Perfectly Ms. Matched(17)
“Ah. You wanna go to the kitchen and see if we can find something normal to eat?” The poor kid needed to eat. It’d been gnawing at her the whole workout.
Hope shone in Ryan’s eyes. “Can we?”
“Sure. Just give me a second to get Chad started on something else.”
She hopped up and found some light ankle weights. When Chad finished up his last rep, she leaned down and strapped the weights on for him. “Okay, twenty-five more with these on. Be right back.”
“Where are you going?” Chad grimaced as he lifted his knee with the extra weight.
Ryan snuggled beside her and slipped his hand into hers. “To find something normal to eat.”
“Jo,” Chad growled as he did another rep.
“Be right back.” She sent him a quick eyebrow hitch.
Chad’s voiced boomed out behind them, “Don’t you let him talk you into any of Heather’s junk food, or you’re fired!”
She yelled back, “You aren’t going to fire me. You need me, pal!”
Chad’s low curse followed them out the door. He knew she was right, and it pissed him off.
Perfect.
5
IF IT WALKS LIKE A DUCK AND TALKS LIKE A DUCK, IT’S PROBABLY A DUCK . . . BUT DUCKS DON’T TALK.
Jo was pissing Chad off. He’d been trying to get Ryan to eat healthy food for days. If she ruined all his hard work, he’d . . . what? She was right, dammit. He couldn’t fire her.
His mom told him to be tough. To hold out and in a few days, Ryan would eat because he’d need to. He’d hung in there, hating it, but trusting his mother was right.
He finished his last reps, grabbed a towel, and headed for the kitchen to put a stop to whatever game Jo was playing. He’d seen the mischief in her eyes when she’d led Ryan away. As he limped toward the kitchen, Ryan said, “So this is really, really bad for me?”
Jo replied, “It’s sweet, yummy, and delicious. You’ll love it. I serve it at my restaurant.” The blender whined as he rounded the doorway. Jo better not be making Ryan a milkshake! It was his son’s favorite thing. That and fries.
Her back was to him, so he moved in behind her and placed his hands on the cool granite on either side of her. Leaning his mouth close to her ear so she could hear over the blender noise, he said, “What’s in that?”
She switched off the machine, lifted the pitcher from the base, and turned in his arms. “Yummy stuff. Move.”
He leaned closer. “I’m not in the mood for games, Jo. What’s in there?”
She whispered, “Fruit, yogurt, ice, and some protein powder. Move it, or I’ll knee you.” Despite her threat, her warm breath on his cheek sent a tingle up his spine.
He met her challenging gaze for a moment before he slowly leaned away. God she was pretty, especially all fired up. But she’d ripped his heart out once, and she’d do it again. He needed to remember that. “Can I have some too?”
“Nope. You don’t eat bad food. Right, Ryan?”
“Right. None for Chad!”
Jo poured out two big glasses and handed one to Ryan.
Chad held his breath, hoping the kid would actually drink it. Ryan hadn’t had more than a few scraps of food the last few days. It’d worried him so much, he’d almost caved the night before and run him through a drive-through.
Ryan drank half of it in the first go. Jo was so busy watching Ryan, she hadn’t touched hers, so he swiped the glass and took a long swig.
“Hey, that’s mine.” She swatted his arm.
Ignoring her, he leaned close to Ryan. “Wanna have a chugging contest?”
Ryan genuinely smiled at him for the first time—ever. “Okay. Go!”
He let Ryan win, then he finished off the drink. It was damned good. He’d have to ask Jo how to make it.
Ryan lifted his arms over his head in victory. “I win!”
“Dude.” He held out his fist for a bump. “Rematch tomorrow?”
“Yup!” His little knuckles pounded his.
“Here’s the deal. If you eat good stuff the rest of the day, I’ll make you one of Jo’s treats for breakfast tomorrow.”
Ryan’s face scrunched up as he considered. “I guess I can try.”
It wasn’t a yes, but he’d take it. “Thanks, buddy.”
Heather appeared with a duffle bag slung over her shoulder. “So, my boyfriend is here to pick me up. I’ll be back Sunday night.”
Chad fought the urge to cringe. He had to constantly remind himself she was twenty-one and not sixteen. Let her dad worry about her spending weekends with her boyfriend. “Okay. Can you pick Ryan up from school on Monday? I have a doctor’s appointment.”