The Perfect Dish (13 page)

“Are we talking about the same person? Dr. Black. The psychologist.”

“Yes, her and why is that such a big shock?”

She shrugged. “I’m surprised a woman like that would go out with you.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” He shoved off the chair and went back behind the bar. First Mery didn’t want to talk to him, now this. “Damn, Shel. What kind of guy do you think I am?”

“The same kind everybody else does. You’re kind of a man whore. You go through women like they’re disposable. I’ve chewed gum longer than some of your relationships last. ”

“A man whore?” He planted his hands on the bar and shook his head. “That’s not true.”

“Really? How many women have you dated this month?”

Names and faces spun in his head. “Four?” Shelby’s smirk told him that wasn’t right. “Six?”

She leaned back in her chair. “You don’t even know, do you?” She tsked. “So sad. My advice to you? Leave Dr. Black alone and call up that little blonde you were seeing. She’s more your speed. Plus, it’s obvious she adores you.”

“Clarissa is not my speed. The last time we went out she took me to three different jewelry stores. Three! I don’t need a hint that big. Besides, she salts her food before she even tastes it. I’d rather be beat with a sack of wet catfish than date that girl again.”

“You have to get married some day.”

“No, I don’t. Marriage just wrecks things.”

Shelby sighed and went back to her work. “When you meet the right person you won’t feel that way.”

“Then Dr. Black is the right person because she has no intention of getting married again.” He grabbed Shelby’s cup, walked around the bar and refilled it, then poured one for himself. “Just help me, will you? I don’t know what to do with a woman like her.”

“I am not giving you the birds and the bees talk.” Shelby’s mouth twisted into a grin.

He pressed the heel of his hand against his forehead. “No, you’re not but you are giving me a splitting headache.”

Laughing, she pulled his hand away. “Okay, fine, what do you want to know?”

“How do I impress her? She makes me feel like I’m trying to rope cattle with dental floss.”

Shelby tipped her head in thought. “You could send her flowers. That’s sort of ordinary but—”

“Already did that.”

“You did? What did you send her?”

“Yellow roses. I thought red would be pushing it.”

“How many?”

“Five dozen.”

She punched him in the arm. “You’re a blame fool, you know that?”

“Ow, Shel.” Sore from his workout with Mick, he rubbed his arm. He’d never understand women. Not in two million years. “What’s wrong with that?”

“She probably thinks you’re desperate or loopy or headed for stalkerville. What would you do a thing like that for?” She shook her head. “Five dozen. Really. Lord, you’re dumb.”

“Well, that’s what I asked help for!” He frowned at her. “Damn, women are cantankerous creatures. Adam probably bit that apple just to shut Eve up.” He propped an elbow on the bar and leaned his head into his hand.

“Settle down.” She smooched an air kiss in his direction. “We’ll figure this out. Besides the flowers, is there anything else I should know about?”

He told her about the motorcycle ride, the dinner in the VIP dining room and the plans for the picnic Sunday afternoon.

“The picnic sounds good. It’s low key, you’re outside, there’s other people around. I think that’s the right way to go.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “Do not, under any circumstances, take her a gift. You’ll creep her out, I swear.”

Kelly thought about the new box of chocolate fireballs he’d planned on giving Mery. “I won’t buy her anything, I promise.” That didn’t mean he couldn’t make her anything.

“Good.” She picked up her paperwork. “Where was I?”

“That’s it? Don’t buy her a gift?” So much for sisterly advice. “When you and Kurt started dating, he gave you stuff all the time. Teddy bears and chocolates and flowers and—“

“He also proposed on the second date.” She smiled wistfully, her gaze suddenly distant.

Kelly threw his hands up in the air. “And you married him!”

“But not because of that. Took a long while for me to figure out he wasn’t off his rocker. Men in love do crazy things. Now get. I have work to do.” She shooed him away with her hand.

“Well, I’m not in love,” he muttered. He tossed back the rest of his coffee and got up. “I’ll be in my office if you need me.”

The phone rang as he opened the office door. He grabbed the receiver from its cradle. “Sedona, Chef Spicer speaking.”

“Hi. I was returning your call.”

Mery
. He smiled. “Hey there. I was starting to think you didn’t want to talk to me.”

“You called right in the middle of Pilates.”

“That’s like yoga, right?” She worked out. Good to know.

“No, it’s...yes, something like that. What did you call for earlier?”

What had he called for? Think, think, think. “I just wanted to confirm the time for Sunday and to remind you to wear something casual.” That sounded reasonable.

“How casual?”

What was she wearing right now? Asking was probably not a good idea. “Jeans are good.”

“We’re not doing anything that requires getting dirty are we? Do I need walking shoes? Is this an inside or outside thing?”

He laughed. “You don’t think much of surprises, do you?”

“I just like to be prepared,” she said.

“Sneakers will be fine. Or whatever comfortable shoes you like.”

“Okay. Three o’clock in front of the building.”

“That’s the plan.” He hesitated. “How are those chocolate fireballs holding up?”

She laughed, short and breathy. “Terribly. They’re gone.” Her tone sweetened. “Are you going to bring me some more?”

“Why do I get the feeling you’re only dating me for my culinary skills?” He grinned. He adored her appetite.

“They’re the best balls I’ve ever had.” Sudden, deathly silence crept through the line from her side. “I can’t believe I said that.”

He tried to suppress a laugh and ended up snorting. “I’ll take that as a compliment and we’ll leave it at that. See you Sunday.”

As soon as she stuttered out a goodbye and hung up, he burst into laughter. The good doctor certainly had a way with words.

Chapter Twelve

Meredith threw her arms around Jason as he stepped into the apartment and hugged him hard. She’d offered to meet him at the airport but he’d insisted on taking the train in. “It’s so good to see you.”

“You too, mom.” He kissed her cheek. “You look good. You change your hair or something?”

“A few highlights, a little trim.” She closed the door behind him and took stock of her boy. He might be half an inch taller. No, that wasn’t it. Maybe his shoulders had filled out. Whatever the change, he’d certainly become more handsome. He looked more like Garrett every time she saw him. His father would’ve been so proud. “You get better looking every time I see you. You must have girls all over you at school.”

He grinned and by the looks of his smile, he was wearing his retainer like he was supposed to. “Stop fishing.” He dropped his duffel bag and nodded toward the coffee table. The bouquet of yellow roses was impossible to miss. “Did I miss your birthday or something?”

“No, you didn’t miss my birthday.” She should have done something with those but it was hard to hide five dozen roses. “You must be starved. Do you want to grab a bite out or get delivery?”

He crossed his arms and planted his feet, impishness dancing in his eyes. “What’s up with the flowers?”

“They’re from a friend. So what’ll it be for dinner?”

“A
friend
sent you a like hundred roses?” Jason smirked. “I’m totally not buying that.”

“Sixty. Not a hundred. And yes, he’s just a friend. Now, I’ll ask you one more time. What do you want for dinner?”

“He, huh?” The smirk broadened. “That’s cool. So what’s your boyfriend’s name?”

She leaned against the counter and folded her arms across her chest. “Delivery it is.”

“Make you a deal.”

“And that is?”
This should be good.

“You tell me yours, I’ll tell you mine.” He wiggled his brows.

“Tell you my what?” Perhaps college was not the best environment for her son. Seemed to be warping his mind.

“The name of the guy you’re seeing.”

Hah! So Jason
was
going out with someone. She smiled sweetly. “You first.”

“I’m not dating a guy, sorry.” He chuckled, obviously proud of himself.

“I’m not seeing anyone.”
Lying to your son. Great. That should win you mother of the year. Maybe you can write a book about that.

“That’s cool.” He snatched up his duffel bag and headed for his room. “Neither am I.”

Rotten child
. She moved the roses to the small dining table, then leafed through her collection of take-out menus. Jason loved pizza. The menu for Sylvo’s had a coupon attached to it good for one free topping. Thoughts of anchovies and broccoli made her smile. That would fix his wagon.

Jason came back out mumbling something.

“What did you say?”

“What happened to my room?”

“You mean where are the posters of girls in bikinis and sports cars? I don’t particularly care to look at those and since you’re hardly here anymore—“

“Oh, I see. You’re kicking me out to make room for your boyfriend.” He added a sing-song tone to the last word as he plopped down on the couch, put his feet up on the table and reached for the remote. “That’s nice. That makes me want to come home more.”

“Brat. Shoes off the table.” She ruffled his chestnut locks as she walked past and picked up the phone. “I’m ordering pizza. Any special requests?”

He flipped through the channels at a mind-numbing rate. “Extra meat, extra cheese, nothing green.”

She knew her boy so well. “Anchovies then?”

“Mother.” He slanted his eyes at her. “Please.”

“Just teasing.” She dialed Sylvo’s and placed the order. After she hung up, she settled onto the couch beside him. “How are your classes?”

“Good.” He shrugged, his eyes still on the screen. “Not much to tell.”

“Getting along with your quadmates?”

“Yeah, except for this one guy.” Jason looked over. “He eats everybody’s food. He says he doesn’t, but we know he is.”

She nodded slowly. “I hate when you know someone’s doing something, but they won’t confess to it.”

“Yeah,” he said, giving her a pointed stare. “Me, too.”

I set myself up for that, didn’t I?
Taking a deep breath, she answered his unspoken question. “He owns a couple of restaurants in town.”

“She’s a chem major.”

The smile in Jason’s eyes told her more than his words. He liked this girl. “A chem major, huh? Well, that’s encouraging. What’s she look like? I bet she’s a knock-out.”

He grinned and fussed at small hole near the hem of his t-shirt. “Yeah, she’s hot.” He glanced up, concern thinning his mouth. “But she’s totally smart, too.”

“I would hope so if she’s a chem major.” Despite his father’s death when he was four and his stepfather’s death when he was seventeen, Jason was incredibly well adjusted. She, Garrett and Michael had definitely raised this child right. She wanted to weep with pride but decided to save that for later when it wouldn’t embarrass her son. “What’s her name?”

“Kristi. She’s got freckles and she wears these little wire-rim glasses.” He made circles with his fingers in front of his eyes.

Her son was smitten by a girl in glasses. Maybe the world wasn’t going to hell in a hand basket after all. “So why don’t you invite her to come for a weekend sometime? I’d love to meet her.”

He gave her a sly smile. “Do we have to sleep in separate beds?”

“You would even ask me that question?” She poked him in the arm. “I knew I should have sent you to military school.”

“Yeah, right.” His eyes glazed over with the blue glow of broadcast television.

“Where’s she from?”

“She’s—hey,” he stared at her expectantly. “Shouldn’t you be giving up some info, too?”

Here we go.
“What would you like to know?”

“I don’t know. How ‘bout a name?”

She could give up that much. “Kelly.”

“Kelly? You’re dating a guy with a girl’s name? Sounds like a loser.”

“Jason. He is not a loser. He owns two very popular restaurants in the city.” Heaven help her, she was defending the cowboy to her son.

“Doesn’t count. You told me that part already. Tell me something I don’t know.”

“He’s from Texas.”

He shook his head, but the mischief sparkling in his eyes gave away his true feelings. “Doesn’t sound good, mom. Only two things come from Texas, steers and quee—”

“That’s enough, young man.”

“I’m just saying...” He held his hands up and shrugged, smiling like he’d won something. “So when do I get to meet The Lone Ranger?”

“You don’t.” She patted his arm. “There’s really nothing going on so there’s no reason for you to meet him.”

“You mean he’s not going to be my new step-dad? Because I could really use a male role-model in my life.” He snickered.

“I’m glad you amuse yourself.” She tried to recall the sweet-natured five-year-old who had once crayoned daisies on her bedroom wall in an effort to cheer her up. He hadn’t really understood Garrett’s death but he’d known she was sad. “When did you get to be such a wise guy?”

“It’s okay,” he said in a patronizing tone. “If you don’t want to introduce me to your booty call, I completely understand.”

“Booty call? Does that mean what I think it means?” Shock rippled through her.

“Yeah, you know, a booty call is somebody you hook up with.”

Oh Lord. It did mean what she thought it did. “I am
not
sleeping with him and even if I was it isn’t any of your business.”

“Chill, would you? I don’t care if you’re sleeping with him or not. Personally, I say go for it but hey, it’s your life.” He shrugged and went back to watching T.V.

“Yes, it is my life, thank you very much.” Good heavens, college had morphed her sweet boy into a male version of Viv. “Let’s pretend, just for a moment, that we’re actually having this conversation. Why do you think I need to be sleeping with someone?”