by Marie Harte
“I asked what you thought about dogs. Lara went into her bedroom to find the puppy that’s supposed to be hiding under the bed.” Cyn grinned, and Sam hated that suddenly he could totally relate to what Foley saw in her. “Except he’s been hugging my foot all through dinner.” She leaned down and picked up a pit bull mix no bigger than a breadbox. “Oh my gosh, he’s adorable.”
Johnny held his head in his hands. “No. We’re not getting a dog.”
Lara returned and smirked at Johnny. “Of course not.” She winked at Cyn.
“We’re too busy. You have school. I have work.”
“Work?” Foley looked confused. “Is that what you call what you do at the garage?”
Cyn chuckled.
“What’s that?” Johnny glared.
“Oh please,” Foley huffed. “We all know you’re a genius with a wrench. Easy, little guy.”
Johnny flipped him off.
“Hey, don’t be so loud or aggressive. You’ll scare the puppy.” Sam tried not to look so taken with the furry thing as he stared at it. “It’s so small.” And fucking adorable.
Sam wanted to hold the tiny fella. He had a soft spot for animals. Always had. People could be cruel. He absolutely hated mistreatment of innocence of any kind. But especially to animals that couldn’t help trying to love on a guy.
Cyn stood, and the puppy yelped. She soothed it, stroking its head and ears while mothering him against her bountiful chest.
“Lucky dog,” Lou teased.
Foley glared. “What’s that?”
“Not a thing, man. Not a thing.”
Cyn ignored them and circled the table to give Sam the puppy. “Wow. He looks even smaller in your giant arms.”
He swallowed around a ball in his throat. “Yeah.” The puppy licked him, and he looked down at it so no one would see him acting like a pussy, holding a stupid dog. A glance at the furball made him smile. “I think he’s a she.” Trying to get a handle on his emotions, he turned himself cold and uncaring again—while being gentle with the puppy.
“Oh, a girl.” Lara batted her eyelashes at Johnny. “Please?”
“Lara.” Johnny groaned. “You know we’re too busy for him—her.”
“But my sister isn’t. The girls would love her! And just think, we can dog-sit.”
“Not a bad idea.” Johnny glommed onto it like glue. “I’m sold.”
Sam saw Lara look at Cyn and smirk before she noticed him noticing.
Sly. He appreciated that. He shook his head at Johnny. “Sucker.”
“What? I’m trying to save a dog’s life while saving mine too. The pup’s cute, but you wouldn’t think a dog that small could shit as much as she does. My back hurts from scooping up so much poop.”
“Johnny!” Lara frowned. “We’re eating.”
“Oh, sorry. What can I say? I’m not a fan of early morning walks and dog duty.”
“Then you should not have a dog.” Sam petted the girl, letting her snuggle closer.
“You should,” Cyn said to him. “You’re good with her.”
“Sam’s a pet person. Animals love him.” Foley sounded like a proud older brother. Until he ruined it with, “Which is weird, because usually animals can sense evil.”
Everyone around him laughed, and Sam felt himself smiling too. A great night with his friends…and Cyn. While holding a puppy in his arms, drinking beer and eating burgers with the promise of Lara’s cookies for dessert, Sam thought that Cyn kind of looked like a good thing for his friend.
He rubbed the puppy’s belly.
But where would that leave him?
* * *
Three days after the family Christmas party, where Cyn had confessed to having a date, Nina continued to nag. They worked side by side in the shop while Matt did paperwork in the back.
“So you’re really dating Foley. My Foley.”
Cyn turned to Nina. “Whose Foley?”
“Oh, you know what I mean. When your mom mentioned you had a date at Sunday night dinner, I thought you’d lied to get out of the party early. But I saw him in here yesterday, and he was definitely making eyes at you. Come on, Cyn. It’s me. Your best friend.”
“Who keeps writing ‘Mrs. Cynthia Sanders’ on all my notepads?” Cyn growled, trying not to find Nina’s efforts so amusing.
“It’s a catchy name, though.” Nina sighed. “Fine. I’ll stop. Just tell me what I want to hear.”
Cyn hadn’t been keeping it a major secret…exactly. Foley’s friends all knew. Foley made no bones about watching her like he owned her when they saw each other, which simultaneously thrilled and annoyed her. As a woman wanting a sexy, bossy-in-bed boyfriend, Cyn had hit the jackpot with Foley. But as a successful, independent businesswoman, she didn’t appreciate feeling like any man’s subordinate.
Then again, Foley never actually made me feel beneath him. Protected, not demeaned in any way. Odd. He’s the first man to—
“Cyn!” Nina snapped her fingers in front of Cyn’s nose. “Stay with me. Foley. You. Dating? Not dating?”
Cyn blew out a breath. “Fine. We’re dating. But we’re new, so don’t—”
“Be right back.” Nina raced into the back, leaving Cyn to deal with the influx of customers who’d entered.
She finished serving the last one and checked the time. Five o’clock. Nearly quitting time for her. She’d come in early, and Nina would stay later with Matt. The rest of their help had alternated days off through Christmas. She and Nina had argued about keeping the place open, but now Cyn was glad she’d lost. She wanted her time off, now that she had someone special to spend it with. Family was great, but family didn’t kiss her the way Foley did.
Matt and Nina walked out of the back together, evil grins on their faces.
Cyn contained a groan. “Shoot me now.”
“So. You and Foley Sanders, huh?” Matt leaned against the back counter and studied her. Big, protective, all-knowing brother. “I don’t know if I’m okay with that.”
Feeling confrontational, she glared at her brother and Nina, as if daring them to have a problem with who she was dating.
Matt continued, “He seems nice enough, but he’s got a shady past.”
“Seriously?”
“But since you’ve been in such a dry spell lately, I’ll let it slide.” Matt gave her a superior smile. “Finally a guy I can’t smash under my shoe. You always pick the douchiest boyfriends.”
“Hey. Not fair. What about Jon?” A pregnant pause. “Never mind.”
Nina and Matt chuckled. “Exactly,” Matt said.
Cyn groaned. “You two aren’t going to give me a hard time about this, are you? I mean, Foley and I aren’t serious. Just hanging out and—”
Nina tsked. “Make sure to use protection.”
Matt gagged. “Nina, please. Don’t say stuff like that when I’m around.”
“Oh, grow up. You’re going to make me have the sex talk with Alex when it’s his time, aren’t you?” She turned to Cyn. “When I told Vinnie a year ago, Matt closeted himself in his study and refused to come out for an entire day.”
“That’s a lie.” He straightened. “I talked with Vinnie about stuff later. In private. Just us guys.”
Cyn shook her head. “He always has been a prude. I can’t believe you married him.”
“I’m right here.” Matt frowned.
Nina nodded. “I know. He’s cute, so he’s got that going for him. And I like his body. But it’s been a work in progress to get him to experiment in bed.”
Matt turned around without another word and headed back to the office.
Nina and Cyn watched him go.
“Is it wrong I love tormenting my brother?”
“Yes, it is. And I’m a terrible wife because it amuses me.” Nina glanced away from her departing husband
to the front of the store and bit her lip, then choked on a laugh. “Oh man. Your day is now complete. Look who’s coming to see you.”
Cyn turned to see Foley courteously holding the door open—for her mother.
“Don’t say anything until I get Matt. He won’t want to miss this.” Nina darted away and returned seconds later, the pair of them breathless and standing behind the counter, watching it all unfold.
Cyn looked around for somewhere to hide.
“Cyn, sweetie.” Her mother walked to the counter and placed her hands down flat. “You haven’t returned my calls.” She turned to the others. “Matt, Nina.”
Behind her, Foley glanced from her petite mother to her and back again.
“Believe it.” Cyn sighed.
“What?” her mother asked.
“Mom. Nice to see you. Can I get you an Americana?” Her mother’s usual.
“That works. And a muffin too.” Ella refused the offer of free food and paid Nina while Cyn made her the coffee and Matt grabbed her a muffin. Behind her, Foley said nothing.
“Isn’t this nice. Full service.” Her mother winked at Cyn. “Now come talk to me. I’m sure Nina and Matt can manage without you.”
“Sure can, Mom,” Matt said in a chipper tone. “You take your time.”
Cyn shot him a death glare before following her mother to a nearby table. It was all she could do not to reach out to Foley. But she could only process one thing at a time when it came to family.
She’d artfully dodged her mother’s calls by sending texts and leaving phone messages when she’d known her mother would be unavailable to talk. The reprieve would only have lasted until she saw her mother again for Christmas, but Cyn would take anything she could get.
She heard Foley place his order in a low voice. He said something that made Matt laugh. She could only imagine. Lord.
She sat with her mother and waited for it.
Ella didn’t disappoint and dove right in. “Now, about this man you’re dating. Who is he? How do you know him?”
“Ah, well…” Behind her, Foley stood waiting, a shit-eating grin on his face. “Would you like to meet him?”
“I would, yes.”
Cyn nodded to the empty chair next to her.
“Now?” Her mother blinked.
Foley sat. Today he wore a T-shirt under his jacket. When he hung it on his chair, he treated Cyn to a mouthwatering view of his powerful, colorful forearms.
Her mother’s eyes threatened to bug out of their sockets. For that alone, Cyn wanted to kiss him. So she did.
She leaned close and gave him a peck on the lips. A big move for her, considering it had taken her months of dating Jon before she’d been openly affectionate with him in front of her family.
“Hi, Mrs. Nichols. I’m Foley, Cyn’s boyfriend,” Foley said before she could. He seemed to have no problem throwing the b-word around.
“Is that so?” Ella sounded cautious.
Foley was everything Cyn had never brought home. Bigger than life, dangerous, and not one to back down. Not some academic or genius in the business world, with a portfolio longer than her arm. Foley was blue-collar badass all the way.
Ella cleared her throat. “So, Foley. How long have you lived in Seattle?”
“Born and raised here.”
“Your parents?”
“Just my mom and me. My dad died when I was a kid.”
“Ah.” Ella studied him.
Foley didn’t flinch.
“Have you ever been married before?” The inquisition was well under way.
“Mom.”
“No, let him answer the question. He should have nothing to hide.” Ella remained firm.
Cyn wanted to crawl under the table. Thirty-four years old, and still having to deal with an overbearing parent. When it came to business, she took no prisoners. Yet when with her mother, all her old insecurities returned, and her confidence took a nosedive. How screwed up to want to please her mother while at the same time wanting to leave the woman and her judgments far behind. Cyn loved her mom, but she didn’t always like her.
“So, have you been married?” Ella asked Foley again.
“Legally, in the States?”
Cyn heard a thread of humor in his tone and started to relax.
“As opposed to what?” Ella asked, her fingers tight around her coffee cup.
Foley kicked back in his seat. “Well, I mean, a wedding in Mexico to a piñata shaped like a banana. That probably wouldn’t count, right?”
Her mother pursed her lips.
Cyn fought a laugh. “He’s teasing, Mom.”
“I should hope so.”
Foley chuckled. “Just kidding, Mrs. Nichols. Nope. Never married. No kids, no troubles. Just me floating in a world of nuts and bolts and the guys I work with.”
“What do you do for a living?”
Next thing, Ella would be asking for bank statements and credit approval ratings. “Mom, enough, okay?”
Foley grabbed her hand under the table and squeezed.
“Your funeral,” she muttered. A glance behind her, at the counter, showed Nina and Matt focused on their table. They had yet to blink.
“I’m only doing what a concerned parent would do.” Ella sniffed. “He looks like a criminal.”
“Oh Lord.” Cyn dropped her head into her hands.
“Nah. I’m done with prison. That was years ago.”
Her mother just stared. Cyn couldn’t tell if he was serious or not. Intrigued, she wanted to know more.
“Now I’m just a hard-working meth dealer. I own this corner and the heroin lab down the street. But I don’t employ underage children. Only ex-cons and guys with at least a GED.”
Cyn’s jaw dropped.
Her mother choked on the sip of coffee she’d taken while Foley chuckled. “Hey, I’m just kid—”
“This is your boyfriend?” Ella was not pleased. “How long has this been going on?”
Not pleased herself, Cyn answered, “Since I found out I was pregnant.”
She wanted to slap a hand over her own mouth. Now her mother and Foley looked horrified. But their shared alarm caused her to burst into uncontrollable—and a touch hysterical—laughter.
Her mother said something in Italian Cyn didn’t need translated. “I’ve obviously come at a bad time. I’ll talk to you later.” Ella stood.
“Hey now. I was just kidding, Mrs. Nichols.” Foley didn’t sound put off by her mother at all. “I work two doors down at Webster’s Garage. I’m one of the mechanics there. All legal. I swear.”
“How nice for you.” Ella looked angry, bewildered, and…old. “I’ll come back another time to talk to you, Cynthia. Good-bye, Foley.” She turned and left.
“Hmm.” Foley stared after her. “I’m sensing a touch of awkwardness.” Understatement of the year. “Do you think she liked me?”
Cyn laughed again, unable to contain it. “Oh yeah. She was totally into you. I could tell.”
Matt joined them and took a seat next to Foley. “What was all that about?”
“The part about your sister being pregnant or me being a meth dealer?”
Matt just stared.
Chapter 10
Foley didn’t know what had come over him, but he hadn’t liked the way Cyn’s mother had tried to interrogate her—over him. Having discussed the woman with Cyn, he now understood a little more about their dynamic.
Had Foley not known of their relation, he wouldn’t have guessed them to be mother and daughter. Ella Nichols was petite and pretty, but constrained. Not a knockout like her daughter. Cyn simmered like a pot about to boil over. All sexiness and aggression and life, just waiting to be let loose.
Having experienced her passion and laughter, he knew what she had to offer. Yet seated with her mother, it ha
d felt as if a lid had been placed over her, keeping her down. Just watching her nervous expression and her shoulders slump had pissed him off. Ella’s judgmental tone hadn’t helped matters.
“I’m sorry,” Matt said, cupping his ear. “Meth dealer? Pregnant sister? I think I’ve had too many cups of coffee today. I’m obviously hearing things.”
“Of course you are.” Cyn frowned. “Foley was joking. As usual, Mom got pushy and nosy. Instead of being nice, she questioned him as if ready to book him on charges.”
Foley decided to keep mention of his actual prison time for another day.
“So you’re not pregnant.” Matt waited.
“Oh my God. No.” She turned a becoming shade of pink.
“Well, not that we know of,” Foley had to add.
She punched him in the arm. “No, Matt. I am not.” Then she shot Foley an evil smile. “At least, not by Foley.”
“Ack. Stop talking. I think I’m hemorrhaging internally.” Matt groaned and put his head down. “My little sister cannot be in the family way. That would mean she’s doing things I can’t think about.”
Foley laughed, and even Cyn cracked a smile.
“Oh, go back to your wicked wife and have your fun. I can’t believe you sicced Mom on me.”
“Yeah right.” Matt snorted. “She had her own agenda from the minute she walked in.” Matt glanced at Foley. “So you guys are dating.” He narrowed his eyes and wore his serious face, the one that meant business. “You screw her over, I’ll make your life hell.” Then he gave Foley a pleasant smile. “Enjoy your coffee.”
“Ah, thanks.” Foley watched him go, reassessing Cyn’s brother. Matt was a big guy. Not as big as Foley, but the man looked as if he’d be a tough one to put down.
“Why are you looking at him like that? He was kidding.”
“Yeah, sure.” No, Matt had been serious. Foley liked him the more for it.
“Well, you met my mom. I’m sorry she was being so nasty.”
“Hey, don’t sweat it. Wait ’til you meet my mom.”
Cyn gave him a cautious look. “Oh?”
Foley realized he might be moving too fast. Considering he wanted a lot more from Cyn than she probably felt okay about giving him, he knew to back off. Bide his time. Be strategic.