“You made dinner.”
“You bought it.”
“You saved my life.”
“Hardly,” he huffed. “But if we’re going in that direction, you should be taking it easy.”
He’s killing me and I either need to run away or jump him. “I’ll survive the trip, Carter. Keep Wyatt company. We’ve got this covered.”
When I finally get to the kitchen and open the freezer, Fiona is already leaning in close to whisper, “What is going on with you two?”
“I don’t know.”
“I’m serious, tell me.”
“I’m serious. I’ve got nothing.” I pause, tilting my head as if considering. “I don’t think he needs Wyatt’s cousins. I’ve already been adopted.”
The sound she makes says she’s not buying what I’m selling. “He’s not looking at you like a father would, JD.”
More like a daddy.
Stop thinking like that, freakazoid. “Have you heard anything about his personal issues or preferences?”
“Not really. He’s only been coming around the bar for a couple of weeks, and I’ve never seen him with anyone but Brady and Ken. I do know his parents are gone and he didn’t leave any kids behind. I remember Brady mentioning that as a selling point for getting him to move here. Instant extended family.”
Just Lonely gets another point in its favor. “There you go. That’s what I thought. He’s being a nice guy and getting company in the bargain.”
“That is not the vibe I’m getting.”
Me neither. I think about today at my apartment, and ask before I can stop myself. “What’s the vibe?”
“Sex, genius. The vibe is all about delicious, dirty sex.”
“And here I thought it was all about dinner.”
She shakes her head. “Not unless you’re the one on the menu. He’s barely noticed we were here all night. He’s been too busy defiling you with his eyeballs.”
I wrinkle my nose. “He’s an eyeball defiler? Way to suck the sexy right out of that sentence, Fiona.”
“Speaking of sucking, you stink at reading people when it’s about you and your neglected dingdong.”
“Classy, but point taken.” I take out the ice cream while she finds us bowls. “It’s a good thing I’m brilliant at it when other people are involved.” I lean closer. “So why are you being such a dingdong?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re acting like you don’t want to light up that sizzling firecracker currently attached to your hip when we both know that’s not true. So what’s with the friend zone bullshit?”
Fiona stares at the pistachio. “It’s complicated.”
“Your Facebook status is complicated. But what’s the reason? Is it because you work for his family and things could get awkward? Is it because you don’t like men in uniform? That can’t be it. Who doesn’t like a fireman’s uniform? There’s an entire calendar industry devoted to them.”
“Of course I like his uniform,” she hissed. “Why the hell are you talking about his uniform? What does that have to do with anything?”
I shrug, fighting my grin. “Just trying to dig out the truth. You like him, you love his uniform, and he’s got a great family. Oh and he’s pretty too. You’ll have to help me out, Fiona. I’m not seeing a downside.”
“What if the downside is that I’m kinky, free-spirited and slightly poly by nature and he’s…pistachio? This is pistachio, right?”
“Yes, but Wyatt isn’t.” I knock my hip with hers. “What he is, my fellow philomath, is eager, trainable and smitten.”
She tries to hide her smile by playing with her lip ring. “Did you say smitten? Out loud?”
“It’s a valid word.”
“For a historical romance. Or Scrabble.”
“Don’t try to change the subject by mocking my vocabulary skills.”
Her smile disappears and her shoulders slump with a sigh. “I don’t know, JD. He doesn’t adapt well to change. I thought he did at first. The rest of his family is great at going with the flow. But then Noah showed up with the baby and… If you knew more details you’d understand.”
“I think I’ve gotten the gist. All the men he’s grown up with are starting new lives with their significant others. Half the guys he used to cruise for ladies with are now more interested in men. Babies are popping up all over the place. And didn’t you tell me about a recent death in the family?”
“His father.” She nods thoughtfully.
“His father died,” I emphasize. “It doesn’t matter whether their relationship was good or bad, that’s not an easy thing to deal with. Believe me, I know.”
“And right after that, his oldest brother resigned from the force and came out to everyone.” Her whisper is so soft I have to strain to hear her.
The old chief of police came out? O-kay. That family is fascinating, but whatever, it helps with my narrative. “So in that big family where everything is changing but Wyatt, would it be safe to say he might feel like he’s getting left behind? I mean, I don’t have a master’s degree in psychology or anything but—”