Page 42 of Love on the Brain
Chuckling, Jane headed down the hall to straighten up the guest room and take one more look around. She scooped up Noah’s pajamas and zip-top bag holding his toothbrush and checked the floor. Nothing out of place. No odd sock under the bed or anything else that would indicate a little boy had inhabited the room for almost a week.
Despite the circumstances that brought them there, Jane had enjoyed their stay with Ryan. It was nice to cohabitate with someone her own age, not that her dad was a bad roommate, but most days she felt like she was taking care of him as well as Noah. He was getting older and forgetting things, and he had to watch his red meat intake, which he often forgot about or resisted. Tracy was keeping tabs on him this week, which was helpful, but it wasn’t his employee’s job to carry the burden of his healthcare.
Not that Tracy was just an employee. She’d been family since the day she started volunteering at the church and a second mom to Shelby after their mother had died. She’d even quit her job as a high school chemistry teacher to become the church manager. She said it was to spend more time with her growing family, but Jane always wondered if that was the only reason.
Shelby had only been fourteen when their mother had been struck by a drunk driver, and she’d seen the whole thing. Jane shuddered, unable to imagine the extent of how horrible that must have been.
“Are you okay?”
Ryan’s deep, low voice added a shiver to her shudder. She turned around and attempted a smile. “Yeah.”
“Are you cold? I can turn up the heat.”
Jane shook her head but let her gaze connect with his.Oooh.His eyes blazed green fire, and a flush rippled through her.
Definitely no need to adjust the thermostat.
She was getting used to her reactions to him but still wrestled with the guilt that followed. For a moment, she wished she was free to explore something more with Ryan, but then her good sense kicked in again with logistics and complications.
Reality.
Focus, Jane.“I just need to put these in Noah’s bag, then we can go.”
An hour later, they pulled into Connie and Dale’s driveway. Jane jumped out of the car before Ryan could come around and open the door for her. She opened Noah’s door and unbuckled his car seat. He ran straight for the front door, leaving Jane to gather up his jacket, backpack and tablet.
Ryan appeared next to her with their suitcases and Jane’s tote bag. Wordlessly, they followed Noah’s path to the house.
Dale emerged, smiling and propping the door open. “Let me help?”
Jane handed him Noah’s backpack and jacket, then reached for her tote hanging on Ryan’s shoulder.
“I got it,” he said. “Go on in.”
Jane thanked him and slipped past Dale. Inside, Noah was already busy playing with the radio-controlled racetrack in the middle of the living room.
“Uncle Ryan! You have to race me!”
He set the suitcases against the wall and handed Jane her tote. “Be glad to. What does the winner get?”
“Ice cream?” Noah suggested.
“I like how you think,” Ryan said, dropping to the floor next to him. Jane loved how they got along so well and not for the first time wished their Texas family wasn’t so far away. Dale and Connie had talked about retiring to Maine after Noah was born but hadn’t mentioned it since Casey died. And Ryan—well, she doubted he’d ever consider leaving. There was more opportunity for him to save lives in Austin than in her sleepy town.
“Not before lunch,” Jane reminded them gently, but her heart wasn’t in it.
“Speaking of eating,” Dale said, “we thought we’d take Noah to Chuck E. Cheese’s tonight.” Jane must have grimaced because he was quick to add, “Just us, some grandson bonding time.
“Sure,” Jane said. She could definitely use some time alone.
“Why don’t you two”—Connie pointed to Jane and Ryan—“spend some time catching up while we’re gone? You probably both need a stress-free night to reset.”
“Yeah, there’s a real nice steakhouse that just opened up down off Route 1,” Dale said. “You’d love it, Jane. Their steak tips are flavored just like the ones at that Bugaboo Creek place you like in New England. No talking Christmas trees, though.”
Jane frowned. She’d only been to Bugaboo that one time after her mother died, the talking moose heads being the biggest deterrent. But they didn’t know she couldn’t look at a moose or even a moose-crossing road sign without being reminded of losing her mother. On that fateful night, Goldie had spotted one in the road and tugged hard on her leash, wrenching it free. Her mother had chased the excited dog into the road and subsequently lost her life to a drunk driver who didn’t stop in time. So when Casey’s parents wanted to dine there on one of their visits, Jane had discreetly asked the host to seat them far away from the animatronic mammals rather than tell them how she felt.
“I’m game if you are,” Ryan joked, and a low laugh bubbled from Jane’s lips. He’d been full of clever puns when they were younger.
She dared a glance at him, remote control in his hand. “Um…”
