Page 37 of A Box of Wishes
“Quite. But we don’t mind.”
Ben dried and stacked dishes and picked at the snacks lining the counter. Rice crackers, spiced nuts, and things he had no names for… each tasty and exceedingly moreish. “Knowing you guys is lethal for my waistline.”
“Hogwash. There’s not a spare ounce on you.”
“Only because I’ve upped my gym time since meeting Ryan.” It was true, though not the whole truth. Before Ryan, gym had been a way to get away from Keith, then a means to pass the time. Now he worked out because he enjoyed it.
“Seeing Ryan had company bothered you, right?”
“I deal with the unexpected every day,” he said. “In my private life, I try to keep the unexpected to a minimum.”
“You wouldn’t enjoy a surprise birthday party?”
“Gods, no. I like to be prepared for events and situations. Surprises and secrets? My idea of hellfire.”
Cara eyed him thoughtfully. “Then you probably don’t like being pushed around either. Not even if it’s for the best of reasons.”
“Who would?”
“Someone who knows my brother. He loves to help people—”
“I didn’t miss that one.”
“Well, he doesn’t hide it. He got in so much trouble when he was younger because he’d just… help. Rather than ask if the other person needed a hand. Or wanted it. Drove us all nuts until we worked it out. I could tell you stories…”
Ben smiled as he imagined it. “How old was he? When you worked it out, I mean.”
“About eight? One of our cousins had got married, and my ma put on this huge family dinner. And I meanhuge.Ryan decided Ma was too tired to wash up and that he would do it for her, never mind that he needed to stand on a step stool to reach the sink.”
“Smashed china, I suppose? What did he break?”
“Pretty much the whole dinner service.” She mimed pulling a laden tray over the counter’s edge. “The big tureen that stood on top of the plates was still half full of soup. Ryan stood in the middle of the devastation, saying he was only helping, hurt that nobody appreciated his intention.” She shook her head, remembering the scene. “We found out three days later that our mother had pneumonia and shouldn’t have been rushing around cooking and hosting parties.”
“But he knew?”
“He knew she needed help. And he hasn’t changed all that much, you know? When he sees someone who needs help, he helps, whatever it costs him. So… if you want to build something with Ryan, watch out for that and cut him some slack.” She touched his arm. “And that’s me done giving youthe talk.”
Ben wondered why she’d not mentioned the Box of Wishes. Or the unusual way Ryan saw people. But if she already felt uncomfortable sharing… “I really don’t mind you smoothing our path. I don’t want to hurt him. Ever. Finding out more about him helps. He’s not the most forthcoming.”
“No. That he isn’t.” She handed him another dripping plate.
“What’s he like when he gets seriously bent out of shape?”
Cara laughed. She’d imbibed a good bit of the sake she’d served with all the Japanese treats. Ben hoped she wouldn’t regret sharing family gossip. Or get in trouble with Ryan for it.
“He keeps secrets and hoards like a squirrel. I used to tell him that’s because he looks like one, which pissed him off no end, of course.”
“What about you? You must be similar.”
“Similar, yes. But not the same. I don’t share his gift. Or his insane need to help everyone he meets.”
“How do you resemble him, then?”
“We both want to excel at what we do, even if we go about it in different ways. Ryan will tell you that I put my hand up twice when they handed out the confidence. And I know that he’s a lot harder on himself than I am. I imagine you are, too. Hard on yourself, I mean.”
“Psychology?”
“Sure. I’m a buyer. But I don’t need my degree to notice Ryan smiling. I think you’re good for him, Ben. Whatever it is you’re doing, keep doing it.” She pulled the plug and wiped her hands on a dishcloth. “And now I’m going to snuggle with that adorable cat of yours.”
