First impressions usually sealed a person's opinion about someone else. Like Evan, Leah was a victim of it, but she was also guilty of doing it, so it sort of evened out in the end. Unfortunately, it wasn't something worth bragging about. “People still have a thing against the French, for whatever reason. I'm not proud of how I treated you, but I'm definitely glad my opinion changed.” Her smile warmed and she nodded. “Fortunately,” she repeated. “I can't wait to hear more of the stories you tell Mari.”
“I think you might be doomed to spend all your time around women,” she joked. “But I can at least help you break your feministic view a little. Analeigh Julia. Both names you're fond of. Both beautiful names that I like, too. And if we decide to change the name later on, well, it isn't set in stone. We still have time to come up with something else.” Leah chewed on her lip, as uncertain about the last name as he was. The Stones were more involved in Marigold's upbringing than the Marchands were. Leah understood it; after all, there was no blood relation between Marigold and the Marchands. She could only hope that George and Daniel would be more welcoming to their niece. “If you're sure. I don't want to isolate her from her father either.”
Marigold always had fun with that dragon game, and Leah had fun watching her and Evan play it. “I used to love watching those performers. The ones that breathed fire. At one time, I even wanted to try it, but I was too afraid I'd burn myself.”
“Mmhmm. Otherwise it'd just be torture and you know how I hate torturing you.” She snorted softly. “You need to work on your master plans. It took too long to put this one into motion.” She blew a short raspberry in his direction.
Rolling her eyes, Leah tilted her head from side to side as Evan rifled off all the ways she and Lilah were similar. Maybe she just didn't see that many similarities because she'd lived so long with her twin that things like that were easy to overlook. “Kori has that going on, too, so I guess that study does have a point. Whatever. I'm gonna continue being stubborn and say that Lilah and I don't have anything in common.” Evan's response about being a recluse sobered her. “Since Elliot died. He helped bring the social side out of you and once he was gone, that went with it.” The admission made it hard for her to continue with the joke about Eveline.
“I won't.” She poked at his nose after the quick kiss. “Rushing would only make me clumsy and noisy, and I'm not sharing my food with a five year old this time.” She laughed quietly at her own joke. “And don't run either. Much as I hate losing out on hearing you explain to the medics why you were running around in the rain in your pjs this late at night and twisting your ankle.”
The rush of cold air that blew in when Evan opened the door made Leah shiver. It also made her feel bad about not talking him out of making a trip to the kitchen. Just slightly, though. The part of her that wanted seafood was much louder. She moved over to their little kitchen area and started setting up the stove and getting the plates and necessary utensils together.
In no time at all, Evan was back. Leah returned the smile and clapped her hands together gently, anticipatory. “Here he comes to save the day,” she responded, quoting Mighty Mouse in an off-key sing-song voice. “No trouble getting everything, right? I don't have to make this up to you later?”