“Hi,” the young girl muttered, her gaze lowered. “Um . . . Can I go get something to drink?” Penny asked her sister.
“Sure. Then find somewhere to hang out with the phone I’m pretty sure has been surgically attached to your hand.”
“Funny.” Penny fake laughed and shoved Alyssa’s shoulder. “I’m gonna sit over there.” She indicated a shaded area near the side of the house.
“Sure. I’ll come get you when food’s on.”
Mazey waited for the girl to leave before asking, “Everything good?”
“Yep.” Alyssa popped theP. “I’m a dumbass who shouldn’t be raising an impressionable teenage girl, but it is what it is.” She shrugged.
“You’ll be fine. Didn’t you just prove that?” Rylan asked.
“I guess. I just . . .” Her friend’s smile was tinged with sadness. “I just wish she had it better. Unfortunately for her, I’m her best option. Hell, I’m her only option at this point.”
Rylan curled a hand over Alyssa’s shoulder. “You’re a great option. You know why? Because you love her. It’s all kids really need. For the person taking care of them to love them no matter what they do or what happens.”
Mazey and Alyssa stared at Rylan.
“Wow. That’s quite profound for a childless bachelor,” Alyssa murmured. “And surprisingly brilliant.”
Did Rylan’s cheeks turn pink?
He cleared his throat. “Right. Well. I need another drink.”
Before they could comment further, Rylan darted away.
“I think I embarrassed him,” Alyssa said.
“He’ll get over it. Besides, he was kind of adorable the way his face turned pink.” The smile on her face faded, and she put a hand on her friend’s arm. “Are things really okay?”
“Yes, thank god! I really am an idiot. She’s been having some female issues and used that dreaded phone to look up what to do about it and found the usual scary things as well as the suggestion to go on the pill. Once I sat down with her and got the full story, I realized we’re more alike than I thought. So, we’ll be going to the doctor’s this week, and I won’t be jumping to stupid conclusions from now on.”
“That’s good. If you need me to come with you . . .” Would a teenager want a stranger going with her to something like that? “On second thought, why don’t I meet you both for lunch or something after the doctor’s visit? Take the seriousness out of the day by having some fun. You guys can show me more of Sunnyville.”
“If you’re not on shift, sure.” Alyssa grabbed her arm and towed her away from everyone. “But tell me. What’s going on with you and Ry?”
“What? Nothing. What makes you ask that?”
“Well, you’re the talk of the base with all the time you’ve been spending together and—”
“We’re scheduled on the same team. Of course, we’re spending time together,” Mazey interrupted.
“Yes, but there’s a tension there. A buzz that hums in the air whenever you’re in the same room. Hell, it’s there now, and he’s all the way across the yard.”
“I like him, I won’t deny that, but nothing is going on. I’m not interested in getting involved with any man. No matter how nice he is. And I’m especially not interested in someone I work with. I’m not doing that again in this lifetime.”
“Oh, come on, you didn’t work with dickface, and he wasn’t even one-hundredth of the man Ry is.”
“Doesn’t matter. Not. Interested.” If she said it enough, she’d believe it. No, she did believe it. She just had to get her body on the same page. And stop doing things like shoving her hand down his pants. Or wearing his tags. The metal under her shirt seemed to burn her skin, and she rubbed her hand over them. “No. Definitely not interested in getting tangled up with a man.”
Alyssa frowned at her. “Fine. Whatever. In that case, you can be my wingman. I need a night out, and next weekend, neither of us is on shift. Penny will be staying over at a friend’s, so we’re hitting the town and living it up.”
“Next week?” Maybe she could pick up an extra shift.
“Na-huh, none of that.” Alyssa wagged a finger in her face. “No thinking up ways to get out of it. I. Need. This. And as my newly designated best friend, it’s your job to hold my hand while I let loose and get trashed.”
“Don’t you mean hold your hair back when said trashing takes the inevitable turn?” Mazey smirked.
