The Rebound Guy by Fiona Harper Page B

chocolate biscuits also lurking in the bottom of the cool bag, but Kelly wasn’t giving hers up for anybody.
    He reached behind him and pulled a proper wicker picnic basket with leather buckles forward. ‘I said I’d forgotten the blanket, not the food.’ His gaze flitted to her meagre provisions. ‘You’re sharing your blanket. Care to share my lunch?’
    Something inside Kelly nosedived. Ah. That was it. He was taking pity on her. That was why he was here, clogging up her blanket when he could have been lolling around somewhere else with a leggy blonde wrapped around him.
    She was about to open her mouth and tell him exactly where he could shove his fancy picnic, sandwich by sandwich, when he added, ‘My mother has this monstrosity sent to me from Fortnum’s every year, just for the company picnic. I think she thinks that because I’m in London the Queen might just wander past and I’d better be properly provisioned, just in case.’
    Now he’d made her laugh, which had so not been part of the plan. And when he opened the hamper up, she could see all sorts of delicious things in there...proper ham, not the watery packet stuff, pâté, scones, clotted cream. Her stomach growled and she decided that maybe she could take pity on her boss and help him out. Just this once.
    He offered her a savoury minimuffin and she took it without hesitation. It was soft and slightly cheesy, with a hint of basil and sun-dried tomatoes. Heaven.
    At that moment the boys rushed up. It seemed Sarah’s husband was in the mood for food too and had broken up the game to investigate his own picnic hamper. Both Cal and Ben skidded to a halt at the edge of the picnic blanket and stared at Jason.
    â€˜Who are you?’ Ben said, with no hint of wariness in his tone, just curiosity.
    Jason held up a hand for a high five, which Ben jumped for and slapped. ‘I’m Jason. I work with your mom,’ he said and held his hand out for his older brother. Cal shook his head and sidled towards Kelly a bit.
    â€˜Your voice sounds funny,’ Ben said. ‘Are you from the telly? I’ve heard people talk like you on the telly.’
    Jason grinned at the little boy. ‘Nope. Not from the TV. Just America. And, to me, you’re the ones with the funny voices.’
    Ben just giggled. ‘My voice isn’t funny, but Mummy’s sometimes is. Especially when she’s cross and she’s—’
    â€˜Ben, why don’t you stop pestering Jason and sit down and eat your sandwiches?’
    Her youngest gave Jason a look that said, See?
    Jason leaned in and spoke in a stage whisper behind his hand. ‘She uses that voice on me too.’
    Cal couldn’t help joining in after that. ‘Are you naughty too sometimes?’ he asked as he sat down right next to Kelly, half on one of her feet.
    Jason winked. ‘Sometimes.’
    â€˜Always,’ Kelly said, and all three males shared a conspiratorial chuckle.
    Great. Three seconds in his company and her kids had turned traitor and teamed up with Jason. This afternoon was going to be just peachy. She should have known, though. Of course Jason would get on with her kids...being such a big kid himself.
    She unwrapped Ben’s sandwich and handed it to him. He handed it back to her.
    â€˜What?’ she said. ‘It’s ham. You like ham.’
    â€˜It’s pink,’ Ben replied, crossing his arms. ‘Only girls eat pink stuff.’
    Kelly raised an eyebrow. ‘Really? You didn’t seem to mind much last week when you were scoffing your way through Auntie Chloe’s cupcakes.’
    â€˜I want to eat meat.’
    Kelly shook her head slightly. ‘Ham is meat.’
    Ben gave her a superior kind of look. ‘I want red meat.’
    â€˜Red meat...?’ What on earth was he talking about? Most meat was brown, maybe off-white. What the heck was Tim feeding them when they went to stay