the groceries on the counter. “Your mom sure packed a lot of food.”
Cody shrugged. “Mom said not to eat Aunt Jenny’s cooking.”
A deep bark of laughter erupted from Jared’s chest. “She would know.”
Jenny looked at Jared, momentarily stunned by his transformation. She knew she should make a comeback, tell him he was free to leave anytime, but she was struck speechless. True amusement had softened his features, replaced the ever-present hard, cynical edge. His eyes, usually so guarded, were as clear and blue as her lake on a hot summer day. She’d always found him attractive, but looking at him now, seeing him like this, Jenny found Jared nearly impossible to resist.
“Well, kid,” Jared said. “I’ll see you around.”
Cody moved away from the counter. “You’re staying here, too?”
“Just for a few days,” Jared answered.
“Jared’s my . . .” Jenny started to explain then stumbled to a halt. Her what? She wasn’t about to say—
“Partner,” he easily filled in. “I’m your aunt’s partner.”
“Oh,” was all Cody said. And while Jenny might feel like kicking Jared, she felt like hugging Cody. Here at least was one family member who didn’t drill her with a hundred and one questions.
With every word he spoke, Jared inched a little closer to the hallway. His movements were slow and measured, and if she hadn’t been paying close enough attention, she would have missed them.
“If you can’t go on the water, I saw a basketball hoop on the far side of the hangar. Probably a ball around here someplace.”
Cody slumped against the counter. “I play baseball.”
“What position?”
There it was again, that movement.
“Pitcher and third base.”
“If you brought your glove and ball, maybe your aunt could throw you a few.”
Cody gave him a look like he’d just escaped for an insane asylum. Jenny was beginning to warm to her nephew. “Have you seen her throw?”
Maybe warm was too strong a word.
“That bad?”
“Worse.”
Jared laughed again. “I feel for you, kid.”
Jenny didn’t feel for either one of them. Nothing like having two males around to rake her over the coals. She faced Jared. “You never did say why you came in.”
He’d made it all the way to the arch leading to the hallway. “Forget it. It’s not important now.” He glanced pointedly at Cody.
“Humor me.” She didn’t know why she pushed.
“I was just about to start changing the Beav—plane’s”—he shot her another one of those smiles that turned her insides upside down—“oil. Thought you could lend an extra pair of hands if you had nothing better to do.” His tone suggested she never had anything better to do. “But since your nephew’s here, I’ll manage on my own.”
“I told you—”
“Zeke handles the plane. I got it. But he isn’t here, is he?” His smile disappeared. “Look, it’s not like I want to work on the damn plane, but I sure as shit don’t want it to malfunction on my watch either.”
She wanted to tell him to go to hell. Instead she told him, “Stop swearing in front of Cody. And you don’t have a watch.”
“As long as I’m here, I do.”
She bristled. “We’ve never had any maintenance malfunctions. Blue Sky Air—”
“Has been damn lucky. From what I can tell, you’ve been flying on a wing and a prayer. Your maintenance records are a joke.”
That was a lie. The maintenance records were in perfect order, but she bit the inside of her cheek to keep from screaming the truth. The last thing she wanted was to get into a yelling match in front of Cody. Somehow she just knew that bit of information would find its way to her sister . . . then her brother . . . then her mother, and so on. But as hard as she tried, everything seemed to come crashing down at once. This sham of a partnership. Her sister. Her fall. An unhappy nephew who she had no idea how to entertain. A man who was not only stirring her ire, but who was also stirring a hell of a lot more.
Before she could think it through, before she could change her mind, she heard herself say, “Cody can help you.”
Jared went cold. “That’s not a good idea.”
“Sure it is.” Jenny looped her arm around Cody’s narrow shoulders, giving him a gentle squeeze. “He’d love to help,” she said, putting on an overly bright smile. “Wouldn’t you, Cody?”
The kid looked like he’d rather parade through his school cafeteria in his tighty whities. But Jared kept his mouth shut. Just like he should have earlier.