Page 35 of Kiss Kiss Bang
“Ms. Russo, I’m headed out, unless you need something else,” Tom said.
“Thank you, Tom. Have a good evening. See you tomorrow.”
Tom walked off and Joey looked at his watch. It wasn’t even four o’clock. He wanted to tell her to fire him immediately, but he needed to sort a few things out at ICS before he could take on this job. Jax was about to leave on tour with Megan and he needed to man ICS while Jax was gone, but he also wanted to be the one to guard Olivia.
“Stop it,” she said, walking into the kitchen.
“Stop what?”
She looked into the freezer and took out a lasagna. “Oh, don’t act coy. You know exactly what. He’s only supposed to be here until Sophie and I are safe at home. He’s not doing anything wrong by leaving.” She looked over her shoulder and glared. “Dinner will be ready in—” She looked at the instructions on the cardboard box. “—in an hour.”
He stepped off the wall he’d been leaning against and pressed his front to her back and looked over her shoulder to the frozen Italian food. “I thought you’d be cooking me a nice dinner.”
“I am. This is the best frozen lasagna money can buy.”
He shook his head and went to the fridge to take stock.
“What do you think you’re doing?” She had her hand on her waist exactly the same way her daughter had a minute ago.
“I’m going to cook you dinner.” He looked at the box. “That’s not suitable for human consumption.”
“Of course it is.”
“Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes,” he said, taking out cheese and milk and all the other ingredients he could find for mac and cheese. She had Gruyère, which would kick it up a notch. “Why don’t you go change, grab a glass of wine, and relax. You said Sophie liked mac and cheese, right?”
“Yes.” She eyed him as he smiled and went to work. “What are you doing, Joey?”
“I told you, making dinner.”
“We’re complicated, Sophie and I. You can have your pick of hundreds of women without kids, without a demanding career, without a crazed stalker or whatever the hell is happening. Why are you trying to so hard to insert yourself into our lives? You keep saying not to think but how can I not think? This is all . . .” She threw her hands up in the air. “Too much.”
He flipped the dishtowel he’d been using to dry his hands over his shoulder and walked to her. “I didn’t take you as insecure.”
She opened her mouth with a gasp and indignation. “I am not insecure.”
“Then stop questioning us. Stop fighting it. You’re ending something that hasn’t even started. I like you, Livie. Does there have to be more of a reason than that? I also like Sophie. She’s precocious and cute, and unlike any other kid I’ve ever met. I’d like to get to know her a little better too. I get that you’re a package deal, you don’t have to keep reminding me as if I’m going to be scared off.”
She let out a breath, her bangs flying up with the movement and her shoulders slacking a little. “She’s a handful, but she can also be the sweetest little person you’ll ever meet.”
“So let me in so I can see all of that about her. I’m patient and have a lot of energy, Livie. Neither of you scare me off, okay?”
“Okay.” She finally relented.
“Then just go with it. I get that you’re worried about Sophie, just tell her we’re friends. It’s not a lie.”
She seemed to mull it over before finally nodding and then saying, “I’m going to go change.”
And it felt like a small victory.
“Wait!” she said, turning around and quickly jogging up to him and kissing his cheek. “I like you too, Joey.”
Then she left the kitchen and he tried to concentrate on what he was cooking on and not the unexpected kiss from Olivia.
A little while later, Sophie walked down the stairs with her mom in tow. She was wearing her pajamas which had frogs all over them. She also had a big frown.
“Why the sad face, freckles?”
“My mommy got mad at me for catching lizards.”
