A Family Kind of Wedding by Lisa Jackson Page B

him, she reminded herself as he managed to shut the bathroom door behind him. He’s gonna be grumpy for a while. He’s in pain, but he’s got to do for himself. Rather than over-mother him, she went to the kitchen and finished her cola. She’d just tossed the empty bottle into a sack on the back porch when she heard the bathroom door open, then the sound of Josh hopping to his room. He muttered something under his breath that she probably didn’t want to hear.
    Blue whined at the back door, and while she held it open, she heard the uneven cadence of crutches hitting the floor as Josh hitched his way down the hall. She was wiping the counter when he paused at the archway leading to the dining room. “Is the car okay?” he asked, leaning forward on his crutches in order to scratch the old hound behind his ears.
    â€œWe can only hope. The mechanics at Len’s seem to be baffled.” She held up both her hands, showing him that her fingers were crossed.
    Blue grunted in pleasure.
    â€œI think we should get a new one.”
    â€œDo you?” Josh had been pushing for a new car for the past couple of years. “And give up the cool convertible?”
    Rolling his eyes theatrically, he nodded. “It would be cool if it wasn’t a billion years old. I think we need something like a Corvette or a Porsche or…or a Ferrari.”
    â€œOh, sure. Or maybe a Jaguar or—”
    â€œA BMW.”
    â€œIn your dreams,” she said, flashing him a smile.
    â€œMo-om!”
    â€œBack to the real world, bud. What can I get you for breakfast?”
    â€œWe need a new car.”
    â€œYou get no argument from me on that one. I just have to figure out how to pay for it.” She tossed her sponge into the sink. “If you want me to make you something to eat, speak now or forever hold your peace.”
    He bumbled his way across the kitchen and half fell into the chair Luke had occupied the night before. “How about a double-cheese bagel?”
    â€œYou’re in luck. There’s one left.” She reached into the cupboard, and while opening the plastic bag with one hand, she pointed a knife at his bad ankle. “Keep that raised, okay?”
    â€œOkay,” he grumbled and hoisted his foot on to the seat of a second chair. His hair was rumpled, and he was still wearing his soccer uniform from practice the day before.
    â€œWe’ll have to figure out a way for you to take a shower,” she said as she sliced the bagel and slipped both halves into the toaster.
    â€œ I’ll figure it out.”
    â€œOkay, okay. Whatever.” She bit her tongue to keep from saying anything more and scrounged in the refrigerator until she found a tub of cream cheese.
    â€œSo why was that guy with you last night?” Josh asked, and she looked up sharply to find him staring at her with curious eyes.
    â€œYou mean Luke.”
    â€œYeah. Why was he here?”
    â€œHe rescued me when the car broke down.” The toaster popped. Quickly, as she slathered the bagel halves with cream cheese, she ran down the details of the night before and only left out the fact that Luke Gates had kissed her. That was one little fact that no one would ever know. It had been a mistake. A big one. She wouldn’t be surprised if Luke was as embarrassed about it as she was—if he even remembered.
    She placed the bagel halves and a glass of orange juice on the table in front of Josh.
    â€œSo why did he hang out? Why didn’t you call Uncle Jarrod or Uncle Trevor or—”
    â€œI offered,” she interrupted. “But I guess Luke just wanted to see it through and make sure I was okay.”
    â€œHumph.” Josh bit into his bagel, and she let the subject drop.
    The telephone rang sharply. Katie snagged the receiver before it had a chance to jangle again.
    â€œMs. Kinkaid?” a gravelly voice asked.
    â€œYes.”
    â€œThis is Len down at the service