Page 29 of Family Bonds: Coy & Angel

“Not true, Mom,” he said. “Now you’re sounding like Bode.” He turned. “My mother, Helena, and father, Scott. Though you know their names.”

“I do,” she said, walking forward and shaking their hands. “I brought cookies. Coy informed me I got them from a relative of the family. I just knew they looked great and I’ve got a sweet tooth.”

“Hadley’s,” Helena said. “You can’t go wrong there. Her husband has a restaurant on the island to die for. If you get a chance, check out Duke’s.”

“I definitely will,” she said. “I just need to find someone to go with. I’m not one for going out to eat alone.”

“Coy should take you,” Helena said. “Or bring the office out to lunch or dinner one night.”

Helena was quick to add that to the sentence. Angel was happy, as the last thing she needed was Coy’s mother telling him to take her out to eat.

Talk about embarrassing.

As if she couldn’t get her own date.

Though she was positive no one in this room would consider it a date if Coy took her out. More like he was being a friend.

The same reason she was here today too. Spencer knew Coy’s parents well and of course they wanted to meet her for that reason alone.

“Maybe I’ll do that,” Coy said. He didn’t expand on what exactly he’d do and she let it drop.

“I was telling Coy it smells good in here. I brought an appetite. I worked out this morning so I’m ready to stuff myself. Hope I don’t come off like a pig.”

“That’s funny,” Helena said. “Coy said the same thing about working out this morning. You two share that. What do you do to work out? Coy lifts weights and uses a rowing machine.”

“Sometimes I run,” he said. “But it’s boring.”

“It is,” Angel said. “I lift weights too. That and a stationary bike.”

“Let’s feel those muscles,” Coy said, coming over to her.

It’s what Spencer always said to her and, without thought, she pulled her arm out of her flannel shirt and pushed her sleeve up and flexed. “Not bad huh? Got to prove to everyone I’m stronger than I look.”

Which she’d been doing for years and found it tiring.

“Damn,” he said, moving over and squeezing her bicep. Then he dropped his hand down as if he thought maybe he shouldn’t have done that.

To her, they weren’t at work. No reason to be nervous about someone seeing it.

She was here as Spencer’s sister. She might wish there was more to it, but there wasn’t.

Even if she couldn’t control the fluttering in her belly with his hands on her right now. However innocent the touch was in front of his parents.

She hoped to hell she wasn’t blushing.

“Not bad, huh?” she asked.

“Not at all,” Helena said. “Go on, Coy. Show her what you’ve got.”

She turned and smirked. Yes, please, she thought.

Coy’s face flushed some. “Maybe not,” he said.

“Oh, you’ve got to share,” Angel said playfully.

Helena was grinning. “Guys don’t do that,” he said.

“Yes, they do,” Angel said. “Lots of men have done that to me before. It’s like they need to show me what they’ve got when I don’t give them the time of day. I’ve lost count of the number of times a guy has flexed in front of me. Then I do it back and get a good laugh in the group.”

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