Fearless - Fern Michaels Page 0,57
I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to come out the way it sounded.”
“It’s fine. Really. Let’s just forget I said anything.” Anna stood on the next step, his nearness intimidating. “I’m sure that if Mona and Jeb are back, they’re wondering where we are,” she said, and walked to the top of the staircase. Opening the door that led to her kitchen, she breathed a sigh of relief when he followed her.
“Anna, wait,” he said, taking her arm. She stood face-to-face with him, unwilling to do anything that might cause him to react.
“I’m here,” she said, offering up a half-warm smile.
“You are right to be concerned about Renée and her schooling. She’s not happy about Lubbock High. I should listen to you. Again, it’s been a while since a woman’s had any influence over me.”
Did he think he could explain away his temper by agreeing with her, after the fact? “You’re right, Ryan. It wasn’t my place. Let’s just forget it and enjoy the rest of the day. I’ve got enough ribs and a brisket to feed fifty people,” she said, her way of changing the subject.
“Sounds great.”
Anna went out to the pool area through the mudroom. Ryan followed her, but she didn’t speak to him.
Patrick sat on the end of the diving board, swinging his feet back and forth. He was a cute kid who’d had a giant dose of reality much too young.
“I bet you’re starving after that swim,” she called out to him. She’d heard somewhere that swimmers needed to eat thousands of high-calorie foods a day in order to perform. No doubt her red devil’s food cake would fill that need, but not in the healthiest way.
He dropped off the diving board into the water and swam across to the side of the pool. “I am kinda hungry now,” he said.
“Tell me what you want.” She’d feed this poor guy, give him the calories he needed in order to regain the energy he’d just burned in the pool.
“Whatever you’re cooking smells good.” He gave a half smile.
“Ribs and brisket,” Anna said. “Let me get you a towel.” She kept a large supply of pool towels in a cabinet in her outdoor kitchen. She grabbed a handful and gave him one as he stepped out of the pool.
“Thanks.”
“No problem. Why don’t you dry off while I get you something to drink? Coke, right?” She remembered he’d ordered this, or rather, Ryan had ordered that drink for him the other night at dinner. “Or not,” she added.
“Do you have Dr. Pepper?” he asked.
“Now what kind of Texan would I be if I didn’t have the soda we’re most famous for? I’ll be right back.” She had a case of Dr. Pepper in the kitchen pantry.
Inside, she located the soda, grabbed six cans, using a small basket she kept in the pantry for the times she needed an extra set of hands. She found the largest cup she had, a metal one that supposedly kept drinks cold for twenty-four hours. She filled it with ice and returned to the pool. “Here you go.” She placed the six sodas next to the giant cup of ice.
“Awesome,” he said. Anna thought this was the first time he’d actually sounded like a normal eighteen-year-old young man. “Thanks.”
“I’m sure some of those ribs are ready. I’ll get you a plate. Be right back.” She knew that Jeb would be irritated with her for messing with his setup, but there was a hungry young man waiting to be fed, and she knew he’d understand, since he’d spent the better part of his life feeding hungry people of all ages.
Anna had prepared tons of side dishes and kept them inside, as the small refrigerator wouldn’t hold all of them.
“I thought we weren’t eating until this evening,” Mandy said as she entered the kitchen.
Anna jumped. “You scared the crap out of me,” she said.
“And a happy Labor Day to you, too,” Mandy tossed back. “I take it the gang’s all here?”
“They are. Patrick is hungry, so I’m fixing him a plate,” she said, explaining why she was taking all the food out of the refrigerator.
“I smelled the barbecue as soon as I opened my car door. I’m starving myself. Mind if have a bit?” she asked, noting the large plastic bowl of potato salad.
“Help yourself. I’m going to get a couple slabs of those ribs for Ryan. Stay here until I come back. I want to personally introduce you to Ryan and his kids.”
Mandy nodded.