Page 49 of Take The Risk

​“The health inspector just finished, and I had some things to do.” He looked at me when he said that, and my throat went tight. There was no mistaking the innuendo in his statement.

​Say something, Phoebe. Use your big-girl words. “It—It’s my fault. I was late p—picking Lock up from the library, and Ty was nice enough to handle the health inspector now that the kitchen is done. Isn’t it beautiful?” I waved a hand at the space, giving me an excuse to look just about anywhere other than at Ty and Cady-Jo.

​“It is.” Cady-Jo took in the work Ty had done. “He’s always been a very hard-working young man.”

​My mouth snapped shut; not missing her meaning.

​“Why are you here, Mom?” Ty asked impatiently, clearly unimpressed with his mother’s remark.

​“Ty, your mom is always welcome.” I tried to smooth things over, hoping the atmosphere wouldn’t be so chilly. I could keep hoping.

​He looked at his mom expectantly.

​Moving fully into the room, she pulled some papers out of her purse. “We’ve encountered a problem.”

​“What kind of problem?” Seriously? What freaking now?

​She handed me the papers, and I opened them. “Is this for real?”

​Ty leaned over my shoulder. He stood close, and I was so used to him being in my space lately I didn’t react. Guess what else didn’t go unnoticed?

​“Amber-Rae has struck again,” Cady-Jo griped.

​“She’s claiming my house has to be rezoned to commercial because I’m baking cookies for the café, even though I’m not selling them here. That’s ridiculous.” I knew it was. I’d looked into it. I qualified as a cottage bakery. As long as I didn’t sell any goods out of my house, I didn’t need to be rezoned.

​Flipping through the complaint and notice, I asked, “Why would she do this?” I’d call Winston first thing tomorrow. He was one of the best lawyers in the South. He’d have this cleared up by lunchtime.

​“It’ll be okay.” Ty’s hands rested reassuringly on my shoulders.

​Cady-Jo’s gaze sharpened at the familiar way he touched me.

​“My lawyer will have this sorted by tomorrow. I’ll call him in the morning.” I finished reading the papers, looking up.

​“Great,” she said.

Yeah, that didn’t sound like a great great.

“Actually, there was something else I wanted to talk to you about, Phoebe.”

​“Oh?” I cocked my head, not even aware of what Ty had done or how it looked.

​“Alone, Ty?” Her tone was positively glacial, and I suddenly was wishing for a parka.

​“Of course!” I said because really what else could I say? “Can you give us a couple of minutes, or are you done for the day now?”

​Ty looked between us, clearly debating what to do. After what felt like forever, he said he’d head out after saying bye to Lock. Saying goodbye to me, he kissed Cady-Jo’s cheek, promising to call her later in a tone I was one hundred percent sure was going to mean trouble.

​When we were alone, I offered her some wine. Grabbing it from the fridge, we sat down at the dining room table. When there was a liberal amount in our glasses, I took a large sip and then asked, “What’s up?”

​“That’s what I wanted to ask you.”

​“Meaning?” I’d made assumptions about things before and been wrong. I didn’t really want to do it now and fuck myself over by outing my feelings for Ty if that wasn’t the reason she looked like I’d just shit on her roses.

​“I want you to know this isn’t easy for me.” She played with the wine glass, not taking a drink. “I know how rumors can be in this town, and I’d largely dismissed them. But after what I just saw…”

​“What rumors?” There were rumors?

​“Is there something going on with you and my son?”