We sit in silence for a few more minutes before Jared lays back in his bed and pulls the blanket up over his head. I’ll let him rest for now, but this little act of rebellion won’t go unanswered. Before that, though, I need to call Gloria, his caseworker, and report this incident. I just hope that she’s as understanding about this as she has been about his parents and foster parents going missing. Because as much as I know having Jared here isn’t a permanent thing, I’m not ready for him to leave yet. I care about the kid, and I enjoy having him around.
“Get some sleep, kid. We’ll talk more about this later.” Because even though I’m letting him rest right now, that doesn’t mean I won’t be addressing his underage drinking, or using alcohol to cope with his emotions. Those are both big no-nos in my house.
Jared’s answering grunt tells me he’s already half asleep.Yeah, I like having him around,I think as my heart warms with affection. He deserves so much better than the crap hand he’s been dealt in his life. And while he’s here, at least, I’ll do everything in my power to make sure he gets it.
I leave his room and go directly to my home office. Time to rip off the proverbial bandage. Pulling up the contact information for Jared’s caseworker, I settle into my office chair and hit send. Here goes nothing.
“Gloria Freeman.”
Here goes nothing.
“Nick. Hi.” Is Tina’sgreeting the tiniest bit breathless, or is that wishful thinking on my part? “How did it go last night? Is Jared okay?”
My heart does that weird fluttery thing it did last night when she first showed me her thoughtful side. She’s never even met the kid, and she’s asking about his well-being. Why can’t his parents and foster parents show the same concern? Jared deserves to have people in his life who care about him.
“He’s sleeping it off right now. Thankfully, they let him come home last night.” Rhett came over to check on Jared not long after my call with Gloria, so I took the opportunity to come visit Tina. I told Rhett I was confirming my dinner order, but mostly I wanted to see her. Despite all the reasons I had to think about Jared and his family life, last night while I was sitting up beside his bed, my mind kept wandering back to Tina.
Tina and her compassion. Tina and her concern. Tina and her curves. Oh man, did I think about Tina and her curves. My hands practically ache with the need to squeeze her ass. Even now, as she stands in front of me in her all black athleisure wear covered by a white apron, her curves call to me. Luckily, she’s still too concerned about Jared to notice that my thoughts have taken a turn for the naughty.
Tension seeps from her body as she relaxes. “Oh, thank goodness. I looked up treatments for alcohol poisoning before I went to bed last night and it scared me so much I couldn’t sleep afterward. I can’t imagine what it would feel like to have yourstomach pumped. The whole thing sounds terrible, honestly.” Her face scrunches up in pain and I chuckle.
“You’re not wrong about that. I wouldn’t want to go through that, either. Luckily, the bottle from his friend’s house only had a little left in it. That’s what he told Rhett and the doctor last night, anyway. It makes sense, too. He threw up this morning, but no more than a normal hangover. So far, anyway. He may spend a little more time throwing up later, after I put him through his paces at the gym. I need to make sure he doesn’t do something this stupid again any time soon.”
Tina narrows her eyes. “Are you sure that’s wise?”
I shrug. “An old guy I trained with when I was a kid did it to me and it helped me learn my lesson. I certainly never overdid it on the alcohol again. Not while I was underage, anyway.” I’ve had a few stupid moments when I drank too much as an adult, but who hasn’t? “Jared will figure out his priorities one way or another, but this way, he doesn’t miss his workout. Plus, it should keep his mind off the girl who dumped him without needing to numb the pain with alcohol. The only real downside is the mess he’ll make, but since he’ll clean that as part of his punishment...” I trail off, leaving it unsaid that I think that part will be good for him, too.
Her face softens, then her lips turn down at the corners. “Ah man, that’s really what it was? Poor kid. Everything feels so much bigger at that age, especially heartbreak. Is there anything I can do?”
Just when I think I can’t like this woman any more, she not only shows concern for the kid currently in my care, but also offers to help. “Maybe there is something. I came to see what you were planning for tonight’s dinner. I was hoping you’d be able to add some plain carbs for Jared like you did last night.” She frowns. “I don’t mean for you to make anything special, but if you could pull out a portion before adding anysauce. Or something like that. You’re the chef, not me. I just thought it would be good to have something plain for him, in case his stomach isn’t ready for whatever deliciousness you have planned for us.”
“You’re in for a treat tonight,” she says with a grin. “I went shopping earlier and got everything I’ll need for the rest of the week. And I wouldn’t worry about Jared. The dinner I have planned for tonight will be perfect. Besides, he’s a teenager. I doubt the hangover will hit him the same way as it does us old folks. It wouldn’t surprise me one bit if he eats twice as much as the rest of you. I’m making a nice chicken piccata with mashed potatoes, some roasted asparagus, and a simple green salad. I also have a few loaves of crusty bread that I’ll bake right before I bring everything over. Do you want me to make a small batch of noodles for Jared, too? Or do you think he’ll be okay with what I have?”
Halfway through her description of the dinner she’s planning, my mouth starts watering, and I have to swallow a bunch of extra saliva before I can answer. “You’re baking bread? Fresh bread?”
She chuckles. “Of course. But don’t get excited. It’s a basic quick crusty bread, nothing fancy. It works perfectly for sopping up sauce, though. You can’t let that lemony, buttery goodness go to waste.”
“Stop,” I say, my stomach grumbling at the mere thought of the dinner Tina has planned. “You had me at crusty bread. If you say any more, my stomach is will eat itself in anticipation.”
She laughs and shakes her head. “Get out of here. I’ll see you later.”
I say my goodbyes and am halfway back to my house before I realize she said she would bring the food to the gym. With everything that’s happening with Jared today, I’ll take the help, but tomorrow I’m picking up my order myself. I’m thankfulthat she’s willing to make an exception and do another delivery, but I can’t keep taking her away from her restaurant this way. She has her own business to worry about. I can take care of the gym, and Jared, by myself. Well, by myself with some catering from the best restaurant in town, anyway. After all the messages the guys sent me about last night’s feast, I know Tina’s food is going to make the difference in this training retreat. And one week off meal plan won’t hurt these guys. Not if I work them extra hard.
Look out Tuft Swallow. Tomorrow the trainers and fighters from Put Up Your Ducks MMA are taking over the walking trails. Twenty laps around town ought to do it.
Choking His Chicken
Tina
“This is the bestthing I’ve ever eaten,” Jared says without looking up from his plate. “I’m starving.”
Nick raises an eyebrow at me and shrugs. I mouth the words “told you” and he grins. He’s shirtless again, his powerful body on full display, the tiny shorts he’s wearing doing nothing to hide his squeezable ass. I said a little prayer of thanks when he finally sat down to eat, because I couldn’t take much more of that temptation. If I’d had to look at his butt for much longer, I’d have had to grab it with two hands. Or bite it.Yeah, it’s definitely biteable.
“I’m gladto hear you’re feeling better.” I place a hand on Jared’s shoulder as I drop two more slices of crusty bread onto his plate. “You had everyone pretty worried last night.”
He swallows roughly and looks up at me. “I know. And I’m sorry. I won’t let that happen again. And not just because Nick threatened to make me workout until I puke again. It wasn’t even that fun being drunk. And it didn’t help me forget about — it didn’t help me forget abouther.” Then, in true teenage fashion, he shakes his head and goes back to his food. “This chicken is amazing.”
“It is, isn’t it?” Demetrius says from opposite Jared. He’s just finished his food and is using the bread to wipe the plate clean. “You sure you don’t want to marry me? Because this sauce tastes like a proposal.”
