Josephine. Everyone calls her Joey.”
Saoirse chimed in. “Even Elliot?”
Catherine slid me a sidelong glance. “Usually, it’s Josephine, sometimes Jo. Occasionally Joey.”
Elise eyed us both then turned her attention to Catherine. I braced myself for what she might ask. Coming here, I’d prepared myself for an inquisition, but I hadn’t considered Catherine might be uncomfortable being the center of attention. That was the last thing I wanted.
“So, what’s it like being a mom?” Elise asked.
Catherine sighed with what seemed like relief. She’d been bracing too. “It’s strange, but I barely remember what life was like before she got here. Don’t get me wrong, it was rough being completely on my own, but now that I have help and I’m back at work, it’s just…lovely.”
Miles cut right to the chase. “Where’d the dad go?”
Weston groaned at his brother. “Jesus. Have some couth.”
Catherine scrunched her nose. “Australia.”
Miles jerked his chin. “Loser.”
She nodded. “My sentiments exactly. I got the cute baby. He got the continent with the most poisonous snakes and spiders in the world.”
Miles raised his glass of what looked like lemonade but undoubtedly contained hard liquor…at eleven o’clock in the morning.
“Cheers to that. I’ve always said kangaroos aren’t even that cute. Have you seen their pouches?” He shuddered. “Nightmares.”
Saoirse propped her elbows on the table, chin on top of her fists. “Levy, you never did confirm which of Miles’s options was true. One, two, or three?”
“While I can’t claim I haven’t asked Catherine to work on weekends, she’s not here as my employee.” I reached for her hand and wove our fingers together. “Option two.”
Weston slapped me on the shoulder. “You’re kidding.”
Elise shook her head. “He isn’t kidding.”
Luca’s cheeks puffed up, and he blew out a heavy breath. “I’m going to guess this didn’t happen in the time since we saw you on Thursday.”
“No.” I turned my head to look at Catherine, who already had her eyes on me. She nodded, giving me the go-ahead to tell them. “We’ve been together around a month.”
More if I counted the time since she moved in with me. I did, but she wouldn’t.
Elise held out a hand, her expression falling. “You didn’t tell me.”
Weston curled his arm around her. “He didn’t tell anyone. I had no idea.”
“But he’s my brother,” Elise murmured.
“I could have called you,” I started. “I could have told Weston and Luca at the gym or over drinks. But it was far more efficient to tell all of you together, and now you all know. Can we move on?”
Catherine squeezed my hand, laughing under her breath. “I think we were pretty surprised ourselves that this happened.”
Miles nodded like he heard a beat no one else could. “Yeah, I’m into it. You guys are cute. Like grumpy sunshine on crack.” He pointed at me. “He’s the one on crack, by the way.”
Weston cupped his forehead. “Why? Why?”
Miles sipped his drink, utterly unperturbed by his brother’s annoyance. “Relax, Westie. I’ve heard you tell Elise you’re concerned about Elliot spending so much time alone. Now you don’t have to be worried anymore.”
Elise flicked his ear. “Your key is revoked. You’ve listened in on too many of our conversations.”
Weston shot a glare at his brother. “This is why he shouldn’t have had a key in the first place. He can’t help himself. He’s trouble.”
Miles grimaced and met my eye. “They talk about me too. We never should have let them happen.”
“I wasn’t asked for my opinion, unfortunately,” I deadpanned, then turned to Weston. “You’re worried about me?”
He chuffed, running a hand through his hair. “You’re on my mind sometimes, yes. Especially lately, when you’ve been showing up less and less. It makes sense now, but Elise and I were scrambling for answers while you were off falling for your assistant.”