7. Chapter Seven
Chapter Seven
Simeon
I wasn’t clear why I was hurried into the kitchen to microwave my food before Ryan and Gio were joining us, but Rainbow made some kind of gesture I didn’t understand.
She hastily snagged my container, dumped the lasagna on the plate, and two minutes later, my steaming food was before me as I sat at the kitchen table. A very large kitchen table, thank goodness. Not enough to seat the entire Dixon clan…but the dining room table in the great room could accommodate all ten of them. With a seat or two to spare, if memory served.
“You should start.” She offered me a smile.
“I c-can wait.”
Yet she offered a beaming smile and returned with an empty serving bowl a moment later, which she unceremoniously upended and placed over my plate. Thereby covering the food.
Well, that works . My lasagna wouldn’t be piping hot, but it wouldn’t be cold either.
Avery breezed in next with Rex at her feet.
The pooch scooted under the table and plopped onto my feet. A nice, solid weight…given his size.
“Uh…I hope that’s okay.” Avery eyed her dog. “He’s…not usually so friendly with strangers.” She meant strange men. Something in his past had ingrained a fear of men he didn’t know. Once he saw someone was friendly and safe, he was fine.
“Gio is c-coming. And R-Ryan.”
She nodded. “Well, it’s good Rex has got you. Let me know if he becomes a problem. I have him on a leash so he can meet the new people. When he’s comfortable, I’ll let him off.”
I scratched Rex’s ears. “Never a p-problem.”
“Right.” She plopped down next to me, handing me a cloth to wipe my hands. “Rainbow says I have to come out to visit the house.”
I didn’t really consider the prefab a house, but everyone had a different definition.
Rainbow put a basket of heavenly smelling fresh rolls on the table. Directly in front of me.
Avery started to rise. “Oh, I should be—”
“Sit back down.” Rainbow glared. “You’ve been dealing with trauma all morning. I baked and hung out with three of the handsomest men in Mission City.” She put the chili on the table as Justin hustled in.
“Oh, was Stanley here? I’m sorry I missed him.”
Everyone laughed.
Rainbow pointed to seats as Gio and Ryan arrived.
Ryan clearly took that gesture to mean the seat beside me was available, and he hustled to sit next to me.
Our hostess threw her arm around Gio. “I meant these three.” She gestured to Ryan and myself. “I mean, I get the entire rainbow here.”
Huh? Oh. I was blond, Ryan was a redhead, and Gio had dark hair. At least, I assumed that was what she meant.
“And, of course, Stanley would be up there. Silver fox.” She made a cat’s claw with her fingers and mimed grabbing.
Kennedy came from behind her and poked her in the ribs. “We’re all here, let’s eat.”
I removed the bowl that had been keeping my lasagna warm. Since Nanny’s lasagna was the best I’d never tasted, I would’ve eaten it stone cold.
Ryan eyed it.
“Have a t-taste.” I gestured to his yet unused fork.
“I couldn’t—”
“My g-grandmother will be offended if you d-don’t.” I gave him the look my grandmother always gave me when she wanted me to feel guilty. The look that had worked for thirty-eight years.
He grinned. “Well, I wouldn’t want to disappoint your grandmother.” He used his knife and fork to cut off a small piece. I wanted to insist he take a bigger one, but everyone was watching us.
I reddened. “I have enough to s-share with everyone.” If I cut it into six small pieces, everyone would get a taste.
Rainbow shook her head. “That’s super sweet, Simeon. I need the chili finished. If you have room, make sure you have some as well.” She pivoted to Kennedy. “Where’s Tiffany?”
“Outside. She wanted to stretch her legs. Maybe roll in the grass.”
The therapy dog would never wander far from the house, and sometimes I’d see her wandering the yard by herself. Probably recharging after such a stressful job. I loved that Kennedy knew what her dog needed without having to ask.
Ryan moaned. “Okay, best lasagna ever.”
“Oh really? Because that Italian place down on—” Justin cut off his words at Ryan’s glare. “Just kidding.”
“I’ve had their lasagna. And it’s delicious.” Ryan pointed to his plate. “This is better. Seriously.”
I started to push my plate to him. “H-have mine. I get leftover again t-tonight.”
Ryan held up his hand.
And met my gaze.
Clearly he read my pleading—although whether he assumed I was over lasagnaed, or he realized I wanted to do something for him, I wasn’t sure. He nodded, took my plate, and handed me his untouched bowl.
Feeling happier than I had in a very long time, I scooped some delicious chili into my bowl, buttered my roll, and sat back to enjoy the most amazing meal.
After lunch, Ryan and I helped with the dishes while the counselors went back to their work and Gio headed back to start painting the main living area of the prefab.
Ryan leaned over to put a plate in the dishwasher, his fingers shaking enough he had to catch the counter and his breath hissed.
Instinctively, I placed my hand just below his ribs on his left side and my other on his back. Slowly, I helped him straighten.
“I’m okay.” He might’ve snapped that.
Rainbow was in the great room brushing the grass and twigs off Tiffany before the dog went back to work, so she couldn’t hear us.
“I know.” I tried to center my thoughts. “O-overdoing it doesn’t help.”
“What do you know?”
“B-broken arm in grade four.” I winced at the memory. “Broken wrist in g-grade nine.” Different school. Different teachers. No one to question why a kid who was so cautious was also so clumsy. Fortunately, I got bigger, and the abuse stopped. But the terror never fully went away until the day the Royal Canadian Mounted Police showed up on my doorstep and told me I was an orphan. I’d never told anyone about the abuse, so the RCMP wouldn’t have known I needed help. But, in delivering the news they assumed would devastate me, they essentially set me free.
“Ouch.” Ryan clutched his side.
“C-can you tell me—”
He shook his head vehemently.
“O-kay.” I eased him so his hip rested against the counter. Then I hustled my ass to get all the dishes into the dishwasher. I was putting the last of the cutlery in when Rainbow returned with a towel.
“She does love to play.” Rainbow grinned. “Oh, you’ve finished everything.”
“We’re happy t-to help.” I moved closer to Ryan, lest there be any confusion about who the we was.
“That’s great.” She gestured to Ryan. “Sounds like he got the best food of all of us.”
“Your chili is p-perfection.” I smiled. “But Nanny’s lasagna is…” I perked up. “Can I b-bring a batch for tomorrow? For everyone?”
“Well, I’d hate to ask—”
“You d-didn’t.” I nodded my head. “Okay. Oh, she’ll b-be so excited.”
“That’s a lovely gesture.” Rainbow eyed her kitchen. “If I make a batch of raisin buns, will you take them home? A trade of sorts?”
Since I loved raisin buns, I wouldn’t turn down that offer. “That’d be great. T-thank you.”
She grinned. “And I’ll have some for you too.” She directed her smile at Ryan.
“Thanks.” He held up his hand. “I’m heading home now. Lunch was lovely.” He met my gaze. “Truly.”
Disappointment lanced through me. I’d assumed we’d be working together through the afternoon. Which was crazy because surely the guy had better things to do than hanging around with me. Or maybe he’d overdone it. Maybe I’d pushed too hard. “Uh, o-okay.”
“But thanks for the lasagna.”
“M-more tomorrow.”
“Yeah, right. More tomorrow.”
Except he didn’t show.