Page 28 of Lowering His Guard

May hip checks him before opening the door. “Welcome!”

A man at the hostess station opens his arms. “Lucky charm!” He hugs her up tight.

Jealousy tries to rear its ugly head but I refuse to let it. I have no right to be jealous. May isn’t mine. And she never will be. I’m not in the market for a woman. Not ever again.

“Dad,” May complains and I blow out a breath in relief. This is her father. Not some former lover. “I haven’t been lost at sea. You saw me a few days ago.”

“I want my lucky charm near.”

“Still not a cereal,” she mutters before motioning to us. “Dad, this is Brock and Jace. Jace is a student of mine, and Brock is his dad.”

I offer him my hand. “Nice to meet you, sir.”

His blue eyes twinkle. “Call me Patrick.”

Something clangs to the floor in the kitchen before the door flies open and a small Asian woman hurries into the restaurant. “It’s true. May brought a man to meet us.”

May grunts. “I didn’t bring a man to meet you, Mom. I brought a student and his dad to the restaurant to eat. The poor guy is wasting away.”

Her mother ignores her. She grins at Jace. “Who is this handsome man?”

My son’s cheeks darken. “I’m Jace.”

“You can call me Lin.” She grabs his arm and tugs him toward the buffet. Since she’s even smaller than May, she doesn’t so much tug Jace as lead him. “What do you want to eat? I’ll make you a plate.”

“Mom!” May chases after them. “Jace is sixteen. He can make his own plate.”

“Nonsense. Family doesn’t make their own plate. Family is served.”

“He’s not family.”

“You brought his dad to meet us. He’s family.”

“I didn’t…” May trails off and drops her chin to her chest in defeat. “We should have gone to Salty Siren. They make the best burgers in town.”

Lin gasps. “May Jing Ross!”

Jace laughs. “You got the middle name treatment. You’re in trouble.”

May sticks her tongue out at him.

Patrick pats me on the back. “You’ve got your work cut out for you.”

“I’m not… we’re not…” I don’t want to offend him by admitting May and I aren’t dating. We aren’t anything. We’re barely friends.

He grins, and his eyes twinkle. “That’s exactly what I said when I met Lin. Good luck to you.”

He motions me to the table Lin has claimed for us. It’s already piled high with plates of rice and noodles. Jace is crunching on an egg roll.

I settle in the booth next to him. May sits across from us.

“Soup!” her mother shouts. “You need soup.” She bustles into the kitchen.

The door to the restaurant opens and Patrick sighs. “I’ll be back.”

“This is awesome,” Jace declares. “Even Dad won’t go hungry.”

May’s cheeks are dark. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think my parents would assume we’re together. I’ll correct them later. They’re too excited to listen now.”