by Laney Smith
“OK, let’s go somewhere where you can get a drink.”
“Will you tell that kid to respect me?”
“I will talk to Nathan. We will all have a wonderful lunch.”
“OK, but one disrespectful word out of his mouth and I’m leaving,” she insisted.
“I need motivation,” Ryan flirted. “Kiss me like you want me.”
Scottie’s face softened and she smiled a sultry smile. “I do want you.”
“Show me,” he urged, plunging his hands in his pockets.
Scottie wrapped her arms around his neck as they stared into each other’s eyes. She pressed her lips to his, biting at his lower lip. Her fingers teased the hair just above his neck, plunging her tongue into his mouth. She dragged her leg up the outside of his leg. The kiss erupted into a passionate, lustful kiss. Just as his hands started roving over her body, the door slammed downstairs and Nathan’s voice called up the stairs.
“Ryan? Are we gonna go?”
“Yeah,” Ryan answered. “We’re coming.”
“Still think running with a kid is a good idea?” Scottie asked.
“I’ve got a situation, thanks to you.”
“I would’ve taken care of it if it weren’t for your pint-sized pisser.”
“Stop it,” he said, trying to fight a smile. “Let’s keep it on a good note.”
“I actually don’t blame him. You’re addictive. The more someone gets, the more they want.”
“I’ll give you more,” Ryan teased. “Maybe not right now, obviously.”
“I’m coming for more.”
Ryan gave a cocky expression. “Good. I hope you do.”
“We better go before that kid freaks out.”
“Can you do me a favor? Can you please call him by his name? It sounds so cold when you refer to him as that kid. Make an effort.”
“Ryan, I have nothing to do with this kid being here. I don’t know why he’s here, or where he came from. I don’t understand why your world stops for him. Is he your kid? Seriously.”
“Seriously, no. He’s not my kid. He’s just a kid that needs some adult guidance. His mother works all the time. He used to spend time at home, alone. He ate cereal all the time. He needs a friend. It doesn’t hurt me to be his friend. I like having him around. He’s a good kid. When you get to know him, you’ll see.”
“I’m not a motherly kind of woman. I hate it when clients have children. They’re like non-stop, germ transporting parasites.”
“Give him a chance,” Ryan insisted. “Let’s go eat.”
Lunch wasn’t as much fun as it could’ve been. Nathan spilled his drink and dragged his shirt sleeve through the ketchup on his plate. Scottie’s side dishes were not what she ordered. She asked for water, twice, before she actually got it. Ryan was trying to keep the peace between Nathan and Scottie. By the time lunch was over, he wanted to go sit on a mossy bank along some creek, somewhere, far away from people.
When Scottie left to go back to work, Ryan and Nathan were back to their usual adventures. They plowed through a few baseball card shops and found a kiosk in the mall that specialized in making giant cookies with a heap of ice cream on top. As the two sat, sharing one of the giant cookies, Nathan gave a little insight into why he had issues with Scottie.
“Ryan, why do you like that girl?”
Ryan smiled. “Give it a few years. Then, ask me again.”
“She is pretty. But, she’s a brat.”
“She’s not too bad.”
“She told me not to call you anymore,” the boy blurted.
Ryan jerked his head back. “She told you not to call me?”
“Yep! She told me that you live with her and that when I call you, it wakes you both up. She’s not a very nice girlfriend when you’re not watching her – when you can’t see her, I mean.”
“You can call me anytime you want. I don’t live with her. She’s just a friend. She’s not my girlfriend.”
“She said she is. She told me not to tell you that it is a secret.”
“Let me ask you a question,” Ryan said as he leaned forward, resting his arms on the table as he looked at Nathan. “Do you think if you got used to her and she got used to you that you two might be able to be friends?”
“No!” Nathan firmly answered.
“You don’t think you could try to be her friend, even if I asked you to try?”
“She told me to tell you to buy that house.”
“That wouldn’t work. That was silly on her part. But, if I told you I kind of like her, do you think you could try to be her friend?”
“If you really want me to, I guess. But, she’s really not so nice. She is only nice if she thinks you can see her being nice.”
“Then, I’ll catch her. If you’re trying to be her friend and she’s still being mean, then I’ll have to decide what I’m going to do about that. Maybe if you both try to be nice to each other, maybe you’ll both be friends, too.”
“If she’s not your girlfriend, why do you want me to be her friend?”
“She’s kind of like you and me. She needs friends, too.”
Nathan tucked his chin to his chest as he thought about what Ryan had said. After deliberating for a few seconds, he finally nodded. “OK. I can be her friend, if she needs a friend. But, maybe if she would be nicer to people, she would have more friends.”
Ryan chuckled. “Ya know, you could be on to something.”
After a long day of playing, house hunting, hobby shopping, and snack eating, Ryan took Nathan home to play video games while they waited for his mother. Around ten to five, Ryan’s phone rang. He looked at his screen, certain he knew what the call was about.
“Yes?” he sang into the phone.
“How’s everything going?”
“Good. How late do you need me to stay?”
“I’m off work, thank you very much. I’m calling to find out if you like chicken. You took care of dinner last night. I’ll take care of it tonight.”
Ryan looked at his watch. “Corlay, that’s really nice of you. I feel horrible, but . . .”
“You already have plans. Right. As you should. I didn’t mean to . . .”
“I’m starving. Chicken sounds great. But, are you sure you can, you know . . . I’ll pay you back when you get here.”
“I can’t do much, but I can do this. So, just let me.”
Ryan thought about his plans with Scottie. He had invited her to dinner, though they had not confirmed anything. Being that he had ran all over creation all day, the thought of eating some chicken, going back to his parent’s house and going to bed sounded more appealing.
About forty-five minutes later, Corlay pulled into her driveway. Ryan nudged Nathan’s arm.
“Come on. Let’s go see if your mom needs help.”
Corlay was halfway up the sidewalk that ran between the driveway and the front door by the time Ryan and Nathan got out there to help her. She carried bags over her wrists, her purse over her shoulder, and a drink in her hand. Nathan turned and started back toward the house.
“Hey! Where are you going?” Ryan barked.
“There’s no more. She has it all,” Nathan said.
“You take the bags she’s holding, silly,” Ryan corrected. “Then, you could ask her if there is anything else, just to be sure.”
Nathan went to his mother and held his hands out. Ryan stood beside him in front of Corlay, both guys with their hands out.
“Good evening. We’ll take those for you.”
Corlay appreciated having a man to teach her son gentlemanly manners. It was strange to see someone correcting her child. However, she didn’t disapprove of Ryan’s method or his message. She took the bags from her wrist and handed each of the guys a bag.
“Thank you, gentlemen,” she smiled at Ryan.
Ryan returned her smile and directed her to lead the way. He shifted his attention back to Nathan. “Do you smell that chicken? See why you always carry the bags?”
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nbsp; “Yeah,” Nathan agreed. “So we can eat it all first.”
Ryan chuckled, “No! You have to share with your mom. Girls get mad if they get hungry.”
“Hey!” Corlay joked.
“Sorry. OK, we all get mad when we get hungry,” Ryan compromised.
After they got back inside, Corlay took dishes out of the cupboards and started setting the table. She got silverware and started scooping up Nathan’s plate as the two guys sat around the dining table, enjoying some conversation about the video game they had been playing, prior to Corlay’s arrival. She watched the two friends, trying not to let herself see more than she was actually seeing.
The three ate dinner. Everything felt relaxed and comfortable, though Corlay felt compelled to dish herself modest servings and to take daintier bites. On some level, she made an effort to make an impression on Ryan.
When they were done eating, Ryan nodded at Nathan. “Your mom took care of dinner. We get to bust some suds.”
“What?” Nathan asked, quizzically.
“Dishes. Wash ‘em. You and me. Ready?”
“We’re going to wash dishes?” Nathan asked as though Ryan had lost his mind. “We have a dishwasher.”
“Yeah. But, you and I are going to load that dishwasher.”
“I don’t mind,” Corlay offered.
Ryan shook his head and smiled at her. “No way. My mom won’t let me come back if I don’t help clean up.”
Corlay giggled a flirty laugh. “Oh, are you wanting to come back?”
“Yes, he is. His girlfriend is mean,” Nathan interjected.
“Hey! You told me you would try to be her friend. What happened to that?”
Corlay felt as though she had been mowed down by a runaway rollercoaster. A twinge of jealousy jabbed her stomach. Disappointing. She wasn’t trying to have an interest in Ryan. However, she couldn’t help herself.
Ryan and Nathan continued their chatter as they rinsed dishes and put them in the dishwasher. Corlay tried to regain her composure. She reminded herself that Ryan was Nathan’s friend. She was sincere in her happiness that Nathan found someone he got along with. She could see why her son liked this man. She looked down at her dry, cracked hands, her weathered outfit, and her worn ballet flats.
I bet his girlfriend is one of those beautiful, perfect, flawless women. I should’ve known better. I’m such a fool.
Feeling as though she didn’t stand a chance, anyway, Corlay scooped a spoonful of mashed potatoes out of the deli container and poked them in her mouth. She sighed as she took the spoon over and dropped it in the sink. She glanced at the dishwasher and though Ryan’s arrangement wasn’t quite the same way she would do it, rather than insulting his efforts, she decided to turn away and leave the guys to their chore.
Once they finished, Corlay started priming Nathan for his nightly bath. Naturally, Nathan protested, insisting he didn’t need a bath. Every reason Corlay gave him for needing to bathe before he went to bed, Nathan shot down. Finally, the truth came out.
“Mom, I don’t want Ryan to leave, yet. If I have to take a bath, he will leave.”
“Nuh-uh!” Ryan argued. “If you don’t go scrub up, you’re going to be smelly and then I’ll want to leave. Don’t give your mom a hard time.”
“Are you going to stay here for a while?”
Ryan shrugged. “You better hurry. I have to get to bed so I can come over here, again, tomorrow.”
“Are you going to see Scottie?”
Ryan took his phone out, looking at the screen with a confused expression. He pursed his lips and shook his head. “I’m not hearing from her. That is really weird, actually.”
“Scottie is a female?” Corlay pried.
Ryan sighed as he appeared to be scrolling through screens on his phone. “Her name is Scotland, or something like that.”
“You don’t have to stay here with us. I’m sure she would like to see you, too.”
Ryan returned his phone to his pocket. “She has a way of letting me know.”
“So, how long have you two been together?”
Ryan shook his head. “We’re really not. She’s just a friend. She also happens to be my realtor. That’s how Nathan met her. We went to look at a house today.”
“Ah! I see,” Corlay responded. “So, I’ll have to tell Nathan not to refer to her as your girlfriend. I don’t want him to put you in an awkward position.”
Ryan smiled at her. “He’s a good kid. He’s smart. You’ve done a good job with him.”
“Thank you, Ryan. I really do appreciate that.”
“So, he’s taking a shower, huh? What do we do, now?” Ryan flirted with a smirk. “I’m not used to playing with adults. My best friend is seven years old.”
“You think you’re cuter than you really are,” Corlay giggled.
Ryan winked at her flashing his charming smile. “Your mouth says that, but see . . . your eyes . . . I’m not hitting on you, by the way.”
Corlay shyly tucked her chin to her chest. “I wasn’t worried about that. I’m sure you’ve got plenty of better options.”
Ryan’s expression reflected pity as she looked up at him. He tilted his head as he searched her face for a few seconds.
“I’m thinking I’m just going to leave that one alone.”
Corlay laughed. “Suit yourself. I’m smart enough to know how it works.”
Ryan squinted his eyes as he sighed. “How what works?”
“Good looking guy, young, retired, no real responsibilities . . . You’re set up to accommodate a party lifestyle. Who’d blame you? Maybe you deserve it. Pretty models hanging on you, everywhere you go. I’m sure you live every man’s dream.”
Ryan scoffed as he bobbed his head. “Oh! OK! Is that what I’m doing? Wow! It all sounds so . . . foreign.”
“I just assumed. You told me this morning that you weren’t at home. Maybe I was wrong,” she questioned as she searched his reaction for confirmation.
Ryan’s eyes shifted and he stared out the window. Corlay sensed she had said something wrong. Maybe she should’ve left it alone, but she couldn’t.
“You don’t owe me anything. I don’t even know why I started this conversation. Maybe I’m just curious about how my son’s best friend lives. Or maybe how the other half lives.”
Ryan cocked one eyebrow as his eyes quickly zeroed in on hers. “It has its problems, too. Two years ago, I watched my career come to a screeching halt. Life as I knew it was over, in a snap. Now, I’m out here and this pushy little real estate agent wants me and I don’t even give a shit why. It’s somebody, ya know? But, what gets me is that kid in there. At seven years old, he’s got more integrity, loyalty, and devotion in his little finger than me and everyone I know put together. I want to be more like him. So, if you want to know how the other half lives, there ya go.”
“My fear is that you’re going to get bored with that little boy in there. You’re going to go on about your merry little way and he’s going to be crushed.”
“Corlay, you should try giving people some credit, sometimes.”
“I’ve lived enough to know. People come and go. I just know how important you have become to him.”
“Why won’t you let him play little league?”
Corlay shyly shrugged. “I don’t have the money.”
“If you had the money, you’d let him play?”
“I don’t have the time to run him all over the world for practices and things such as that.”
“What if there was someone who could?”
“Not this year. The season has already started. We’ll see if you’re still around next year.”
“Let him play.”
“Ryan, he’s not had any kind of training or practice. He plays backyard baseball. He’s probably going to get laughed off the team.”
“I can teach him. Say yes.”
“You’re not listening.”
“Y-E-S. Yes. Say it.”
“Ryan, you’re going to -”
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br /> “Y-y-y-yes. Say it. You can do it.”
Corlay smiled as she shook her head. “You’re a smart ass.”
“Say yes and I’ll let you steal a kiss,” he smiled his dimply smile.
Corlay shook her head with a matter-of-fact expression. “I have no desire to kiss a man that just admitted to being hard up for attention. You keep your lips to yourself.”
“Like you wouldn’t do it,” he said with a cocky smirk. “It’s OK. Go ahead. I dare you.”
“Your ego has taken enough hits, lately, it sounds like. So, I’m going to spare you another hit by ignoring that you just said that.”
“Well, thanks for sparing me there,” he said with a sarcastic chuckle. “Let him play. Please.”
Corlay glared at him for a second before she rolled her eyes. “It’s all on you and if you let him down, I will hunt you down.”
“Settle down, sister. If I let him down, I’ll come stand right at your front door. I’ll tie my hands and feet together, pull the bag over my head, drive myself to the river and heave myself in. Deal?”
“There are so many things wrong with what you just said.”
“Is that a deal or not?”
Corlay looked at him with a pleading look in her eyes. “Ryan, I’m serious. He’s been through enough. If you can’t stick with this, don’t put him through it.”
His expression softened and his voice was sweet and tender. “I give you my word. I’m not going anywhere . . . except to baseball practice and baseball games.”
Corlay’s stubborn expression gave way to an ornery grin, though she tried to hide it. “Don’t make me regret this, please.”
Ryan held his hand up in the air, offering her a high five. As her hand slapped his, he clamped his fingers closed, holding her fingertips, only tight enough to get her attention. His blue eyes burrowed through to her soul.
“I’m not here to hurt anybody. You really can trust me.”
He released her fingers, and turned and strolled down the hall to the closed bathroom door. He rapped with a knuckle. Then, he cracked the door and called into the steamy room.
“Nathan, you gotta hurry up. Your mom wants to tell you something really exciting.”
“What is it?” the boy asked.