Page 17 of Buried Treasure
"You're not doing good, are you?" Ryan asked.
"No." She took a deep breath. "But neither are you."
"I only lost my appendix."
Sydney gave him a forced smile. "Your mom said it's at the hospital."
"I see what you're doing," he replied, squinting his eyes. "Change the subject all you want. Just let me know if you want to talk about it."
"I don't. At least not right now."
He took a bite of a cookie and smiled. "Fine," he said, oatmeal coming out of his mouth. He leaned closer as if he was about to share a secret with Sydney. "Then I don't want to talk about the women I can't see for the next two weeks. Just so you know."
"I think you'll be OK."
"Normally, yes," he said, quiet enough so Amelia couldn't hear him in the kitchen. "I can go two weeks without a girl, no problem. But that's during the season when I'm playing and my mom's not here."
She shook her head. "You are quite the guy, McCloud."
"I'm adorable." He stuffed the rest of his cookie in his face and then gave her a cheesy grin.
"Who's adorable?" his mom asked.
"What?" Sydney said.
Amelia came back into the room carrying some napkins and handed Sydney a glass of milk she hadn't asked for but was thankful to have.
"I asked who was adorable," Amelia said. "Are you guys talking about Andy?"
"Oh, for the love!" Ryan exclaimed.
Sydney turned and gave him a surprised look. "Is there something going on?"
Ryan covered his ears with his hands as if he was trying to forget something he heard. Then he turned to stare at Sydney with one of the most disgusted looks she had ever seen on his face.
"My mom thinks Andy is hot."
Amelia just rolled her eyes at her overly dramatic son. "All I said is that he was cute. He would be good for you."
Sydney could feel herself suddenly go cold. Andy was attractive, there was no doubt about that, but Andy was not for her. No one was for her right now. She didn't have a job, her passion for work was gone, and there was no way she could consider opening herself up to something or someone, professionally or personally.
"It's nice of you to think of me," Sydney told Amelia diplomatically. "I'm just not into guys right now."
Ryan's face lit up with anticipation, like he was about to start ripping into a pile of presents on Christmas morning.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" she asked.
"Are you into girls now?"
"What?"
"You said you aren't into guys right now."
Sydney just rolled her eyes at his comment while his mother loudly whispered, "I'm sorry about my son," from her spot across the room.
"I'm not into anyone right now. I have other things to worry about."
"Andy could get your mind off of the things you're worrying about," Amelia said encouragingly.
