My dad was a large man for a reason—he didn’t skimp on the sweets and crap food. There was no way in hell he’d enjoy coming home to a house stripped clean of his favorites. Heart attack or not, he was going to flip a lid when he realized he was going straight into junk food detox without passing go.
“Yup, I know. Aubrey and Mom both agreed yesterday that the best way for Dad to pull through all the diet changes and stuff is to cut out everything he isn’t supposed to have right away,” Cassie shouted from the living room. The sound of the front door opening and the familiar clicking of Mojito’s nails across the hardwood floors met my ears. “We have plenty of time to get that done and head to the grocery store for healthier alternatives for him.”
Pulling on the first T-shirt I could find and filling my pockets with my wallet, phone, and keys, I made my way back down the tiny hall and into the living room. Cassie was filling Mojito’s bowl with some water when I rounded the corner into the kitchen.
“Where do you put her while you’re gone? We need to get moving,” she demanded.
I loved my little sister, but she could be a bossy little thing sometimes. She brushed a sandy blonde curl away from her eyes, and glared at me as she set the water dish down.
“She stays inside. Now that she’s gone out for a minute, she should be fine for a few hours.”
“You’re brave. I’d never leave a dog to roam around my house freely while I was gone,” she muttered.
I smirked at her. “Guess that’s why you don’t have a dog then, huh?”
“Damn right.”
After saying goodbye to Mojito, I locked up the house and forced my sister into my truck with me. There was no way in hell I was going to let her drive. She had a lead foot and road rage. Not a good combination.
“I know how to drive, Ian,” she huffed from the passenger seat.
“I never said you didn’t. But, we already have one family member in the hospital for a heart attack; we damn sure don’t need another,” I said as I backed out of my driveway.
“Not funny. And way too soon, jerk face,” Cassie scolded. She folded her arms across her chest and shifted to glare out the passenger window.
* * * *
I’d always known my father enjoyed his sweets, but I never realized to what extent. After tossing everything out that had been deemed junk by the two of us, my parents’ cabinets and fridge looked as though they’d been robbed. All that was left were the condiments, an onion, and a loaf of bread.
“What are we supposed to buy them? I don’t think Mom realized how much crap was in the house.” I frowned, taking in the empty fridge once more.
“I don’t know. Fresh stuff, I guess.” Cassie shrugged.
“All right, well let’s take this to the dump first.” I sighed. “Then we can head to the store.”
We’d have to drop a few hundred to make it look as though there was anything edible in the house. Thank goodness all of us kids were pitching in to foot the new grocery bill, because there was no way I’d be able to afford it on my own right now, and I was sure Cassie was in the same predicament as me.
After chucking the bags of junk food into the dumpster, I headed in the direction of Harrison’s. It was the only grocery store worth going to in Coldcreek—although technically it was smack in the middle between Coldcreek and Norhurst. They had everything you could think of, including an Amish market inside. Pulling up beside a tiny Smart Car, I chuckled at the sight of it, wondering how any person fit in that microscopic thing, and cut my engine. Cassie hopped out and rattled off a list of things she thought we should get for Dad.
Once we stepped inside the store, I grabbed a cart and followed behind her. This was one of those moments where I felt the need to take a backseat and let Cassie run the show. She was anxiety-ridden, I could tell. I figured letting her have control of the things we bought to get Dad on track would help to ease this. We each had our roles, I guess. Cassie’s was to get healthy food into the house. Aubrey’s was to take care of Mom, and mine was to keep the shop running smoothly.
Cassie and I rounded the corner of the bread aisle, and paused to skim over the variety. The tip of my little sister’s index finger tapped away at her bottom lip while she thought. This was something she’d always done. When we were teenagers, I used to tell her it made her look like an airhead.
“It’s just bread, sis. Pick one,” I insisted. “Better yet, they already had a loaf, so let’s move on.”
“Yeah, but it was white bread. Dad needs whole wheat for his heart now,” she muttered.
I leaned against the handle of the cart and glanced at the selection before me. Why in the hell were there so many types of bread? Bread was bread, wasn’t it? Finding one with a label that stated “heart healthy,” I pulled it from the shelf and tossed it into the cart.
“Done.” I smiled.
We continued around the store, filling the cart with different fruits, veggies, nuts, and orange juice. This trip to the grocery store was going to be the most expensive one I’d ever made to date. If it helped to save my father’s life, then it was worth it though. That’s the thought I attempted to keep in mind while cringing at the price tag on everything being placed in the cart.
“Okay.” Cassie poked her lips out, making a duck face, and placed her tiny hands on her hips as we neared the end of another aisle. “Now, how about I go pick out some flowers as a welcome home thing, and you see what kind of heart-healthy snack foods are near the Amish stuff.”
“Sounds good.” I turned the cart around. “I’ll meet you at the checkout lane.”
Making my way around a lady with four children straggling behind, I headed toward the Amish section. Honestly, this part of the store was a little pricy for me, but I never could manage to leave without buying at least one item from here every time. Wheeling the cart directly to the snack food section, I glanced around at all the crazy items on the shelves I wouldn’t eat let alone feed to my father. A girl standing near the back wall at the refrigerated items caught my attention. She was dressed in a pair of skintight shorts, and wore a tank top that had nothing but solid lace for the back. Her hair was pulled into a tight bun, making her entire profile visible. She chewed her bottom lip and stared at the contents of the fridge before her, her face twisted into a serious expression. My heart sped up. The girl I was checking out so blatantly was Lauren—the one with the sauna for the bedroom. I’d noticed how attractive she was the other day, but with her hair pulled back and dressed in such a sexy top, she was absolutely striking.
“The baby Swiss is the way to go,” I said, before she spotted me staring at her like a creeper. “I buy a block nearly every time I’m in here.”
She glanced at me, but didn’t really see me. When she did a double take, I knew she’d figured out who I was finally. “Really? Well, I guess I’ll have to try it out, then. Thanks. Any other suggestions?”
I thought for a moment. “The pita crackers are good, especially with a little of their garlic hummus dip.”
That might be something I’d have to get for my dad. I doubted he’d eat it though.
“I love their hummus dip! It’s the best with some celery sticks.” She beamed. “I just recently started sampling things here and there from this part of the store. Before, I’d barely given it a second glance. Now I know I was missing out.”
“I know what you mean. I bought that cheese once on a whim, and now I can’t get enough of it.” I moved to grab a block for myself and caught a whiff of her perfume. It was something light and sweet.
“Dang, someone eats super healthy,” she said, taking in the items in my cart.
“I do, but this isn’t for me. It’s for—” I started to explain, but was cut off by Cassie.
“There you are. I thought we were supposed to meet at the checkout lane,” Cassie grumbled. She walked over to where I stood with Lauren, carrying a bouquet of various-colored daisies. Her eyes flickered to Lauren, and she smiled and shook her head before glaring at me. �
�Typical guy, trying to pick up a chick at the grocery store.”
“I am not,” I insisted. “I was helping her decide which cheese to buy.”
Lauren held up the baby Swiss I’d insisted on, and shook it. “Baby Swiss.”
“Lauren, this is Cassie, my baby sister. Cassie, this is Lauren. She’s someone I met a few days ago on a job,” I introduced them both.
“Oh, this is the one Brent was talking about right? The one you were flirting and cutting up with?” Cassie grinned.
Her little sister tendencies would never die, would they? She lived to embarrass the hell out of me every chance she got.
“And when did you speak to Brent?” I asked her, hoping to deflect the attention off myself long enough to gain control over my flushing face.
“He stopped by the hospital yesterday to check on Daddy.” She adjusted the flowers in her arms and shrugged.
Brent hadn’t mentioned he’d stopped by. I guess he truly cared about the big guy more than I thought.
“Your dad is in the hospital?” Lauren asked. Concern splashed across her face and pooled in her brown eyes. “I’m so sorry. Is he going to be all right?”
“Yeah.” I nodded. “He had a heart attack a couple of days ago, but he’s being discharged later today. That’s who all this healthy food is for.”
“Speaking of, we should probably get going,” Cassie insisted. She leaned over the side of the cart, and took inventory of what was inside. Setting the flowers in the fold-down front, she glared at me. “You didn’t get any snack foods yet? God, you’re slow.”
“I was just headed there when I bumped into Lauren.” I nodded in Lauren’s direction. “I’ll see you later. By the way, how’s the bedroom coming along?”
“Still a rainforest and unusable, I’m sure. I’ve been staying at my friend’s all weekend.” She smiled. “Hope your dad has a speedy recovery.”
She was gone before I could say another word, and Cassie was pulling the cart toward the kernelled popcorn section while tossing random crap in along the way. If I ever was on one of those timed grocery-shopping game shows, she was the person to take with me.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
LAUREN
The cheese Ian suggested was the best I’d ever tasted. It was smooth and creamy without that overpowering smelly feet stench Swiss normally had. If I ever saw him again, I’d have to remember to thank him for the recommendation. Images of his scruffy face and country-sweet smile flashed through my mind. He was a cutie—a lickable cutie. One that was definitely different from the other guys I found myself attracted to.
“Does this color clash with the one you guys are wearing?” Blaire asked, pulling me from my thoughts. She held her phone out to show me a picture on it. It was of her little niece, Tinley, wearing a cream-colored, fluffy dress. “Does it look too buttery?”
I shook my head. “No, I don’t think it looks buttery at all.”
“Good, because Bonnie was going to add some little yellow ribbons and bows, so it would match your dresses a little more.” She took her phone back and zoomed in on the picture. “I don’t know though. I think it looks cute without ribbons and bows.”
“Either way, it’s a cute dress.” I cut another thin slice of cheese, and then quickly wrapped the block back up. I’d eat it all in one sitting if I wasn’t careful. “Can I put this in your fridge?”
“What is it?” Blaire asked.
“Baby Swiss cheese from the Amish section at Harrison’s. It’s the best. You should seriously try some.” I moved to open it back up, but she waved me off.
“No, thanks. I’m fine.” She went back to scrutinizing the color of the dress. “I can’t eat until I figure this out.”
“What’s there to figure out? It’s a cute dress, and Bonnie will make it even cuter with the bows. Place Tinley in it, and you’ve got the cutest thing ever going on.” I crammed the cheese into the side door of the fridge, next to the coffee creamer I’d bought myself for in the morning, and spun to face her.
“You’re right. I need to stop stressing over this stuff.” Blaire set her phone on the kitchen counter.
“Where’s Paige?” I asked. She was always helpful in situations like this. It was nearly seven o’clock at night, and she still wasn’t home yet from the shop.
“Out with Cameron, I’m sure.” Blaire picked her phone up, and I nearly snorted with laughter. No wonder Jason, her fiancé, was leaving all the planning to her—she was obsessive. “Want to go half on a pizza with me?” she asked, surprising me.
“Only if it’s a veggie.” I leaned against the counter. “That counts as something healthy for dinner, right?”
“Absolutely.”
* * * *
When my eyes peeled open the next morning, I spotted Blaire in the kitchen, using the glow of her cell phone to make herself a bowl of cereal. Not bothering to let her know I was awake, I lay there and watched her rummage through the silverware drawer for a spoon while trying hard not to laugh at her. She stubbed her toe somewhere between the fridge and the dishwasher in continuing her search for a clean spoon, and I couldn’t hold my laugh in any longer.
“Jesus, you scared me! I didn’t know you were awake,” she said.
“The eerie glow of your phone woke me.” I chuckled.
“Sorry, I was trying not to wake you.” Blaire walked to the light switch and flicked it on. “But, now that you’re awake, I guess I can use this, huh?”
The light was blinding. It reminded me of how my mom used to wake my sister and me up for school in the morning—by flipping on the light switch so we were ripped from the darkness of slumber instantly. I hated that.
“Funny,” I grumbled.
“You have to get up anyway. You’ve got that appointment, right?” Blaire asked around a mouthful of cereal.
Moving to sit up, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and yawned. “Yup, I sure do. God, I hate those appointments.” I groaned. “I’d rather go to the dentist.”
“Ugh, not me. I can’t stand dentists.”
“We’ll agree to disagree on that.” Leaning over, I rummaged through my overnight bag. “I call dibs on the shower first.”
“That’s fine. I’m eating,” Blaire muttered.
After a hot shower and a yogurt, I still wasn’t ready for my appointment. There was nothing I hated more than someone staring at my lady parts when I wasn’t in the mood. Sex with Jimmy in Greece was the only thing that got my feet moving out the door and into my car. I needed that birth control refill.
Norhurst OB/GYN Associates was your standard medical office. With a sign featuring the silhouette of a pregnant woman and the lettering a light pink color, there was no mistaking what type of office it was.
Once I signed in with the receptionist, I parked my butt in one of the deceivingly comfortable chairs to wait for my name to be called. Glancing around, I checked out all the other ladies waiting for the doctor to see them. The place wasn’t that busy, but from the look on some of their faces, I could tell they’d been waiting to be seen for a while. Picking up a magazine off the table in front of me, I flipped through it. Skimming the articles, but not really reading them, I wondered what the women around me were here for. There was only one whose pregnant belly was so large, I wondered if she’d go into labor while waiting to be seen. The others all looked nervous as shit or pissed. I flipped through two more magazines while waiting for each of them to be called back and my turn to come.
“Lauren Myers,” a woman dressed in black scrubs with little white stars finally called.
Standing, I tossed my purse over my shoulder and walked her way. After having my weight—which only reminded me why I needed to give up chocolate—height, and blood pressure checked, I was led to a small room. I answered the odd questions they always seemed to ask, like if I’d gotten pregnant over the last year or contracted any sexually transmitted diseases. Seriously? Wouldn’t they be the first to know?
Within twenty minutes, I was lying back with my feet
pressed against a set of cold-ass metal stirrups, waiting for Dr. Ledford to finish swabbing my insides. She was in and out in nearly a minute, and then I was on my way. As I pulled my shorts on, my cell phone vibrated in the chair I’d set all my stuff on. Glancing at the screen, I noticed it was my little sister, Meg, calling. Ignoring the call, I opened up a text.
Call you in a minute. I’m leaving the doctor’s office right now. ~ Lauren
Meg responded back before I could pull my tank top over my head.
Doctor’s office? Are you okay?
Fine. Just a yearly checkup. ~ Lauren
After slipping my sandals on, I tossed my purse over my shoulder and grabbed my phone. I paid for my vajay-jay to be violated and nabbed my all-important prescription. As soon as I stepped outside, I called Meg. Once I’d given her the lowdown on where I’d been and why, I dropped the bomb about where I would be spending my birthday this year.
“You didn’t tell Mom and Dad yet? What the hell? What if they had some super secret awesome thing planned for you?” she grumbled.
I climbed in my car and cranked the engine.
“You and I both know they don’t. That’s not how birthdays in our family work now that we’re older.” Putting my phone on speaker, I tossed it in my lap and turned out of the parking lot, heading toward Paige’s Closet. “Don’t try to make me feel guilty about not saying something until now just because you’re jealous.”
Meg sighed. “Yeah, you’re right. I am jealous. Greece and a godlike boyfriend as a tour guide? Why do you have all the good luck?”
“Whatever.” I rolled my eyes.
Who was I kidding? I did have some spectacular good luck going in that department lately. Jimmy was smokin’, and who the hell wouldn’t want to go on a paid trip to Greece, especially on their birthday?
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
IAN
Wreck You Page 8