Luscious (Topped #1)(37)

Who among the guys was married? Most of the line chefs were single. “What’s your husband’s name? I’ll go in the back and get him.”

Somehow, she couldn’t imagine any of the rough-and-tumble guys who worked here being married to the supermodel. She was the graceful type who screamed money and good breeding. She wasn’t the type who married dudes who ended up in the military unless they were officers.

“Macon Miles,” she said with a smile.

“Holy shit.” Serena was suddenly at her side. “Are you Elise?”

Elise Miles. Macon’s ex-wife was standing right here in the middle of Top looking like an angel. Every hair was perfectly placed, her makeup artful but not overdone. She was wearing a pair of five-inch heels that would have caused Ally to break her neck, but naturally Elise Miles walked perfectly in them. She kind of floated across the tile.

She held out a manicured hand. “Why, yes, I am. I see Macon’s talked about me.”

“Only using four letter words,” Ally said with a frown.

Serena elbowed her. “I’ve seen a picture. My husband had a picture from your wedding. I believe Macon sent it to him back before Adam was cut off from the family.”

“Yes, I’d heard Adam had married. It’s so good that he finally realized he could be normal,” Elise said.

Jake chose that moment to step out of the men’s room where he’d been fixing a leaky sink. He walked right up to Serena and planted a kiss on her cheek. “I’m going to grab a beer, baby. Tell Adam I’m out back when he gets here with Tristan.”

Serena smiled. “Jake, don’t you want to meet Elise?”

He shrugged. “Sure, who’s Elise?” He turned to the newcomer and his eyes went wide. “Holy shit.”

“That’s what I said. She’s happy Adam’s finally normal,” Serena said under her breath.

That brought a snort from Jacob Dean. “Yeah, we’re the most normal threesome here. I’m going to go make a phone call. Nice to meet you. Looking forward to the drama.”

Jake practically ran into the kitchen.

“Well, is someone going to get my husband? I need to speak with him.” Elise’s shoe tapped impatiently.

“Ex.”

“Excuse me?”

“You’re divorced. Macon is your ex-husband.” Ally couldn’t stand the way the beauty queen possessively called Macon her husband. “The last he heard, you were busy getting ready to marry his brother.”

The angel’s eyes turned cold and narrowed as she looked down at Ally. “That was a mistake and absolutely none of your business. Look, I can tell from your sad waitress eyes that you have a thing for my husband, and maybe he’s even given you hope that you can be with him, but I’m telling you to step aside. This isn’t going to go your way. That man has been mine since we weren’t even old enough to drink. I get that I hurt him and he’s been slumming, but I assure you, he’ll go home with me.” She looked up and a glorious smile crossed her lips. “Hey, babe. You look good.”

Ally turned and there was Macon looking all hot and masculine in his chef’s whites and khaki slacks. He stood in the doorway, a hand on his hip. “You look here. Why are you here, Elise?”

At least he wasn’t melting at the sight of her. He was frowning, but he looked more confused than angry. He didn’t look at Ally at all. There was no welcoming smile on his lips, nothing at all that would calm her down. He only had eyes for his ex.

“I need to talk to you.” Elise’s eyes picked up the light and there was no way to miss the shimmer of tears there. “It’s been a long time.”

Macon kept frowning, but he nodded toward a table in the back. “All right. Come on.”

Elise’s heels didn’t even clack across the floor. It was like the woman didn’t weigh a thing. No pair of her shoes would ever be so gauche as to thud or squeak when she wasn’t actively trying to make the sound. Oh, no. Not Princess Elise.

Serena put a hand on her arm. “It’s all right. He’s only going to talk to her.”

Ally hoped she looked absolutely nothing like she felt. She felt like picking up a chair and bashing it over Princess Elise’s blonde head. Instead, she simply shrugged. “Of course.”

She noticed Jake and Big Tag walking out of the kitchen. They each had a beer in hand and each man was carrying a tiny infant girl. It looked like Charlotte was still out shopping. They sat at a table across the room from Macon and his former bride, but they didn’t even try to hide their curiosity.

“Kala, this is what’s called drama. This is what we live for, baby girl.” Ian tipped his beer back. “Way better than TV.”

Jake frowned and looked down at his identically dressed infant. “How do you know which one is which?”

“A father always knows,” Big Tag said. “Also, I marked this one with a Sharpie. See, it looks like a tiny mole right behind her ear. That’s Kala.”

Serena gasped. “Ian Taggart, that’s horrible.”

He shrugged. “Nah, what’s horrible is I’m trying to figure out a way to make it permanent. Is it illegal to tattoo a baby?”

“Yes,” Serena and Ally managed to say at the same time.

Big Tag shook his head. “It’s nothing. It’s not like I’m putting a skull and crossbones on her. It’s a miniscule dot so neither one of these girls can pull one over on the old man.” He pointed to the baby in Jake’s arms. “Yeah, I’m looking at you, Kenz. I see how you roll over and try to pretend to be Kala. I’m not blind. Daddy sees everything. Including how you look at that Tristan kid. Stay away from him.”