Part 32 (2/2)
It was spaghetti and meatb.a.l.l.s night, one of her favorites. Mom had made homemade bread and as it baked the smell permeated the house. By the time dinner was ready, Jenna's stomach was in full-on growl mode.
They gathered around the table and dug into the food, all conversation at a halt while everyone filled their plates and their mouths.
”So, Ty, the last time you were here it was when Gavin brought you,” her dad said. ”And Liz is your agent. Now you're here today as Jenna's boyfriend.”
Oh, c.r.a.p. Jenna paused, the fork midway to her mouth, and turned her gaze on Ty.
Way to put him on the spot, Dad. Where was he going with this?
Nowhere, obviously, since he didn't continue his train of thought, leaving Ty to somehow formulate a response to her father's non-question.
”Yeah. I'm really glad to be back. I missed Kathleen's excellent cooking.”
Her dad beamed a wide grin. ”Can my wife cook, or what? She's amazing. Some of the great food you eat at Riley's are Kathleen's recipes.”
”Oh, Jimmy. You'll make me blush.”
”Hey, it's the truth.”
”I love the smothered steaks at Riley's, Kathleen,” Ty said. ”I eat that every time I'm there.”
She exhaled a sigh of relief. Ty didn't seem the least bit bothered by the boyfriend comment.
Maybe it hadn't. Maybe being called her boyfriend didn't even register with him, or he blew it off as not meaning anything.
”You're so sweet, Ty,” her mom said. ”Thank you.”
”No, thank you. I don't get home-cooked meals very often, so this is great.”
”Doesn't Jenna cook for you?”
”She's at work and I'm usually playing games late. But she's cooked for me before.”
”I don't cook,” Jenna said. ”I come over here.”
”Well, if you two end up getting married or something, you'll have to learn how.”
She cringed at her dad's comment. ”We're not getting married, Dad. We're just dating.”
Ty grabbed her hand, squeezed it. ”Hey, I'm pretty good with a gas grill, so I don't think we'll starve.”
Her dad nodded. ”Good to know. That girl stays way too busy. You'd think she'd have learned how to cook by now.”
Jenna gritted her teeth. So many things she wanted to blurt out, but she held her tongue. Her dad was a traditional guy in so many ways, though he didn't mind her running the family bar nearly seven freakin' days a week. If he ever bothered to come back and take it over, maybe she'd find some G.o.dd.a.m.ned time to learn how to cook, or do any of the hundred other things she never had time to do.
Like get a life of her own.
She bent her head, guilt was.h.i.+ng over her. Last year her father had nearly died of a heart attack. She had no business pointing imaginary fingers at him for his lack of duty to the bar. He could do whatever he wanted with his life. She was just d.a.m.n glad he was still alive.
Ty patted her thigh under the table.
”You okay?”
She gave him a quick nod. ”Fine.”
”How's the bar, Jenna?” her mother asked.
She lifted her head, the smile plastered back on. ”Doing great. Really busy almost every night of the week.”
”Weeknights, too?” her dad asked.
”Weeknights, too. With basketball and hockey, they keep the place hopping. It also doesn't hurt that several of the Ice players have made Riley's their home away from home.”
Her mom cast a warm smile Ty's way. ”We appreciate you coming to the bar. Our patrons love it when sports figures show up there.”
”Jenna does a great job with Riley's. It's a fun atmosphere, the food is amazing, and the people are friendly. The guys and me consider it home.”
”Good,” her dad said. ”We hope you always feel that way. It's always been home to Kathleen and me.”
”You should come up there sometime, Dad,” Jenna said. ”Your regulars miss you.”
He shrugged. ”Not as much fun as it used to be.”
”Because you can't drink beer anymore,” her mother teased. ”Which doesn't mean you can't still have fun with your old friends.”
”And you can drink the non-alcoholic beer,” Jenna reminded him. ”Tastes like the real thing. I'd love to have you there. So would everyone else.”
”Maybe I'll pop in one of these nights, make sure my girlie here is doing as good a job as I did.”
If this kept up she'd need dental work before the end of the night. Her jaw ached from clenching it.
After dinner and dishes everyone moved into the living room. Her mom picked up her knitting, and Tara and Liz huddled together working on something for Liz's wedding, while the guys watched the rest of the race.
She and Ty were putting the rest of the pots and pans away in the kitchen.
”This would be a good time for you to mention expansion,” Ty said.
She handed a pot over to him. He was crouched on the floor, sliding them into the cabinet.
”What expansion?”
”Opening a new bar.”
”No. Not a good time for that at all.” It would never be a good time.
He took the last pot, stacked it with the others, then stood and leaned against the counter. ”Why not?”
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