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Peyton shrugged. “No idea.”
“You don’t talk to you dad?” Debbie asked.
“No.”
“Well, that’s a shame.” Debbie shook her head.
Shifting uncomfortably on her chair, she looked down at her glass on the counter. “I guess.”
Ryan placed his hand on her back for support. “Mother,” he growled in warning.
Peyton couldn’t see what Ryan’s face looked like behind her, but his tone clearly told Debbie the discussion was done.
“You said you moved around a lot as a child. Where else have you lived?” Debbie pressed.
Ryan’s body tensed behind her. She could practically feel the annoyance coming off him. “Jesus, Mother. Maybe let her finish her first drink before you start in on the inquisition.”
“I’m just trying to get to know her,” Debbie muttered. “You never let me meet your girls, so I’m curious that’s all.”
“I didn’t think the object was to freak her out in the first five minutes.” Ryan sighed loudly. Peyton bit back a laugh. If a sigh could sound annoyed, his did.
Debbie rolled her eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous. You wouldn’t be dating her if she scared off that easily.”
Peyton laughed and then smiled reassuringly at Debbie. She had expected nothing different. She was just as curious about Ryan’s family as they were about her. “It’s fine.”
“What do you say I put these ribs on while the ladies get to know each other better?” Pat said, grabbing the platter out of the fridge.
Ryan reached into the fridge and pulled out three beers and handed one to Pete. “I’ve got your beer, Dad,” he said. He paused next to Peyton and leaned down. His warm breath brushed against her neck and goosebumps pooled on her skin. “You gonna be okay if I head outside with my dad?”
“She’ll be fine, Ryan,” Debbie scoffed. “I’m not going to rip out her fingernails to get information out of her.”
“You better not,” he replied.
Peyton put her hand on his arm. “Go, I’ll be fine.” If Ryan’s family were anything like hers, Kendall would be the one in the hot seat any minute anyway.
With the men outside, Debbie fired the blender to life again. “Was this your first time watching Ryan play?”
“No, I went to the game where Tommy threw in the first pitch, but I’ve also seen him play a bit at the center.”
Debbie’s spine stiffened. “Play at the center? What do you mean?”
“I work at a youth community sports program.”
“Oh, that’s right, that’s how Ryan said you two met, because his team is volunteering there. He was very impressed with your work.”
“Right.” Peyton bit back a smile. He certainly wasn’t impressed with her when they’d met that was for sure.
Debbie’s brow wrinkled. “Surely Ryan doesn’t play though when he’s there.”
“Sometimes he does. It depends on which kids are there and team dynamics.”
Debbie’s gaze snapped outside to where the men were standing around the barbecue. “What if he gets hurt?”
Kendall snorted. “He’s a professional athlete mom, I’m pretty sure he can hold his own with a bunch of six-year-olds.”
“It’s not the six-year-olds I’m worried about. Ryan doesn’t know how to do anything halfway. What if he rolls his ankle running or falls down? I can’t imagine your fields are in very good shape. I don’t like that at all.”
“Ryan is perfectly safe. He doesn’t usually do much running.” There was no way she was telling Debbie that so far Ryan had mostly been playing with teenagers. The woman would lose her biscuits.
