“Right. Family. I would do anything for my sister and my niece, too. I’m sure you can understand.”
He did understand that. She was right; that was the whole reason he was here in this grocery store, trying to figure out what to feed his niece for the next month.
Hannah sent him a sideways look. “You’re not really a stranger, when you stop to think about it. Your sister is one of our dearest friends. Plus she works for Holly. If Kim knew I was asking you, I’m sure she would agree you’re the perfect solution for Holly.”
He gave a short laugh. He wasn’t sure he had ever beenany woman’s perfect solution. He instinctively wanted to tell Hannah her idea was completely irrational and he would never agree to it. What man would?
Then he remembered that sweet little Lydia, with her wide smile and her generous heart, and he felt a pang of sympathy for Holly, struggling to raise her daughter on her own and navigate a complicated relationship with the family of her ex-husband.
“Why would you ask me? And why would I ever agree?”
She looked at him with a hopeful expression that reminded him of both her sister and her niece.
“Maybe out of the goodness of your heart and because you’re a nice guy?”
“Who says I have a heart? Or that I’m a nice guy?”
He didn’t growl the words, even though he wanted to. Still, Hannah narrowed her gaze as she studied him, then she shook her head with an eye roll.
“You’re Kim’s brother. She would never ask you to stay with Audrey if you weren’t a nice guy. And only a nice guy would agree to come out from California to help her out in her time of need.”
He frowned, wondering what the others in his squadron would think if they heard Lieutenant Commander Ryan “Ripcord” Caldwell being called a nice guy. He had a hard-earned reputation for being tough and unflinching in a crisis, someone who wouldn’t put up with bull from anybody.
“I’m afraid I don’t have anything to bargain with,” Hannah went on, her expression rueful. “I could offer to shovel your snow or fix you and Audrey a few meals but I’m not really much of a cook. You probably wouldn’t go for either of those options, even if I were.”
“Probably not.”
“Is there anything I could offer in return to convince you?”
He wasn’t aware Audrey had found them again until she spoke from behind him. “In return for what?”
He could feel a muscle tighten in his jaw and he had no idea what to say in response.
“A little favor,” he finally answered. “It’s nothing.”
“What?” she pressed, looking between the two of them with curiosity.
“Holly needs a date for the wedding of Lydia’s Aunt Kristine,” Hannah said after a moment, sending him an apologetic yet calculating look. “She already told Kristine and Kris’s mother she had one. Now we only need to find the perfect guy to make it so.”
She paused. “Or I guess she can always admit to them that she lied and only pretended to have a date so they wouldn’t feel sorry for her.”
Audrey looked appalled. “No way. That’s like peak cringe.”
“Exactly,” Hannah said.
Audrey tilted her head, giving Ryan a considering look. “You would be perfect, Uncle Ry. You have to do it. Holly is amazing. She’s just, like, next level. She didn’t even hesitate when Mom asked if I could stay with her when she went into rehab. Or when Mom asked for the whole month of December off, even though it’s the busiest time of year for her shop.”
Oh great. Now they were ganging up to pressure him. He was running out of maneuvering room.
“You have to say yes,” Audrey insisted. “You know Mom would want you to do it.”
Yeah. He was alone here with absolutely no cover. “Maybe Holly wouldn’t even want to take me as her plus-one. You said yourself she thought she would be fine on her own.”
“She needs a date. And she agreed that you would beperfect for the situation, though she did say she would never ask you herself.”
Perversely, that left him wondering why not.
“Please, Uncle Ryan. Holly gave me a job babysitting Audrey even though I’m only thirteen because she knew I wanted to save up to buy Mom a new phone for Christmas, since hers is even older than mine. And mine is crap.”
