If You Leave: The Beautifully Broken Series: Book 2 by Courtney Cole Read Free Book Online

to change into my gym clothes. ”
    Jacey grins, her eyes sparkling. “Well, with bike shorts and a little bitty T like that, I’m sure the guys will be leaving you big tips. So there’s a plus.”
    I groan and swat at her before I turn to follow her inside, but Tony snags my elbow and points at my salad.
    “Eat.”
    I glance at him and from the look on his face I know it’s useless to argue. I bend and shovel five bites into my mouth.
    “Good?” I ask with my mouth full as I wipe at it with a napkin.
    He gives me a dubious look and I take two more bites before I scoop up my plate.
    “I’ll eat the rest later,” I promise him. He shakes his head.
    “No, you won’t,” he sighs. “You’ll go home and eat a frozen burrito.”
    He can’t see me grinning as he follows me inside, which is probably a good thing. I absolutely hate being told what to do, which is probably a result of watching my father boss my mother around with his fist for years, but I don’t mind Tony’s fussing.
    For all Tony’s gruffness, he’s got a heart of gold, and he tries his hardest to watch out for both Mila and me. He’s the closest thing to family that we have now.
    As we walk back into the dining room, we are just in time to meet Mila and Pax coming in the front doors. Pax holds Mila’s elbow as she trips over the doormat.
    I have to laugh at the stricken expression on his face. I think Pax would pick Mila up and carry her for the next four months if he thought he could get away with it. He’s been more than a little overprotective lately. And as I stare at his tough exterior, it’s so hard to believe that it’s true, but it is.
    My brother-in-law is like a rock-hard, tattooed sex god or something. Seriously, the guy exudes sex appeal. My first thought when I first met him was
Holy shit, he’s trouble
. And he really was.
    Pax grins at me now, his hazel eyes twinkling.
    “See something you like, Mad?” he teases. And I realize that I’ve been staring. I grin back, not at all chagrined.
    “Yes, surprisingly enough. I do like you, little brother. Who would’ve thunk it?” Being the protective older sister, I told Mila to stay away from Pax, and of course that made her even more attracted to him. He had that bad-boy thing going on, that cocky attitude and dangerous demeanor that Mila couldn’t resist. Pax’s issues had issues, and he and Mila went through hell and high water together, but they stuck it out.
    Pax shakes his head. “Yeah, it’s hard to believe you ever misjudged this awesomeness.”
    I roll my eyes and lead them to a table, chatting with them while they get settled. Pax pulls out Mila’s chair and drops her napkin onto her lap for her.
    “Are you going to chew her food for her too, or…?” I raise my eyebrow but Pax just grins.
    “Happy wife, happy life,” he rattles off as he sits down. “It’s something I live by.”
    “And you’re very good at it,” Mila commends him, but her eyes are frozen with interest on something behind me. “Maddy, isn’t that Ethan Eldridge?”
    I turn to see my hostess, Julie, seating our old childhood friend at a small table by the window.
    “Holy crap,” I answer. “I think it is. I haven’t seen him since he went off to med school. He never came home for the summers. His mom used to come in here and complain about it.”
    “He looks
good
,” Mila says, pointing out the obvious. I stare at him, taking in his blond hair and blue eyes, and his lanky, lean frame. “You should go talk to him. That’s your job, anyway. You need to make him feel welcome.”
    I scowl at her. “I’m not going over there and flirting with him. It’s not happening.”
    “I didn’t say
flirt
,” Mila answers innocently. “I said
talk
. He always had a thing for you, though. And you do need a social life.”
    I’m just debating whether to stab her in the eye with a fork when Ethan glances up and notices me. He gives me an excited wave.
    “Hell,” I mutter, as Mila crows