“Okay. Stop. I get your point.” Jo pushed her half-eaten piece of cake away. “I’m not attracted to men without brains. That’s true. Let’s start with a clean slate. Pretend I’m a brand-new client.” Jo turned to Lori. “What are your thoughts?”
“I think you’re going to be my biggest challenge to date. But you’re in luck, because, just like you, I happen to love a good challenge. But I may need more cake to figure this all out.”
Jo laughed and headed back to the kitchen.
Yeah, things were going to work out just fine. They’d find her a man to replace the one she’d loved kissing more than any other.
Still.
6
THE GRASS ALWAYS SEEMS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE, UNTIL YOU HAVE TO MOW IT.
Jo used her keycard to enter Chad’s place as she’d been doing for the last few weeks. Luckily, Chad had behaved himself, and while things were still strained between them, they were finding a rhythm they could both live with. When the elevator doors slid open in Chad’s condo, Jo expected to see Ryan waiting for her as was his new habit, but he wasn’t there.
She slung her garment bag over her shoulder and set out toward the gym. It was late Saturday afternoon, and Shelby and Lori had arranged for Jo’s first date at a restaurant she could walk to from Chad’s house. After she finished up with Chad, she figured she’d get ready at his place to save time and then meet Scott for dinner. Her stomach was in knots at the prospect of dating again, but she’d vowed to suck it up and give the guy a fair chance.
He was an accountant. Someone with a stable job, who loved to travel, and was taller than her—not always easy to find when one was five-foot-eleven. But she’d wear flats just in case he was only six feet tall.
Her cell rang, so she checked the screen. Her dad. She could ignore it, but then he’d just get angry with her, because everyone knew she always answered her cell. She’d never mastered the art of ignoring people. “Hi, Dad.”
“Hello, Joann. How are you?”
“I’m fine. And you?” Jo frowned as she waited for his response. He never just called to chat. Something was up.
“Fine.” Her father cleared his throat. “I was hoping to catch up with you. See how the rehab is going?”
Strange he’d care. “Great. Chad’s working really hard.”
“Good. That’s nice to hear. So you think he’ll be able to play again?”
Jo laid her garment bag on the couch. “You know I can’t discuss Chad’s case with you, Dad.”
“Right. No of course not. But I ran into an old friend today, Dr. Richards, you might remember him?”
Yes, she remembered him. He owned a few rehab centers. “Dad. Stop. I’m not going to change my mind about going back to being a PT.”
“He said the job is yours if you’d like. And he’d start you at a very nice salary. Maybe then you could afford a new car instead of that junker you drive now.”
Jo’s teeth clenched. “I don’t need a Benz like you, Dad. I have to run. Chad is waiting for me.”
“Promise you’ll think about it, Jo. Seriously.”
“Okay. I will. Say hi to Mom. Bye.” She quickly hung up. She’d think about it seriously, all right. She’d seriously never go back to PT work after she finished with Chad. What would she have to do to get him off her case?
Heather came out of the kitchen, her arm elbow-deep in a bag of BBQ chips. “Hey, Jo. Mr. Jenks is at the ranch. Something about a horse. He said I could go after you got here to watch the kid.”
“Okay.” Nice of Chad to assume babysitting services came with rehab. “Any idea when Chad’ll be back?”
Heather shrugged. “No clue.” She dropped the bag of chips onto the coffee table, grabbed her purse from the couch, and then headed for the elevator. “He said to tell you there’s stuff to make dinner with in the fridge, if you guys get hungry. Ryan’s in his room all bent outta shape because Mr. Jenks is late. See ya.” She lifted a hand right before the doors slid closed.
Jo shook her head at Heather’s lack of empathy for Ryan and picked up the bag of chips. She snuck a few before heading to the kitchen to put the bag back before Ryan saw them. The walk-in pantry, while mostly neatly organized, had one messy shelf that stood out. Clearly that shelf belonged to Heather. Near the top, at Jo’s eye level, were three kinds of chips, cookies, cereal, salsa, snack cakes, crackers, and canned spray cheese. Jo smiled as she placed the bag next to the other chips. She and Shelby had a similar diet in college.
Jo had brought a book for Ryan, so she went back to the living room and grabbed it from her bag, then she headed down a long hallway to his bedroom. She stuck her head inside the doorway and caught Ryan, arm cocked behind his head, ready to launch a globe. “Before you destroy the world, do you want to see the present I brought you?”
Ryan frowned as he lowered the globe back to his dresser. “Is Chad back?”
“No.” Jo’s heart hurt for the kid. “Heather said he was just running late. How come you didn’t go to the ranch too? Chad told me you love it there.”
“He left without me.” Ryan let his body slide down the dresser, and he landed in a heap on the carpet. “Chad’s not coming back. Just like my mom.”
Crap, crap, crap. She wasn’t equipped to deal with abandonment issues.
Jo sat on the floor next to Ryan. His cheeks were a little flushed, so she laid a hand on his forehead. He wasn’t hot from a fever. He’d just worked himself up into a sweat. “Well, I’m not going to leave you. If Chad doesn’t get back soon, you’re going to have to come along with me on my date.”
Ryan blinked up at her. “Why are you going on a date?”
“Because when two adults are trying to figure out if they like each other enough to have a relationship, they do things together. Like having dinner or going to the movies.” She really needed to change the subject, or next she’d be explaining the birds and the bees. “Want to read this book I brought for you? My best friend wrote it. It’s about a bad little monkey named Chester.”
“A bad monkey?” Ryan surprised her when he crawled right into her lap.
“Yeah. He gets into all sorts of trouble. This one is about eating vegetables. Chester hates eating veggies.”
“Me too.” Ryan leaned back against her chest and settled in. “I guess I can go on a date with you.”
“Thank you.” Ryan could be awfully cute sometimes. “But hopefully, Chad will be back before I have to go.” What was taking Chad so long? He knew how freaked out Ryan got when he was left behind. “Hang on just a second.” She shot out a quick text to Chad.
She waited a bit, but nothing. No response.
Maybe she should call Scott and cancel. It’d be better to do it now rather than last minute.
The wave of relief that shot through her at the prospect of skipping the date made her sigh. Nope. She’d promised herself she’d give dating an honest try. She couldn’t balk right out of the gate. Besides, it might be interesting to see what Scott’s reaction would be if she showed up with a kid in tow. She wanted a man who wanted kids one day too, so maybe it’d be a good test.
Or maybe it’d be the biggest disaster ever. She texted Chad again, telling him why she had to leave soon, then got busy reading the book to Ryan.
As usual, just as Chad hit mile marker 37, his phone blew up with notifications of texts and calls he’d missed while out of range on the ranch. Normally, he’d let messages wait until he got home, but he pulled to the side of the highway to check them. Just in case something was up with Ryan. Heather knew to call his mom’s landline if it was an emergency, but Jo might not remember there was no cell service on the ranch.
He hadn’t meant to be gone so long, but he couldn’t leave his mother to birth the foal alone. Torn between a kid with separation anxiety and a mother who said she didn’t need his help but clearly did was wearing on him.
He cursed his aching shoulder and his damn knee while he yanked his phone out of his jeans with the arm that still worked. Norma
lly, he’d have been able to dodge an accidental kick by a horse in labor, but his knee wouldn’t allow him to move fast enough. He was lucky he’d taken it in the shoulder and not the head.
Thumbing through the texts, he smiled. Jo started out polite, but by the fifth text, she threatened permanent damage. Seemed she was a little miffed at him. And that she had a date.
He pulled his truck back onto the highway. He should probably go home and shower before he picked Ryan up from the restaurant, but the extra time would add to Jo’s annoyance. Who cared if he looked and probably smelled like he’d been riding the range for a week? He wasn’t trying to impress Jo. She’d made her stance clear about the attraction that she knew damn well still simmered between them. She chose to ignore it and treat him like a patient, not the man she had planned to marry. Someone she’d claimed she’d loved.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he got, and the faster he drove. He’d get his ass to the restaurant just as she demanded. Stench and all. Whoever her big-spender date was, because the restaurant they were at was definitely not cheap, would get over it, or he wasn’t the right guy for Jo.
Nearing the restaurant close to his condo, he wished her date luck. He’d better be a tough son of a gun, because Jo was no pushover. The woman could drive a man to drink, she was so stubborn sometimes. But her dry sense of humor made him smile like no one else. Jo was tough, had a huge heart she hid well, and she was damned smart. He liked all that about her. A lot.
He pulled into a parking space and closed his eyes. He needed to shake off the bad mood that had overcome him since reading her texts. Jo had every right to be angry with him, not the other way around. She’d been nice enough to bring Ryan with her, so being irritated at Jo for having a date made no sense. But he was irritated by it, dammit.
Chad opened his door and rolled out of the truck the best he could with his aching shoulder and knee. He reached for his cane, but stopped. He didn’t want a fan to see him hobbling around and take a picture for the tabloids. Especially if a picture ended up in the paper for his coaches to see. He needed them to think he was done using the cane by now and was going to be back so they’d keep his spot for him. Maybe he could make the last games of the season if they went to the playoffs. His knee had improved the past few weeks but wasn’t where it should be, and hurting it earlier didn’t help.
Grimacing with each step, he tugged the restaurant door open and slowly moved inside. The hostess, who was the owner’s daughter and had worked there for years, did an up-and-down assessment of his dirty boots, stained jeans, and his oldest sheepskin jacket and was about to protest until their eyes locked.
The hostess’s frown turned into a flirty smile. “Mr. Jenks. Good to see you again.”
“You too, Darcy.”
“Are you meeting someone?” Her eyes swept over his filthy boots again. “Or did you need something to go?”
“I’m looking for a couple with a little blond kid.” He hadn’t seen many kids in the restaurant before, so he hoped that’d be enough of a description to locate them.
She nodded. “Yes. Right this way, please.”
She took to the perimeter of the dimly lit dining room rather than down the middle like she usually did when she showed him to his table. Couldn’t blame her for that. Or mind, because the less people saw of him, the better.
They were seated way in the back, away from the others. Hopefully, Ryan was behaving himself. “Thanks. I see them.”
Jo’s back was to him, giving him the opportunity to check out her date. He was a geeky but fit Clark Kent type. Jo probably really liked that.
When Chad got to the table, his usual waitress, Jenny, appeared by his side. “Hello, Mr. Jenks. I just put their order in. What can I get you?”
Jo’s head whipped around. She looked fantastic in a blue dress that showed off her curves, but if her eyes could shoot poison darts, he’d be dead. She said, “Mr. Jenks isn’t staying.”
Jo’s date’s eyes widened, and he stood. The tall blond, no stranger to the gym, stuck out his hand. “Wow. Chad Jenks? Pleasure to meet you. Scott Mason. Please join us. Ryan needs to eat before you go anyway.”
Jo’s eyes narrowed at him.
I’m definitely in trouble.
Ryan stopped coloring and shot Chad a scowl. “Yeah. I have a kadeeya coming.”
He kissed Jo’s cheek in greeting, and maybe to annoy her date. He whispered, “You look great. But what’s a kadeeya? It better not be something fried, or it’s going back.”
She rolled her eyes. “A quesadilla, Pepe Le Pew. But he snuck in a chocolate shake order before I could stop him.” The mischievous twinkle in Jo’s eyes told him she’d let Ryan have that one indulgence.
A shake once in a while wouldn’t kill the kid. He’d been eating a hundred times better since Jo had been making him smoothies every day and sticking healthy lunches from her restaurant in the fridge marked “bad food for Ryan,” claiming they were leftovers and would just go to waste anyway. Jo talked tough, but she had a soft spot for Ryan. It was cute.
He really shouldn’t barge in on Jo’s date, but what the heck? He was starving, and it might be fun to see what Scott was made of.
“Thanks. I think I will join you.” Chad carefully slid his coat off his bum shoulder, slowly sat, and then smiled at the waitress. “Can I have the blackened tilapia with steamed vegetables, please? And a Corona?”
“Coming right up.”
Jenny left, and Chad forced a big smile. His shoulder was killing him, but he didn’t want to miss out on the fun. He was going to catch hell from Jo later, anyway. “So, Bob, is it?”
Jo’s eyes cut his way. She knew he never forgot a name.
“Scott. I’m a real fan, Chad.”
Perfect. “Mighty big of you to share your date with Jo’s former boyfriend and a kid.”
Jo’s pointed shoe landed squarely in the middle of Chad’s good shin.
Scott’s eyelids blinked through his lenses. He glanced at Jo. “Seriously? You used to date him?”
Chad quickly added, “We were engaged, actually.” He turned to Jo. “She still has the ring and everything. Don’t you, babe?”
Another swift kick landed in the exact spot on his shin as the last one had. He appreciated that she’d aimed for his uninjured leg.
Through gritted teeth, Jo said, “Only because the stubborn jackass won’t take it back.”
Ryan giggled at the jackass remark and kept right on coloring. Chad didn’t know Ryan liked to color. That was a lot better than playing video games all the time. Maybe a trip to the toy store would be good so they could find other things he liked to do.
Scott leaned closer to Jo. “So by being Chad’s friend, do you get lots of perks? And good deals on tickets to games?”
Jenny set Chad’s beer in front of him, so he took a long drink, loving every minute of the show.
Jo’s eyebrows arched, and her face turned three shades of red.
That poor bastard didn’t stand a chance after a stupid remark like that.
“I would never use Chad’s celebrity status to get deals.” She threw her thumb his way. “And Chad isn’t my friend anymore.”
“Sorry.” Scott held up his hands. “That came out wrong, Jo. I just think it’s cool that you know such a great player, is all. I didn’t mean any offense.”
Chad set down his glass. “But now I’m offended, Jo. I thought we were friends.” He glanced at Scott. “I talk to her every day.”
Scott’s forehead furrowed. “Every day?”
“Yep.” Chad crossed two fingers. “We’re tight.”
“Stop it, Chad.” Jo shook her head. “I’m his physical therapist.”
Scott’s eyes widened. “Yeah, I saw you get hurt on TV last month. Tough hit. They should’ve fined that guy.” Scott turned his attention to Jo. “But I thought you owned a restaurant?”
“I do.” Jo sipped her pink girly drink. “But I used to be a PT. Chad is just being annoying.” To mak
e her point, she poked Chad’s injured shoulder. “You should get your food to go.”
The searing pain made him grunt and grit his teeth. “Does her dating profile warn about the poking? She’s got lethal aim.”
Jo ignored that and said, “What’s wrong with your shoulder, Chad?”
“Nothing. Now back to Jo and her bad habits.” He took a long pull from his beer, willing the pain in his shoulder to back off. The slightest touch killed him. It must be dislocated again.
Jo leaned over and tugged on the collar of his shirt to see for herself. It was all he could do to grind out through the pain, “See, she can’t keep her hands off of me.” He met Jo’s gaze and whispered, “Can you take it easy, please?”
She continued her exam. “Can you lift your arm? And is there numbness?”
“Nope. And yep.”
“That’s a bad bruise. What happened?” Jo frowned as she popped a few more snaps open on his Western shirt. When she laid her palm on his shoulder and pressed, he let out a guttural moan.
Ryan stopped coloring and concern scrunched his features. “Are you okay, Chad?” If Chad didn’t know better, he might think Ryan actually cared for him a little.
“Yeah. Fine. I just ran into a hoof. It’ll be better in a day or two.”
Jo ran her hand over the top of his shoulder and then the back of his neck. Normally, he’d have enjoyed her soft caress. “We need to get you to the ER.”
“Nope.” He held up a hand on his good arm. “Look, here’s our food. Let’s just eat and forget about my shoulder.” He wished he really could forget about his shoulder. He couldn’t wait to get back home so Jo could pop it back in place.
Looked like he was going to have to take those prescription pain pills he’d avoided for weeks after all.
Jo couldn’t imagine a date going worse than the one she was in the middle of. Scott was more interested in Chad than her. Mr. Football wasn’t helping by telling locker room stories any fan would die to hear. Chad had a flair for storytelling. Even Ryan seemed captivated by Chad’s tales.
She speared a spring potato and popped it into her mouth, barely tasting the buttery chive goodness.
Perfectly Ms. Matched (Rocky Mountain Matchmaker Series Book 2) Page 6