Roadside Assistance

by Marie Harte

  “We get the picture,” Jacob interrupted. “It’s no big deal to be good at some things but not others.”

  “Yeah? So what are you not good at that my mom is?” Foley asked. “And keep it clean. There’s a kid in the room.” He nodded at Jan’s stomach.

  His mom blushed. “Foley, you are in so much trouble when we get home.”

  “Where have I heard that before?” He sighed, and the others laughed.

  Jacob seemed to take the question seriously. His eyes sparkled behind his trendy glasses, which made him look smart and no doubt added to his appeal. “I’m not great at being spontaneous, but your mom is an expert at that.” She blushed, and he continued, “I’m not the best when dealing with people outside of work. I can cook, but I don’t like to. And it’s been said I’m a little too uncomfortable with confrontation.” Jacob paused and looked into Eileen’s eyes.

  He took her hand in his on the table.

  “But your mother, Foley, has energy to spare. She can pull me out of a bad mood with a smile. She’s amazing when it comes to handling people. A social expert, in my opinion.”

  “Oh, now you’re flattering me.” Eileen had her heart in her voice.

  “Just speaking the truth,” Jacob said. “She’s an amazing cook, and she’s terrific when it comes to diffusing tense situations.”

  “What does that mean?” Foley asked, confused.

  “Just the other day she came to visit me at work when an alarmed patient had a tantrum about her insurance coverage. Now we have nothing to do with that, but my elderly patient wouldn’t even let us try to help before she started yelling about being ripped off and taken advantage of. Before my assistants could step in, your mother calmed her down and had the older lady laughing at something, when moments ago she’d been screaming. Your mother is magic in more ways than one.”

  Then he leaned over and kissed Eileen on the lips. Bam.

  Foley watched in shock as his mom kissed Jacob back.

  Jan and Noel were grinning like fools, but Foley didn’t know what to think. He knew his mother and Jacob were close. Obviously they would kiss and hold hands and cuddle. He knew this. But seeing it shook him, which made little sense.

  Even worse, he could tell Jacob meant everything he’d said. The guy had the hots for Eileen big time. He sounded like a moron in love.

  Sam turned and looked at Foley. He raised a brow but said nothing.

  “Oh, Jacob. You’re so sweet,” she gushed. Then she turned back to Foley. “I wanted to let you know that I’ll be staying here through New Year’s. Jacob and I have a few parties to go to.”

  “Nice.” Noel smiled. “Jan and I will be having a party too, in Fremont, if anyone would like to come.”

  Decent of him to extend the invite, but no way in hell Foley wanted to bring in the New Year with a tame crowd like the one in front of him.

  He knew Sam felt the same, so he wasn’t surprised when Sam declined. “Thanks, but we already have plans.”

  “Well then.” Eileen turned to Foley. “Get out.”

  “Huh?”

  “Eileen,” Jacob sputtered.

  She chuckled. “Relax, Jacob. The boy likes me to speak plainly.” She turned back to Foley. “Brunch is over, and we all survived. Now you can go.”

  Thank God. He and Sam stood without being asked a third time.

  “Thanks for the food. It was great.” Sam nodded and shook hands with everyone. “Good luck on the kid,” he said to Jan.

  She gave him a peck on the cheek, and Sam turned red. “Thanks, Sam.”

  “Hey.” Noel gave a mock frown, then ruined it by smiling. “You ever have computer problems, give me a call. Eileen has my number.”

  “Sure. You need your car fixed, call Webster’s.”

  “Will do.” Noel put a hand on his wife’s shoulder, but he didn’t seem possessive or upset. Just affectionate. He was confident in her love and care, so he didn’t need to behave like an ass. Kind of the way Jacob was with Eileen. Smooth, loving. Not trying too hard to impress Foley by acting all big and bad.

  Foley wished the guy would have been an asshole. But no, he had no reason to be upset with his mom’s notion to shack up with the guy through the New Year. He walked over to Jacob and shook his hand, secretly reveling in how much bigger he was than the dentist. Oh yeah. This guy fucked over Eileen, Foley would tear him apart.

  “Thanks, Jacob. For everything. Keep treating my mom right,” he warned.

  “Foley.” Eileen grabbed him by the hand.

  Jacob didn’t seem to mind. He met Foley’s stare, no hint of malice or fear in his gaze. “Your mom is lucky to have you. And you don’t need to worry. I’ll take good care of Eileen. If I don’t, I’m pretty sure she’ll kick my butt right into the Sound.”

  Foley laughed at that. He released Jacob’s hand and patted the guy on the back. “You’re okay, Jacob.” He said good-bye to Noel and Jan, then let his mom lead him and Sam to his SUV.

  “Sam was a stellar example of behavior today.” Eileen kissed him on the cheek and, smart guy that he was, Sam hurried to get inside the vehicle and shut the door, leaving on a good note. “But you…” She smacked Foley on the back of the head.

  “Ow. Damn it.”

  “What is wrong with you? Didn’t I tell you to be nice?”

  He glanced down at himself. “I wore my best clothes.” Clean jeans and a nice sweater he broke out only on special occasions. “I didn’t swear too much.”

  She just watched him, her gray eyes narrowed.

  “Sorry, okay?” he blurted. “The guy is nice, and you like him a lot. I just wanted to make sure he’d be good to you. I love you, Mom.”

  She softened and kissed him on the cheek. “I love you too, you bonehead. Jacob is okay, sweetie. Really. If he wasn’t, I would kick his ass.” And she wondered where he got his mouth.

  “Yeah. I get that. But he’s rich.” He didn’t like that so much. Sure the guy wasn’t using his mom for her money, but if he turned into a total jackoff, he could prove a real problem hiding behind his wallet. Foley knew the type. Like Lara’s ex-brother-in-law. Johnny’s girlfriend had been through hell because of that rich prick.

  “He’s comfortable, not exactly rich. And since when has it ever been okay to ask someone about their wealth?” She put her hands on her hips. “I raised you better than that.”

  “Yeah, well…” He shuffled his feet, feeling ten years old again. “He’s okay, I guess.”

  “He’s better than okay.” She bit her lip, then confessed. “I love him, Foley. He’s the man for me.”

  He had to swallow to speak, and he felt his future changing with every heartbeat. “Yeah?”

  “He’s mentioned marriage a few times, but I wanted us to get to know each other’s families first. He’s an amazing man.”

  Foley tried to lighten the mood. “You don’t have to marry him, do you?”

  “What?”

  “He didn’t knock you up or anything, did he?”

  His mom turned beet-red. “Foley Sanders. Get in that car and go home.” She laughed through her embarrassment. “A baby. Are you fucking nuts?”

  “Does he know you swear like a sailor?”

  “Like a Marine, boy. Your daddy was no crackerjack.”

  He chuckled.

  “And yes, he knows. Just like he knows about you and Sam and that mess after high school. I didn’t want you saying anything in front of Jan or Noel because that’s your business, not theirs.”

  “And his business, I guess,” Foley said, not sure why he was angry when she’d only told her guy the truth. She wasn’t hiding a damn thing from Jacob—her guy. Fuck.

  “I wanted to be honest with him. The same way he was honest with me about his life.” She paused. “Jan isn’t his biological daughter,” she said in a low voice. “Jacob found out years
ago that his wife had been cheating on him throughout their marriage. They aren’t sure who her father is, sad to say. But he’s never told her, and he loves her anyway. He’s a solid man.”

  “Damn.” Sucked to be Jacob.

  “He’s not perfect. But I don’t want perfection. I want someone I can love and who can love me.” She looked so darn pretty with that smile. “He told me he loves me, Foley. I know he means it.”

  “Well, um, I’m happy for you. I guess.”

  “You guess?”

  “It’s weird, okay? You’ve never been like this about any other guy.”

  “I know, but when it’s right, it’s right.”

  He sighed. “I’m glad you’re happy. I love you, Mom.”

  “I love you too, baby.” Her slow smile turned wicked. “Oh, and I can’t wait to meet Cyn. I wonder how much money she makes?”

  “I gotta go.”

  Her laughter followed him into his truck.

  Sam relaxed against the seat he’d kicked back, his eyes closed. “Long conversation. Did she ream you a new one?”

  “Pretty much.”

  “Then can we go? Wake me up when we board the ferry. I love sitting up top, even in the cold.”

  “Will do.”

  A pause.

  “You know, I liked him. For what it’s worth.” Sam liked the guy. Would wonders never cease?

  “Fuck. I liked him too, okay? Now I need to deal with it.”

  “Yeah, you do.”

  Yeah, I know.

  Chapter 14

  Cyn waited anxiously for Foley to arrive. She hadn’t seen him in three days. To her surprise, it felt like forever. All her self-warnings to keep him at arm’s length, to not get too attached, disappeared any time she looked at that damn picture.

  His sly grin in the photo was all Foley. Naughty, fun, sexy. When she thought about him, she smiled.

  The doorbell rang, and she rubbed her sweaty hands on her jeans, took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. Then she walked to the door. She gave herself a quick study in the mirror over the side table by the entry.

  Hair long and wavy. Check. Body-hugging cotton T-shirt under cashmere cardigan—check. Jeans to appear casual when feeling anything but—and check.

  She spotted Foley’s head through the window at the top of her door, so she opened it. “Hello?”

  He gave her a thorough once-over, smiled, and kissed the breath out of her. Before she knew it, he’d stepped them both inside, locked up behind them, and continued to kiss her as he backed her against the door.

  When she thought she might pass out from a lack of oxygen, he pulled back, panting. “Man, I missed you.”

  “I can see that.”

  He smiled. “Merry Christmas.”

  “You too.” She pulled him in for a tender kiss. “I love my gift.”

  “Yeah?” He lit up like a kid at Christmas, and boy did the expression fit.

  “In fact, I have a coupon I plan on using tonight.”

  “Hot damn.” He lifted one hand to show he had a six-pack with him. How had she missed that? “Awesome. I brought the beer.”

  “Because beer goes so well with a foot rub?”

  “Ah, hell. I knew you’d choose that one first.” But he didn’t sound upset. He sounded amused.

  “So tell me about your holiday. What did you get?” she asked as she followed him into her kitchen.

  “A new sweater and a Seahawks signed football from my mom, and a book and beer set from Sam. Oh man. You got a fully loaded pizza? You are the absolute best.” He turned and took her in his arms again.

  “Hey, watch the beer.”

  “Good point.” He placed the booze on the table and kissed her breathless.

  She didn’t understand how he turned her on with simple kisses. Every time. She’d had plenty of boyfriends that were sexy, handsome, smart. None of them had gotten her hot and bothered with just a kiss.

  “You don’t know how bad I want to unzip, bend you over, and fuck the hell out of you.”

  Yes, yes, yes, her loins insisted. She blew out a breath, drawing on her patience, and he did the same.

  “Sorry,” he apologized. “I’m trying to be good. I wanted to talk to you, not just do you.”

  “Good to know I’m not just a piece of meat.”

  “No offense, but you’re not meat. That’s meat.” He pointed to the pizza and drew in a deep breath. “I think I’m about to have a food orgasm.”

  “Really?” She stared at him. “Let’s see that O-face, sexy. Or is it now an F-face?”

  “Huh?”

  “Food-face. Have you ever had an orgasm from eating?”

  He seemed to consider the question. “Well, once, I guess. But I was hungry and horny and not quite myself. So I was eating this chick and jerking off and—”

  “Gah. Stop talking. I don’t want to hear it.”

  He laughed. “Such a lightweight. No, Cyn. I haven’t gotten off while downing a burger and fries. I’m not Caligula, you know.”

  She raised a brow.

  “Yeah, I know who he is. I watch the history channel. Roman emperor of torture and orgies. If anyone had sex with food, it was that guy.”

  “Um, right.” She laughed with him, accepting his embrace once more.

  “You know, just talking to you makes me feel good. Am I a pussy for saying that?”

  “Admitting you like talking to me might get you pussy, but I don’t think it makes you one.”

  “Excellent.” He winked at her and dug into the pizza, putting slices on the plates she’d set out. “So where do you want to eat?”

  “We can sit in the living room. You are over sixteen, aren’t you?”

  He paused in the act of grabbing them beers. “What?”

  “That’s what I tell my nephews when they try to drink in the living room. That you have to be over sixteen to take a drink from the kitchen.”

  “You have a lot of rules, don’t you?”

  “So what?” She accepted the beer and plate he handed her and followed him to the couch. “Rules make life easier.”

  “And boring. Then again, breaking those rules can be a damn good time.”

  “Figures. You’re the rule breaker, I’m the rule maker.”

  “So poetic.” He polished off a slice while she watched, stunned. “What?”

  “Did you even chew any of that? Or did you just swallow it whole? It’s like watching a shark chomp down its dinner.”

  He flushed. “Sorry. I haven’t had anything to eat today.”

  “Why not?”

  “I promised my mom I’d help out with a few chores while she’s bumping uglies with her rich boyfriend.” He grimaced. “I can’t believe I just said that. My mom isn’t supposed to have an ugly.”

  She tried not to laugh, but he looked so miserable she couldn’t help it. She took his plate and fetched him another slice, as well as a few napkins, and returned. “Tell me everything. I’m dying to hear this.”

  “Sam and I spent the day after Christmas with Mom, dentist guy, and dentist guy’s daughter and son-in-law. Oh, and the daughter, Jan, is pregnant.”

  “This matters to the story, I take it?”

  “Yeah, because my mom thinks Jacob—that’s dentist guy—must be amazing, because not only is he some douche with money, but he has a daughter he married off to some computer wiz, plus he’s got a bonus grandkid on the way. I’m just some lame-o mechanic going nowhere fast.”

  “She said that?” Poor Foley.

  “Nah, but I know she was thinking it.”

  “I thought you and your mom were close.” She took a bite of pizza, savoring the delicious grease and cheese and…calories. She heard her mother’s voice in her head, the doubts that Foley would stick around a woman he found unattractive.

&n
bsp; I’ll just have one slice. That’s all.

  “We are.” He sighed. “I might have acted like an ass a little bit. But I didn’t mean to.”

  “You an ass? No.” He pretended not to see the look she gave him. “Well? Details, man. How were you an ass? Be specific.”

  He put down his slice of pizza and blew out a breath. “We had to take the ferry to Jacob’s place. He lives on Bainbridge Island.”

  “Oh, I love it over there.”

  “Yeah, it’s great,” he said, morose, and pushed his slice around on his plate. “So the guy has a killer house, all fancy and rich and shit. He’s got chandeliers and had a catered brunch. Catered. Brunch. Dude served freakin’ mimosas in champagne glasses! We had lobster and shrimp. Frittatas, I think. The food was great, but I couldn’t spell half of it.”

  “You can’t spell, period.”

  “Smart-ass.” He lost his annoyed expression. “Anyway, so we’re all there, around his fancy table, eating fancy food, and—”

  “I get it. He’s fancy. You said that. Move on.”

  He glared at her, and she felt those butterflies in her belly fluttering. She loved when Foley turned a little mean. Was it wrong to egg him on? Maybe.

  “So I flat-out asked if he had money. I mean, it’s obvious.”

  “You asked about money? That’s usually not done.”

  “I just wanted him to know I knew, and that I was glad about it. I don’t want some guy taking advantage of my mom. She works hard for her money. And trust me, she’s a soft touch. I’ve had to watch out for her with a few scummy exes.”

  She patted his muscular shoulder. Man, he was huge. “You’re a good guy, Foley.”

  He flushed and turned back to his pizza, taking a big bite.

  That flush turned her all gooey inside.

  “I didn’t mean to be rude,” he said with his mouth full. He stopped to swallow and swig some beer, then continued. “But it was weird. I just…”

  “What?”

  “Seeing her happy was great, but it kind of… Shit. It’s stupid.”

  “No, what?” She moved closer, her hand on his knee. “You can tell me,” she said gently, sensing he needed to get something off his chest.