Taking A Shot (33 page)

JENNA WAS IN DEEP, DEEP TROUBLE.

She sat in her parents’ living room on Sunday, realizing she’d likely made the biggest mistake of her life. She’d invited Ty over for dinner.

It had happened in a weak moment. Utterly satisfied from so much mind-blowing sex, she’d invited him over while they were on the plane flying back from Chicago, figuring he’d likely say no because he had a game or would be out of town. After all, she didn’t keep track of his game schedule.

He didn’t have a game that day since he’d be leaving town the next morning for a road trip.

So he’d said yes.

To her family, her bringing a guy over for dinner was nothing short of a declaration of love.

Which it certainly wasn’t.

Was it?

How did she feel about Ty?

That was a question she wasn’t prepared to answer, or delve into at the moment, because Ty was due here in about ten minutes and she was as nervous as a bride on her wedding day.

Oh, bad, bad analogy.

“What are you fretting about over there?”

Jenna looked up to see her mother staring at her.

“Me? I’m not fretting.”

“You’re chewing on your bottom lip. You always do that when you’re worried about something.”

She removed her teeth from her lip and smiled at her mother. “I’m not worried about a thing, Mom.”

“She lies. She’s bringing a guy to dinner and she’s panicked, thinks we’re all going to give him the third degree.”

Mick pressed a kiss to the top of her head, walked past her, and snatched a carrot from the plate at the center island.

Mom waved the carving knife at him. “Do that again and I’ll make you do dishes.”

Mick shrugged. “You’ll make me do dishes anyway. You don’t scare me.”

He grabbed a piece of celery, winked at Jenna, and headed back into the living room.

“It’s a sad day when I can’t scare my kids with thoughts of dish duty.”

Jenna laughed, grabbed one of the stools at the island, and started mixing dip. “He’s a married man now. I’m pretty sure Tara’s got him washing dishes regularly.”

“So true,” Tara said as she walked in and grabbed the stool next to Jenna, taking up a knife to slice celery and carrots. “Big strong hands do a great job on greasy pots.”

“Jenna’s nervous because her boyfriend’s coming over for dinner today.”

Jenna glared at her mother.

“Ty’s coming for dinner?” Tara turned to her and smiled. “How wonderful. So things must be getting serious between you two.”

She knew she should have cancelled on him, told him she had a cold or flu. Or leprosy.

“We’re not serious. We’re just seeing each other. And it’s just dinner.”

“But it’s dinner with the family,” Tara said. “That’s a big deal.”

“You’ve never invited someone over before,” her mother reminded her.

No, she hadn’t, and precisely for this reason. The inquisition.

“Look, it’s not a big deal. We’re just friends. And Ty’s been over here already, so it’s not like he’s meeting everyone for the first time.”

Liz snorted as she walked in. “You and Ty are more than friends. Mom, you should see the sparks coming off the two of them when they’re in the same room. You’re going to need potholders when Jenna’s around Ty, because she’ll be on fiyah.”

“You are so not funny.” Where was her sister support system when she really needed them?

Liz hugged her, then Tara. “What can I do to help?”

“Make some tea?” Mom asked.

“Sure.”

The topic switched to Gavin and how he was doing in Florida. Jenna was glad not to be the focus of attention.

Until the doorbell rang.

“I’ll get it,” she hollered, swinging off the barstool and wiping her hands on the towel.

But by the time she hurried down the hall, Nathan had already let Tyler in and had led him into the living room. Her dad was already engaging him in hockey conversation.

“Hey,” she said, tucking her hands into the back pockets of her jeans.

He looked delectable this afternoon in his faded jeans and sweater. He had a bouquet of wildflowers in his hands.

“Hey yourself.”

“Are those for me?”

“No, they’re for your mother.”

Her dad cast a big grin in her direction.

Her heart tumbled over and over. “Oh. Well, come on back to the kitchen.”

“Don’t keep him in there with you women too long,” her dad said.

“I won’t.”

They walked down the hall and Ty stopped her midway, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her until she was breathless. When he pulled away, he said, “I figured that might be my only chance today.”

Her body opened to him, warmed by the kiss and being near him. “Thank you. You’ve made my day.”

He took her hand and they walked into the kitchen, but she released his hand as soon as three sets of very curious eyes landed on them.

“Tyler. How nice to see you again,” her mom said.

“Mrs. Riley. I brought these for you.”

“Suck-up,” Liz whispered.

Tyler turned to her and winked.

“Oh, they’re beautiful. Thank you. And call me Kathleen.” She went up to Ty and placed her hands on his face, then kissed his cheek. “Why don’t you reach up above the cabinets and grab that vase for me.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

He got the vase and her mother filled it with water.

“I’ll arrange them for you, Mom,” Tara said, taking over for her.

“Tyler, why don’t you go on into the living room with the guys. We’ll be eating in a little while.”

He looked at Jenna, who nodded. Then he shocked the hell out of her by leaning over and brushing his lips across hers.

“See you in a bit,” he whispered against her lips before disappearing.

“Well.” Her mother crossed her arms, wooden spoon in hand. “Just seeing each other, huh? No big deal, huh?”

“I don’t know about the rest of you, but it just got a little warmer in here,” Tara said.

“Told you so.” Liz planted a smug smile on her face.

Jenna looked at all of them and shrugged. “Okay, maybe it’s a little more than that.”

“Oh, it’s a lot more than that,” her mother said.

“I’ll say. You nearly swooned right off the stool when he kissed you,” Tara said, fanning herself with a napkin. “And the rest of us were swooning right along with you.”

Liz narrowed her gaze at Jenna. “You’re in love with him.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Why the denial, Jenna? What are you running from?” Her mother came around the island and turned Jenna around to face her. “Is there some problem with the relationship? With Ty?”

She so didn’t want to have this conversation. Not now, and especially not with her mother. “There’s nothing wrong with the relationship, or with Ty. We’re just not in love.”

“De-ni-al,” Liz said, enunciating each syllable slowly. “Ty sure acts like he’s in love.”

“He does? How can you tell?”

“A man does not kiss a woman in front of that woman’s mother unless he has genuine, serious feelings for that woman,” Tara said.

Liz nodded. “Totally.”

Jenna’s gaze shifted to her mother, who was nodding right along with them. “I’d have to agree with the girls. That boy has it bad for you.”

She couldn’t help the little thrill that snaked its way through her nerve endings.

Ty, in love with her?

No. That was just something Mom, Tara, and Liz inferred from the kiss. It wasn’t true. He’d never said a word about love.

Then again, neither had she, because she wasn’t going to be in love with a hockey player.

When they’d fixed the snacks, Jenna took them into the living room. The guys were watching the race. Tyler was sitting on the sofa, his forearms on his knees, just as intent on the action on the screen as her dad, Mick, and Nathan.

“Number thirty-six looks good this year,” her dad said.

“No way,” Ty said. “Rumor has it he and his crew chief don’t get along well and the owner’s looking to make a change there. He’ll be lucky to make it the season in his car.”

Her dad glared at Ty. “Just because you’re one of those number forty-seven butt kissers doesn’t mean you know all, son.”

Tyler laughed at him. “Mark my words. He won’t make it half the season.”

“You’re both wrong,” Mick said. “The number fifteen is the car to beat this year.”

Jenna rolled her eyes. “Now, boys. Don’t fight. I brought snacks.” She laid them on the coffee table. Ty grabbed her hand and pulled her down next to him on the sofa.

Not one of the guys, including her father, made mention of the fact she and Ty were snuggled up together. No one even looked at them since they were all too absorbed in the race. Two hundred miles an hour was obviously way more exciting than Ty’s arm around her. Plus, they were guys. They didn’t care.

She was making entirely too big a deal out of this. She needed to relax.

It was spaghetti and meatballs night, one of her favorites. Mom
had made homemade bread and as it baked the smell permeated the house. By the time dinner was ready, Jenna’s stomach was in full-on growl mode.

They gathered around the table and dug into the food, all conversation at a halt while everyone filled their plates and their mouths.

“So, Ty, the last time you were here it was when Gavin brought you,” her dad said. “And Liz is your agent. Now you’re here today as Jenna’s boyfriend.”

Oh, crap. Jenna paused, the fork midway to her mouth, and turned her gaze on Ty.

Way to put him on the spot, Dad. Where was he going with this?

Nowhere, obviously, since he didn’t continue his train of thought, leaving Ty to somehow formulate a response to her father’s non-question.

“Yeah. I’m really glad to be back. I missed Kathleen’s excellent cooking.”

Her dad beamed a wide grin. “Can my wife cook, or what? She’s amazing. Some of the great food you eat at Riley’s are Kathleen’s recipes.”

“Oh, Jimmy. You’ll make me blush.”

“Hey, it’s the truth.”

“I love the smothered steaks at Riley’s, Kathleen,” Ty said. “I eat that every time I’m there.”

She exhaled a sigh of relief. Ty didn’t seem the least bit bothered by the boyfriend comment.

Maybe it hadn’t. Maybe being called her boyfriend didn’t even register with him, or he blew it off as not meaning anything.

“You’re so sweet, Ty,” her mom said. “Thank you.”

“No, thank you. I don’t get home-cooked meals very often, so this is great.”

“Doesn’t Jenna cook for you?”

“She’s at work and I’m usually playing games late. But she’s cooked for me before.”

“I don’t cook,” Jenna said. “I come over here.”

“Well, if you two end up getting married or something, you’ll have to learn how.”

She cringed at her dad’s comment. “We’re not getting married, Dad. We’re just dating.”

Ty grabbed her hand, squeezed it. “Hey, I’m pretty good with a gas grill, so I don’t think we’ll starve.”

Her dad nodded. “Good to know. That girl stays way too busy. You’d think she’d have learned how to cook by now.”

Jenna gritted her teeth. So many things she wanted to blurt out, but she held her tongue. Her dad was a traditional guy in so many ways, though he didn’t mind her running the family bar nearly seven freakin’ days a week. If he ever bothered to come back and take it over, maybe she’d find some goddamned time to learn how to cook, or do any of the hundred other things she never had time to do.