Page 12

Life of Crime

MADDIE

While Eve spoke, Easton’s darkeyes went over her head to land on me. To lock with mine. He held the intense contact for a long moment before a hint of a smirk played at his mouth.

Shit.

If I had even the bare minimum of coolness, I could’ve played it off by slowly sliding my eyes away like I’d just been scanning the room. Or maybe I could’ve offered my own smirk as I pretended not to care that I’d been caught checking him out.

Either were valid options that I didn’t take.

Instead, I doubled down on the awkward moment and quickly averted my gaze to study Greer’s phone like her messages with Josh were the most interesting and pressing matter in the history of the universe. My cheeks flushed.

A blushing, silly girl.

“Will you be staying for pizza and movie night?” Eve asked Easton, unaware of the game of chicken I’d just horrendously lost.

Please say yes.

I mean, no.

No, no, nope.

Movie nights were usually just the OGs and us. It was rare that any of the dads joined our chaos, but especially not Doug. On the infrequent occasion he was home at the time, he stayed locked away in his office.

He certainly never leaned against the counter, settled in like it was business as usual for him to be there.

When he shook his head at his wife, relief and disappointment swirled in my stomach even before he spoke. “I tried to lure him into sticking around for dinner, but he said he has an early?—”

“I changed my mind.”

At Easton’s interruption, Doug stammered, “W-what?”

“I can’t stay long, but a man’s got to eat.” Easton gestured to the spread of food. “And who could resist this?”

Doug’s brows shot up, and for a moment, he looked stressed. Or maybe it was just surprised. Either way, it was gone in a blink when a smile spread across his face—one that seemed to show all his gleaming teeth. “Perfect. Let’s get these bad boys going.”

Ogling portion of the evening forgotten, Wren and Greer ignored the additional guest and talked like nothing was amiss. Like there wasn’t a GQ model standing nearby.

They didn’t even watch when he shrugged off his jacket and hung it over a barstool. Or when he undid a set of gleaming cufflinks and pocketed them before rolling his shirt sleeves.

Why is that so sexy?

And how have I not learned my lesson?

I was already caught staring at him once. Do I really want a repeat?

Easton rubbed a hand along his strong jaw as he nodded at whatever Doug said.

I guess the answer is yes, Idowant a repeat because I can’t stop.

Eve offered the distraction I needed as she handed out circular trays of personal-sized pizza dough.

Ignoring the handsome man—and everyone else in the room—I put the entirety of my focus into making the world’s most pristine pizza. I added each item with meticulous precision, like one wrong move would result in an explosion.

The sound of the door opening and closing cut through the chatter, and Greer let out a happy squeal as she tossed her tray down with a clang.

“That must be my daughter’s boyfriend,” Doug said.