Catch 'n' Kiss (Are You Game?)

by Cahill, Rhian

  And Dan. Well, he’d obviously done this more than once. He spun circles around her, tugged her along when she was steady and picked her up off the ground when she wasn’t. In spite of all her doubts and fears where this man was concerned, she couldn’t deny she always had a good time with him. The girls did too. They laughed and joked and played like they’d been doing it together forever, and Jody couldn’t remember the last truly carefree day they’d had.

  She made her way off the ice and sat on a bench to watch the three of them play tag around the rink. She was pretty sure Dan could catch either of the girls without any trouble, but he made it a game by stumbling and slipping whenever he got close to one of them. After Friday night and Saturday, she was eternally grateful for the happy smiles on the girls’ faces—the rippling joy of their laughter as they chased each other around. Tears stung the backs of her eyes and throat. They owed Dan for today.

  Jody quickly wiped at her eyes as the three of them headed her way. The girls giggled as they both tried to barge through the exit together. Dan scooped his arm around Amy’s waist and pulled her off her feet to break the standoff. He swung her around and plonked her back on her blades as Leigh bounced in front of her.

  “Dan said we can get an ice cream. I want a strawberry one.”

  “I want chocolate and vanilla,” Amy yelled.

  “Okay, keep it down. I’m right here, Amy.” Jody laughed as both of them shouted yes and raced off in the direction of the kiosk.

  “You want one?” Dan asked.

  She turned back to face him. “Are you kidding? It’s freezing in here already. I’m not making it worse by eating ice cream.”

  “Yeah, I’m not sure I’m up for a cone, but what about a hot chocolate? We can sit over by the kiosk where it’s a little warmer.”

  Jody glanced over to where Leigh and Amy waited impatiently for someone to come and order their ice creams. “Okay. A hot chocolate sounds good.”

  “If you’re not up for more skating we can take your boots back now. I’m happy to supervise the girls for the rest of our allotted time.” He offered her his hand.

  She slipped her cold fingers inside his warmer ones and let him pull her to her feet. “I think I’ll take you up on that. These things are killing me. I think I’ve got blisters on my heels.”

  “I’ll get the first aid kit from the counter. They should have some cream and Band-Aids.”

  They made their way over to the girls and it wasn’t until they reached the counter that Jody realised they still held hands. Dan didn’t make a big deal out of it, he just casually slipped his hand from hers to retrieve his wallet out of his pocket.

  “Why don’t you go grab that table?” He pointed to the table farthest from the rink. “The girls and I will carry everything over.”

  “Okay.” She limped away, her feet suddenly hurting beyond a mild ache.

  “And get those boots off so I can take a look at your feet,” Dan called out behind her.

  Jody waved her hand and kept going. She was afraid she’d never make it if she stopped to answer. Sliding into a cushioned seat, she immediately began unlacing the hundreds of hooks. Hundreds was an exaggeration, but it certainly felt that many by the time she had both boots unhooked and her wet-socked feet out.

  “Mum, you’re bleeding!” Leigh cried as she rushed over.

  “What?” Looking down, Jody saw a patch of blood on the back of one heel. Okay, blisters were a tame definition. Gingerly, she peeled her sock down and off. Sure enough, she’d rubbed her heel raw.

  “Damn, Jody, you should have said the boots were too small.” Dan put two steaming mugs on the table and dropped to his knees in front of her. “Amy, hand me that kit you’ve got.”

  Amy handed over the small plastic container she carried while licking the side of her ice cream cone. “Does it hurt?” she asked.

  “Just a little,” Jody said.

  “It looks like it hurts a lot. Do we have to go home now?” Amy asked.

  “No, sweetie, you can finish your ice cream and skate some more. I’ll just put some cream and a Band-Aid on and it’ll be fine.” Trying to reassure both her daughters, she smiled. “Who’s going to give me a taste of their ice cream?”

  As distractions went, it worked. While Dan doctored both her feet, she shared Leigh and Amy’s cones. She ended up eating most of Amy’s as she’d ordered a double scoop and couldn’t finish. Sitting back, she sipped at her no-longer-hot hot chocolate. It managed to remove some of the chill a belly full of ice cream delivered.

  “Will you be all right while we go skate some more?” Dan asked.

  “Yes. Please. Go have fun.” She shooed them off with her hand. “I’ll stay right here where it’s warmer.”

  “You want another drink?”

  “Actually, yes, a refill would be good.”

  “Coming right up. Girls, why don’t you go ahead and I’ll be there as soon as I’ve gotten your mother another hot chocolate.”

  Without a word, Leigh and Amy raced back towards the rink. Concern for their mother’s bleeding foot was forgotten in the face of more fun on the ice. Jody waited for Dan to order another drink before saying what needed to be said.

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. Just wave if you want another one, but I’ll come check on you in a few minutes anyway.”

  “That’s not what I’m thanking you for.”

  “It’s not?”

  “Well, yes, thank you for the drink, but I want to thank you for today. You’ve given us all something we desperately needed, and I was a little ungrateful when you used the girls to convince me to accept your invitation. I’m sorry.”

  “Jody, never be sorry for a genuine feeling no matter how misplaced it is. And I’ll accept your thank you if you agree to have dinner with me.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Dinner hadn’t been in the plan, but he couldn’t resist taking any opportunity to spend more time with Jody. She’d wanted the girls home at a reasonable hour as they had school tomorrow, so they’d picked up Chinese on the way to her place after their ice skating adventure. Things were a little tense between them again and Dan wasn’t sure how to get around this latest setback. Hell, he didn’t even know what had made her pull back this time.

  “Sorry, the girls won’t be a minute. We can start dishing up the food if you like.” Jody entered her kitchen. She’d changed into a pair of comfy looking sweat pants and a hoodie. Both looked a size too big but neither did anything to curb his libido. She looked hot.

  “I’m happy to wait.”

  “Oh, but you must want to get home soon.” She started opening containers and adding serving spoons. “Dish up what you want.”

  Dan wanted something other than food. He wanted an explanation, but as he went to open his mouth the girls came rushing in.

  “I’m starving,” Amy said as she sank into a chair.

  “Me too. Did you get that spicy chicken that I like, Mum?”

  Jody pushed the container of Szechuan chicken across the table. “Yes. And there’s salt ’n’ pepper calamari if you want some.”

  “Oh, yes, please.” Leigh was already dishing up a mound of the chicken.

  Dan passed the container of calamari over and picked up the fried rice. He dished up a couple of spoonfuls and waited until everyone else had taken what they wanted before filling his plate. Conversation was non-existent for a few minutes while they ate, but then Dan decided the quiet should end.

  “When does the repairman come to look at your washer?” he asked.

  “Oh, I forgot all about that. Tomorrow afternoon. Why?”

  “I just wondered if you needed me to take any dirty clothes home with me to wash and dry. I can bring them to work in the morning.”

  “No, no, I can’t ask you to do that. We’ve got enough to get us through until the machine is fixed.”

  “There’s no point piling it all up until then. And what if it’s not a simple fix? Give me a small-essentials l
oad and I’ll get them back to you first thing.” Her objections to his help were really starting to grate on his nerves, and Dan was determined to get her to agree. “It’s no trouble. I have to do laundry when I get home anyway.”

  She chewed her lip and he knew she was trying to come up with another protest.

  “Honestly, it’s just a few clothes, Jody, one load. It’s not like I’m asking to do it for the rest of your life.” Although he would. In a heartbeat.

  “Fine. I’ll get a basket together after dinner.”

  Leigh kept her gaze glued to her mother as though she were waiting for the other shoe to drop. She might only be fifteen, but she was extremely aware of her mother’s moods and Dan had to agree with the wary look. He was waiting too.

  They finished dinner in silence, a squirm-in-your-seat quiet that left the hairs on Dan’s neck standing on end and his teeth on edge. The girls got up and cleared the table, which left him and Jody alone again. She fiddled with the cord on her jacket and looked everywhere except at him. Something snapped inside him. He’d had enough of this back and forth between them, and he planned to have it out with her before he left tonight.

  “Well, I better get the girls organised for school tomorrow.” She pushed back her chair. “I’ll get a basket of stuff together for you too.”

  Before Dan could say or do anything, Jody bolted from the room like her pants were on fire. With a sigh, he leaned back in his chair and pulled out his phone. He shot a quick text to Cassie to let her and Luc know Jody and the girls were home and that he’d be leaving soon. Jody might not be happy about it, but Luc had arranged for someone to watch the house last night and tonight. It was the only reason Dan hadn’t slept in his car outside overnight and why he was okay with her shoving him out the door in the next few minutes.

  Which was exactly what she did about five minutes later. He found himself on her doorstep with a basket of clothes in his arms and not so much as a goodnight peck on the cheek. It was not the way he wanted to end their fun day together but he didn’t seem to have a choice. Once again, she was in the driver’s seat and was driving off without him. He was getting really tired of chasing after her. Except he didn’t have any other option. If he wanted to get anywhere, he had to play the game her way.

  Or at least he had to keep her within his sights, and to do that he had to follow where she lead even if that was round and round the mulberry bush. Carrying his load, he headed for the Jeep. Stashing the basket on the backseat, he took one last look at Jody’s house before climbing in the driver’s seat. He thought he saw movement in one of the windows but dismissed it when he didn’t see anything else. Dan cranked the engine with a rev before shifting into reverse and backing out of the driveway.

  His hands were tied for now. He’d give her some space and then he’d be sure she knew he wasn’t going anywhere. Unlike her ex, Dan had no intention of letting the best woman he’d ever met get away. Come tomorrow morning, he’d have his next step ready to go. And as much as he hated using the girls, he figured they were the way to get to her. Luckily for him, he thought they were great fun and wanted to hang out with them as much as he did their mother.

  As he made the ten-minute journey to his house, he tried to come up with another outing that would grab their interest. Jody had mentioned they went bowling, so perhaps he should suggest disco bowling next weekend. He’d have to check the roster, but he was pretty sure both he and Jody had Saturday night off.

  He pulled into his driveway with a smile on his face. Cassie had already volunteered to pick Jody up for work and drop her off until her car was repaired, but it made more sense for Dan to do it seeing how they lived so close. He’d work it out with Cassie tomorrow. One way or another, he was going to get more time with Jody.

  Jody couldn’t get away from him. And other than her irrational need to run, she really had no reason to avoid him. He was everywhere she went, and if he wasn’t then her stupid traitorous mind conjured him up in technicolour splendour to remind her of what she was trying to walk away from. She tossed her handbag on her bed on the way to her wardrobe. He’d used the girls to get her to agree to go out again, and while she was glad Leigh and Amy were being kept busy and therefore distracted from the mess that was last weekend, she didn’t like Dan’s manipulative ways.

  She’d heard from Mackenzie Harris that Colin was fighting the restraining order and the no-contact request. She should have known he wouldn’t go for it. Not because he wanted to have contact with his own children, but because she didn’t want him to have it. Colin’s lawyer was arguing that the girls were old enough to have their say and wanted them in court to do so when the paperwork went before the judge next week. Jody felt sick to the stomach just thinking about it. Then again, she’d been queasy the last two days, so it might just be a bug she’d picked up and not the anxiety of the coming court visit.

  She glanced at her bedside clock. Dan would be here in an hour and her mum had said she’d drop the girls off in about fifteen minutes, so if she was going to shower she needed to do it now. Today’s party had been an easy one, but an excited father-to-be had spilt champagne all down Jody’s back and she really did need to shower off the smell of alcohol as well as the stickiness. Pulling jeans and a sweater out of the cupboard, she then grabbed undies and a bra from her top drawer and headed for the bathroom.

  A wave of dizziness struck her as she bent over to turn on the shower. Jody grabbed the edge of the bath and held on until the flashes of light before her eyes cleared and she didn’t feel like she was going to fall over anymore. Her breathing was a little shallow and her pulse raced, so she sat on the closed toilet seat to give herself a minute. She needed to eat something, her sugar levels were obviously down seeing how she hadn’t consumed any food since the toast she’d rushed down before heading out to work.

  The front door slammed a second before Amy yelled at the top of her lungs. “We’re home!”

  Pushing up, Jody stuck her head out the bathroom door. “I’m just about to jump in the shower.”

  “Hey, honey, I’ll hang around until you’re done if you like,” her mother said.

  “Hi, Mum, were they good?”

  “Always.” Her mother waved her arm. “Now go shower and I’ll get these two sorted.”

  Jody did as her mother suggested but she made it quick. She didn’t want Dan to arrive before her mother had gone home. That would just invite questions she wasn’t ready to answer. Dressed and feeling a lot better, she headed to the kitchen where her mum had a cup of tea and a slice of chocolate cake waiting for her.

  “Oh my God, I love you.” Jody lunged for the cake. Her mother made the best chocolate cake in the world. “Mmm…” she moaned around her first mouthful.

  “Did I not teach you manners, Jody Maree?” Her mother clucked her tongue.

  Jody smiled and swallowed. “Sorry. But you have no idea how much I needed that.”

  “Good thing I brought the whole cake over then.” Frances Wilhelm smiled as she brought her mug to her lips. “So I hear you girls are all going on a date with some man named Dan.”

  Jody sprayed tea across the counter as she choked. She coughed a couple of times before catching her breath. “What?” she asked from behind her hand.

  “Leigh and Amy have been telling me all about him. He sounds lovely.”

  “Lovely?” Dan? Lovely wasn’t the word that came to mind when Jody thought of him. More like yummy. “He’s a guy I work with.”

  “And you’re seeing him?”

  The mother inquisition had begun. “No, not really. We’ve just hung out a few times.” She shrugged. No point giving her mother the wrong idea. It was bad enough that her brother knew about her see-sawing relationship with Dan, the last thing she needed was for her mother to get involved.

  “Dan’s here!” Amy screamed from the direction of the front door.

  Too late.

  Jody dropped her head and prayed for strength.

  “Do you want some choco
late cake? My gran makes the best cake.” Amy chatted behind her and Jody knew she had to do the introductions before her mother slapped her upside the head.

  She turned on her stool. “Hey, Dan, this is my mum, Fran. Mum, this is Dan.”

  A genuine smile covered Dan’s mouth and Jody wondered why he was so happy to meet her mother. “Hello, Fran. It’s nice to meet you. I hear you make the best chocolate cake.” He held out his hand.

  Her mother sat taller and smiled while taking his hand in hers. “I do. And it’s lovely to meet you. The girls talked about you non-stop today. Sit down and I’ll cut you a slice of cake. Do you want coffee with that?”

  One thing that could be said for Jody’s mother was that she was the ultimate hostess. Even when not in her own home. Jody popped up off her stool. “I can get it.”

  Fran waved her away. “Nonsense. You’ve been working all day. Let me get it.”

  Jody sank back onto her seat and let her mother go. She knew from experience she’d not be swayed, and really, she was too tired to bother.

  “You all right, Jody? You look a little pale.” Dan ran the back of his fingers down her cheek.

  She jerked away, frightened her mother would see the gesture for more than it was. “I’m fine. A little tired, that’s all.”

  “We don’t have to take the girls bowling if you’re not feeling up to it,” he said.

  “What? No! Can’t we go without Mum?” Amy wailed.

  “Stop that right now Amy Catherine. If your mother isn’t up to going out then you won’t be going.” Jody’s mother rushed around the counter and put her hand to Jody’s forehead. “Dan’s right, you do look at bit pale. Are you sure you’re okay?”

  Jody pushed her mother’s hand away. “Yes, I’m fine. It’s been a long week, and to be honest, I’d rather be out than at home where I’ll just brood over what’s going to happen in court next week.”

  “Ah, yes, that’s probably it. I dare say you aren’t sleeping properly, are you?”