Read That Dating Thing for Free Online Page B
Authors: Mackenzie Crowne
unplanned test, the results were promising, and reinforced Rylee’s belief the time had come to bring in his family.
“So, Sil said she met Elliott’s son this morning,” Brian said around a mouthful of corned beef.
“Yep. He came by shortly after we got Elliott home from the hospital.”
“You met him, too?”
She nodded, snagging a french fry from his plate.
“What’s he like?”
She popped the fry into her mouth before answering. “Tall, dark, handsome. Typical run-of-the-mill movie star stuff.”
Brian’s blond brows rose. “I didn’t ask what he looked like. I asked what he is like .”
“Hmmm…” She took refuge in her mammoth sandwich and shrugged. “He’s like a lawyer, I guess.”
“You like him.” He drew out the words in a teasing, singsong tone.
She pointed at his nose. “If you break into a verse of Rylee and Cooper Sitting in a Tree , I’m going to slug you.”
He burst out laughing and her scowl made him laugh harder. “There’s nothing wrong with admitting you find a man attractive, Ry.”
“Fine,” she grumbled. “I thought he was hot, okay?”
Brian’s eyes twinkled with continued amusement. “Is he single?” He bit off a hunk of his sandwich, speaking around the food. “You should ask him out.”
She scowled. “You’re as bad as Sil.”
“Now, that’s just mean, Rye Bread,” he complained, using the nickname he and Adam annoyed her with when they were kids.
“Friendship has its privileges.” She wiped her mouth with a napkin and leaned on her elbows. “I mean it, Bri. He’s gorgeous and he’s charming, just like Elliott. I have to admit, I’m tempted to break my own rule and go after him.”
“So what’s stopping you?”
“Really?” Her sarcasm dripped like ice cream melting from a cone.
“I’m serious. Elliott knows who you are and it doesn’t bother him. Odds are his son won’t care either.”
“Elliott isn’t a lawyer with the D.A.’s office. Besides, any guy who looks like Cooper Reed must have a girlfriend. For all I know he’s married.” The possibility made her frown.
“So find out,” he suggested. “Sil could give you the scoop on him.”
“And asking Sil about her stepson would get her off of your scent and onto mine.”
“Two birds, one stone.”
She rolled her eyes at his unapologetic grin. “Forget it.”
“I could find out for you.”
“Right. Then what? Are you going to pass me a note in study hall?”
He snickered and finished off the last bite of his sandwich. “Wouldn’t be the first time.”
“Nope.” She shook her head. “He’s Elliott’s son, for heaven’s sake. Can you imagine if I got involved with him and things got ugly when he found out about my dad? Sil would be pissed and Elliott caught in the middle. I’m not willing to chance that. I’ll just have to admire him from afar.”
“Coward.”
“Pragmatist.” Rylee smirked. “Now, are you going to buy me dessert?”
He eyed her empty plate. “I swear, Rye Bread, you can pack away food better than any woman I know, and a lot of the men.”
“Cheesecake.” She smiled sweetly when he rose from the table. “With strawberry topping!” she called as he disappeared inside.
Chapter Five
“Told you I could find out.”
“Be quiet, you idiot.”
Hands full, Rylee brushed by Brian to set the warm tray on the counter. She pealed the foil from Sil’s Cajun kisses. The pungent vapor of shrimp-and-cheese-stuffed jalapeños teased her nostrils. She shot a glance toward the living area where Sil, Elliott, and Cooper Reed were engrossed in conversation.
“Thanks to your not-so-subtle probing,” she complained under her breath, “Sil’s wand is going to be working overtime.” And if not for Sil’s eagle-eyed interest, Rylee would have laughed her head off at Brian’s conversational contortions, quizzing Coop on his relationship status. “Coop probably thinks you’re gay, you know.”
“Nah.” A grin spread across Brian’s
“So, Sil said she met Elliott’s son this morning,” Brian said around a mouthful of corned beef.
“Yep. He came by shortly after we got Elliott home from the hospital.”
“You met him, too?”
She nodded, snagging a french fry from his plate.
“What’s he like?”
She popped the fry into her mouth before answering. “Tall, dark, handsome. Typical run-of-the-mill movie star stuff.”
Brian’s blond brows rose. “I didn’t ask what he looked like. I asked what he is like .”
“Hmmm…” She took refuge in her mammoth sandwich and shrugged. “He’s like a lawyer, I guess.”
“You like him.” He drew out the words in a teasing, singsong tone.
She pointed at his nose. “If you break into a verse of Rylee and Cooper Sitting in a Tree , I’m going to slug you.”
He burst out laughing and her scowl made him laugh harder. “There’s nothing wrong with admitting you find a man attractive, Ry.”
“Fine,” she grumbled. “I thought he was hot, okay?”
Brian’s eyes twinkled with continued amusement. “Is he single?” He bit off a hunk of his sandwich, speaking around the food. “You should ask him out.”
She scowled. “You’re as bad as Sil.”
“Now, that’s just mean, Rye Bread,” he complained, using the nickname he and Adam annoyed her with when they were kids.
“Friendship has its privileges.” She wiped her mouth with a napkin and leaned on her elbows. “I mean it, Bri. He’s gorgeous and he’s charming, just like Elliott. I have to admit, I’m tempted to break my own rule and go after him.”
“So what’s stopping you?”
“Really?” Her sarcasm dripped like ice cream melting from a cone.
“I’m serious. Elliott knows who you are and it doesn’t bother him. Odds are his son won’t care either.”
“Elliott isn’t a lawyer with the D.A.’s office. Besides, any guy who looks like Cooper Reed must have a girlfriend. For all I know he’s married.” The possibility made her frown.
“So find out,” he suggested. “Sil could give you the scoop on him.”
“And asking Sil about her stepson would get her off of your scent and onto mine.”
“Two birds, one stone.”
She rolled her eyes at his unapologetic grin. “Forget it.”
“I could find out for you.”
“Right. Then what? Are you going to pass me a note in study hall?”
He snickered and finished off the last bite of his sandwich. “Wouldn’t be the first time.”
“Nope.” She shook her head. “He’s Elliott’s son, for heaven’s sake. Can you imagine if I got involved with him and things got ugly when he found out about my dad? Sil would be pissed and Elliott caught in the middle. I’m not willing to chance that. I’ll just have to admire him from afar.”
“Coward.”
“Pragmatist.” Rylee smirked. “Now, are you going to buy me dessert?”
He eyed her empty plate. “I swear, Rye Bread, you can pack away food better than any woman I know, and a lot of the men.”
“Cheesecake.” She smiled sweetly when he rose from the table. “With strawberry topping!” she called as he disappeared inside.
Chapter Five
“Told you I could find out.”
“Be quiet, you idiot.”
Hands full, Rylee brushed by Brian to set the warm tray on the counter. She pealed the foil from Sil’s Cajun kisses. The pungent vapor of shrimp-and-cheese-stuffed jalapeños teased her nostrils. She shot a glance toward the living area where Sil, Elliott, and Cooper Reed were engrossed in conversation.
“Thanks to your not-so-subtle probing,” she complained under her breath, “Sil’s wand is going to be working overtime.” And if not for Sil’s eagle-eyed interest, Rylee would have laughed her head off at Brian’s conversational contortions, quizzing Coop on his relationship status. “Coop probably thinks you’re gay, you know.”
“Nah.” A grin spread across Brian’s