by Grady, D. R.
He’d resisted and look where it had landed him. Watching Janine ladle delicious smelling food into bowls and onto platters and Greg wanted to eat right now. Whatever she cooked had a definite island scent and his stomach growled. He could have remained in the shadows, but instead, he allowed O’Riley to walk right up to him and extend the invite.
How grateful he was he hadn’t hid better. It was almost like he wanted to be found...
“Okay, everything is on the table,” Janine said and indicated the expanse with one long, elegant hand.
The O’Riley’s seated themselves on one side of the table, so Greg moved to the other. He took the innermost seat, because he had learned over the years that women liked to jump up and down for things. Janine slid into the seat beside him and his stomach lurched. It felt right. She should be seated beside him.
Why was that? His thoughts were so distracting he nearly forgot about the food wafting tremendous amounts of spicy scents toward them. Emma gave thanks for their meal and then Janine passed him a bowl of rice with beans. “Rice and peas?” Her voice added to the pleasantry.
“Yes,” he answered with gusto and helped himself. He passed the bowl across the way to O’Riley who dug in as eagerly.
“What type of chicken is this, love?” Emma asked, as she forked up some.
Janine shrugged. “I used some spices from home. I suppose it’s similar to jerk chicken.”
“One of my favorites,” O’Riley said and heaped a huge amount on his plate.
“You’re the one who ordered it.”
Janine passed him several bowls of veggies.
“Thank you,” Greg said to no one in particular.
“You’re welcome,” Emma answered. “I heard you had a surprise today.”
She made the comment so casually, so easily, Greg nearly missed it in his exuberance to try everything on his plate. He felt Janine stiffen beside him before she resumed normal eating activities.
“Mmmm?” she fudged and forked up some rice. Good girl.
“It’s all around town that Greg’s car blew up. Right here in your driveway.”
“All around town or all around the Morrison homes?” O’Riley clarified. Greg noticed the admiral had stopped eating momentarily, too. Good thing Greg liked food so much, because he was probably the only one at the table who remained normal, and kept shoveling the scrumptious food into his mouth. Delicious. He was supposed to act like a normal person. If normal people ate like this, sign him up.
Emma waved a negligent hand. “Same thing.” She forked up some rice. “This is wonderful, Janine.”
“Yes,” Greg added his accolades. It was delicious. The flavors were hot and perfect. If he didn’t know better, he’d think he was in the tropics.
“Thank you.” Janine sounded pleased.
“So, about the car?” Emma stared at him and raised an eyebrow.
He shrugged. With all this incredible food, did he have to talk about his car exploding? It had already grown old. Between the cops, KC, O’Riley and the car rental place, he felt like he had spent plenty of time on the incident today. “My car blew up. Probably not the first car to blow up.”
Greg caught the quick look Janine darted at him and had to work to keep a grin off his face. She coughed – he hoped to cover up the laughter he could feel rising from her. He definitely liked how they seemed to share a similar sense of humor. Twisted and bent though it must be.
“I haven’t heard of cars exploding in Hershey. Especially not in my niece’s driveway.” There was a new tartness to Emma’s voice that made him better understand where the “General” part of her name came from.
“Honey, it’s not a big deal and we have things under control.” O’Riley stepped in and Greg was grateful. The admiral sent his wife a look she appeared to understand because her feathers smoothed and she nodded.
“Emma, really, it’s fine. We know what we’re doing, honest.” Janine stared with beseeching intensity across the table at her aunt. That seemed to mollify the woman further. “We’re not able to tell you more. But we have things under control.”
“Nothing you need to worry about,” O’Riley added.
Greg kept shoveling food into his mouth, thankful everyone else talked, so he didn’t have to. This food tasted much better than it smelled, even. His stomach sent up thanks for the meal.
“Janine, this is amazing,” he repeated and stabbed more chicken. “Everything is so flavorful.”
“Thank you. It’s not hard to make.”
“I just mastered eggs.”
She smiled and his heart lurched a little. What was it about this woman that caused such a reaction in him? He had managed to coast through life with only one major bump on his love meter. And remember how that ended, a cautious voice reminded him grimly.
Greg sobered. True.
Wanting Janine wasn’t the same as being able to have her. He might get her killed.
Having to bear another woman’s death would destroy him. He reminded himself of that one way ticket to Hades. If something happened to Janine, Greg knew the ticket would pave the way for destruction like this family had never known.
O’Riley cornered them later that evening, while Emma used the rest room. “Anything new?”
Both she and Greg shook their heads. “Not on our end,” she answered.
“My car rental place snootily informed me they don’t cover damages inflicted by bombs and I’ll be responsible for the entire payment of the car.” Greg’s voice was wry; like this wasn’t the first time he heard that news. Janine hoped this was the first time a car of his had been bombed. But she doubted it.
“We’ll take care of it,” O’Riley promised.
“Thanks.”
“Sure. You know the procedure.”
What? That was not reassuring. “Wait a minute.” Janine put a hand out in the universal stop gesture.
Both men turned to her with polite expressions in place. “You’ve had a car blow up before?”
Greg glanced at O’Riley whose lips sort of curled up. Janine’s heart sank. No, this was not true. People did not regularly contend with exploding cars. It wasn’t normal.
Her eyes rested on Greg. But then he wasn’t normal. He probably never would be. A secret operative turned artist didn’t have much chance at an ordinary life. But then, what was normal? Couldn’t they paint their own reality? Did they have to use everyone else’s idea of normalcy?
They could create their own to suit them.
“He’s well known for things that blow up.”
Greg grinned. “I certainly haven’t contributed to saving the department money.” The boyish grin wriggled under her skin. Janine didn’t think she liked the sensation. Because it zinged right into her heart.
So unfair.
“No, you haven’t helped my budget at all. I get told off every year, and all from your escapades.”
“Well, you won’t have to worry about that now. I’ve turned over a new leaf.” Greg sipped from the coffee mug he casually held. He looked good. Dressed all in black, with his sunstreaked hair in slight disarray. Janine’s knees went a little weak.
Did he have to be so gorgeous?
No man should be this handsome and wreak such havoc on her heart. Then she frowned. “How is he going to hand in a bill when Michael Lamont is supposed to be dead?”
“A Michael Lamont wanna-be?” Greg offered with another killer grin. The man was devastating when he wasn’t slunk in the shadows. Maybe for her peace of mind he should remain in dark corners.
Her heart might not be up for all this masculinity. She had been such a good girl in the past. Why was she being pounded with ten sessions of hormonal stress?
“We’ll work around who sends us the bill. They don’t ask too many questions.”
“They?” Janine raised a brow at the admiral.
“The people processing the bills understand there are a lot of gray areas. Like operatives who are supposed to be dead, but might not be. That sor
t of thing.”
“Ah. They don’t ask questions.”
“No. They’re highly trained to forget everything they process, too.” O’Riley grinned at her and she saw anew why Emma had fallen so hard for him. Tonight must be the night of gorgeous men. Here she had two in her very own living room.
Wow, go her.
Emma joined them then, so they had to halt their conversation. O’Riley eased them into another and Janine watched Greg. He stayed in the light cast from the lamp beside the chair he chose. She wondered if he found the light uncomfortable on his skin. It probably galled him to be sitting there so obvious like.
But Rich O’Riley seemed to embrace the light. Of the two men, he was the higher profile. The one who could bring an enemy the most wealth and power. Could that be why Greg seemed so relaxed?
He didn’t move except for taking the occasional sip from his mug. O’Riley didn’t move any more than necessary, either. Both men also kept track of their surroundings.
So did she. Janine surveyed the area at all times. She didn’t trust easily. That was a part of her training, but also a part of her childhood. She had endured much because she had to, and had learned at an early age she could rely only on herself.
Otherwise, life might have been different. But it had shaped her to who she was now, and she liked herself. Didn’t mind spending time alone. Although she discovered she very much enjoyed cooking for family and friends. Especially men who enjoyed her cooking as much as Greg had.
He packed away more than she thought possible and seemed to savor every bite. She still felt a little flushed from his high praise. And she made up a container for him, because she couldn’t possibly eat all the leftovers herself.
When she told him the container was for him, he stared at her like he’d never seen her before. “You made that for me?”
He blinked at her a few times, as though trying to figure out the catch, but eventually relented with appreciation. “Thank you. I’ll be happy to take them. Just so you know, dinner at my parents isn’t going to be like this at all.”
Warmth suffused her at the thought of their “date” and the sensation remained for a long while. Seemed it wasn’t hard for her to coddle this man. Was this a way to his heart? “I’m sure I’ll survive.”
His grin made her heart flip and perform somersaults.
Janine scoffed at her own stupidity, but if the way to his heart truly was through his stomach... She could cook with the best of them.
Maybe after they figured out who wanted Greg dead, they could start something. Maybe.
“Greg, this isn’t a good idea.” KC knew Greg already knew that, but some pressing need made her say it anyway.
He sent her a fulminating look and thrust a hand through his hair.
“Don’t do that, Mom will notice,” she said absently and ignored his pointed stare.
“KC, I’m not going in there alone. You refuse to go with me because you’re a wimp, but Janine isn’t.”
“Janine doesn’t know any better.”
“Yeah, well, I think she can handle our parents.”
“She can. It’s just not nice of you to take her.” She glared at him, but understood. They would still leave the mansion with icicles dripping from their noses.
“I’ve been in town for a week. I have to go see them.”
“Go alone.”
He rolled his eyes. “I’d rather be set on fire.”
So would she. KC bit her lip. “They were sort of nice to Max while I was in Kuwait.”
“Define nice.”
“They all just watched Ryan play. And I think Mother served him tea.”
Greg grimaced. “I’m not drinking Lady Grey tea.”
She couldn’t help the twitch that formed around her lips. “The thought of you drinking tea from Mother’s best china is amusing.” KC laughed openly at him. “Make sure you put your pinky out like this.” She demonstrated for him and avoided his headlock. KC might have laughed harder if she didn’t feel so sorry for him and Janine.
“Did KC warn you?” He pulled Max’s Jeep, which he had borrowed, to a stop at his parent’s house. Greg watched the light turn Janine’s eyes to liquid amber and almost forgot his own question.
“Yes. For which I’m grateful. You could have.” There was censor in her voice.
His lips twitched. “I’m not stupid.”
“But I am?”
“No, you’re an innocent. I didn’t tell you because tonight is going to suck.”
She grimaced. “Thanks for the warning.”
“I’ll be with you.” The look she slanted at him made Greg smile, despite the tension knot in his stomach.
“KC said you weren’t looking forward to tonight. How can you not be looking forward to seeing your parents again?”
Greg frowned. “You’re used to the Morrisons.”
“So?” She raised a brow.
He groped around his brain, trying to explain how awful tonight would be. There was no way to even describe the experience. “I... um... you’ll see.” They exited the vehicle in sync.
“Aren’t you supposed to be some legendary secret operative?”
Greg took her arm and steered her up the imposing stairs to double wooden doors that would have made the Jolly Green Giant comfortable. “Always a shame when legends fail to live up to their exalted status.”
“What do you do, Janice?” Greg’s mother asked her right as she took a bite of the mystery meat. Of course his mother asked the question while her mouth was full. It wasn’t that the meat wasn’t prepared by a chef, because she was certain it was. But the sauce was also foreign and she would have been cowed except for the fact that Greg didn’t appear to have any more of a clue as to what they were eating than she did.
Then she realized the woman had called her Janice. She winced before setting the glare on Greg’s mother she had used on surly seamen and Marines in Kuwait. “My name is Janine and I’m a surgeon.” Mrs. Gilmore was of average height, under weight, and her bobbed champagne colored hair was styled in a fashionable country club way. KC and Greg had both inherited their blue eyes from her. Mr. Gilmore was also of average height, and while he was still fairly trim, he was sturdy through the shoulders and chest, like Greg. His hair was a graying light brown, his eyes were also a light brown. Both of them were dressed fashionably.
“A doctor?” Greg’s father looked bewildered for a moment. A look he wore well. Janine figured this man was a firm example of the Dilbert principle in action.
“I work in the Emergency Room at the Hershey Medical Center.” Not that they had asked but Janine figured the sooner they finished this meal, the sooner she and Greg could escape.
He kept darting commiserating looks and encouragement to her every few bites. She nearly lost it when he placed a bite of mystery vegetable in his mouth, crossed his eyes, and remembered to spit the glop onto his fork before lowering it back to his plate. He shuddered and made a subtle cutting gesture across his neck while pointing to the blob on his plate.
“Did you have help getting through school?” Greg’s mother, who had scarcely bussed Greg on the cheek when they walked through the giant doors, asked her. The woman’s barely there eyebrow arched in skepticism as she continued to pretty much ignore her son.
Janine darted a confused glance at Greg to see if he could interpret but he stared at his mother like he’d never seen her before, so she figured on no help from that quarter. “I’m afraid I don’t understand the question?”
“Well, I assumed your background was different than Greg and Katrina Celeste’s, so I wondered how you afforded college and medical school. There must be excellent subsidiaries these days.” Her tone, coupled with her choice of words, couldn’t have made her opinion clearer.
Greg’s face went red and he opened his mouth, but Janine intervened. “I joined the Navy, and left the island I grew up on. From there, I was able to work and go to school.”
Mrs. Gilmore nodded. “I see. The government
paid your way. Very smart of you.”
Janine raised a brow of her own. “Yes. It’s nice to not have school loans. And I did do two stints in Kuwait, one in Johannesburg, and several others you’re not cleared to know.”
Greg choked on the bite of food he’d just taken. He sent her a look of helpless laughter, which he covered up with a coughing spell.
“I see. We don’t have many contacts with the government, so I suppose where you served wouldn’t be necessary for us to know.” Greg’s mother made it sound like Janine had cleaned toilets on her stints.
“Mother, Janine’s cot was next to KC’s,” Greg said.
“You were there with Katrina Celeste?” Mrs. Gilmore sounded very doubtful.
“Yes, that was my first introduction to KC. We managed to survive the war together.” Janine made certain to use her friend’s preferred name, although Janine now understood why Max got smacked every time he used KC’s real name.
“I see,” Mrs. Gilmore responded but it didn’t sound like she did.
It took every ounce of self discipline she possessed to not laugh in the woman’s face. Greg went into another coughing fit and Janine managed to kick him under the table. That just made things worse on his end.
“Gregory, what is wrong with you?” Fortunately, his mother turned her reproves on him.
“Nothing. Something must have gone down the wrong way.” His blank face was pure secret operative, but Janine didn’t miss the laughter dancing in his eyes.
She felt like a co-conspirator in the Worst-Dinner-Experience-Ever. KC had warned her about how awful this would be. Janine understood now and instead turned her reluctant attention back to her friend’s awful mother. She hadn’t counted on Mrs. Gilmore being nasty in a subtle way, or Mr. Gilmore being clueless in an obvious way.