Teri knew each other already , you’d pursued her before but it didn’t work out. Paul knew it before he hired you. I couldn’t really say Paul thought you’d be supportive, Bryan can read between the lines. I left it with Nicholas and Tim decided you’d be helpful to have around as extra support and that you volunteered to help start getting Teri back on her feet.”
“Good cover ,” Flynn agreed with a nod. “He’s okay now?”
“Seems to be. It m ight come up again if you start dating her. He’s got a girlfriend. They’ve been together for years and I think Bren affects the way he sees things.”
Flynn sighed. “If I can ask , what was his original concern?”
“That you ’re too much like Jess and it’s too soon. We’re all protective of Teri. Bryan is just observant enough to see what Dev doesn’t and Jess ignores. He doesn’t have my habit of being in the middle of things and having additional information to make the pieces fall into place.” Kenny fidgeted. “Did Paul tell you about . . . well, I almost messed things up for him.”
Flynn nodded.
“I don’t want to make that mistake again.”
“It wasn ’t your fault and Paul didn’t blame you. Paul told me a lot of things that I really don’t need to know. I knew already that he didn’t tell Teri about his estranged wife and she was hurt and furious when she found out. Paul filled me in that you were the one to reveal his secret to point out that you’re resourceful. He told me something of Dev’s resourcefulness also.”
“Did he tell you about Dev tracking Teri ’s cell phone? I caught him before too long so all he found out is that they didn’t stay at the restaurant long enough to actually eat.”
Flynn rested his head in his hand , leaning on his elbow. “No, Paul forgot to mention that. Shouldn’t surprise me considering what he did tell me.”
“He ’s kind of a kid genius.”
“I got that. So , I’m warned on Jess and Bryan and re-warned on Dev. Check that off your list of things to give me a headache over. On Jess, I had another idea.”
“Besides the ‘don’t follow in my footsteps’ talk?”
“Yes. I heard a theory that he has a good mind , he just never had to use it.”
“That ’s one theory. You’re going to try to prove that? No offense, but if being continually outwitted by Dev isn’t enough to make Jess want to start thinking, what makes you think you’re going to?” Kenny felt like he was about to lose another bet at the smile that spread across Flynn’s face.
“Kenny , I want you to tell me more about Jess’s crush on Cassie.”
Chapter Five
The house fell into a predictable pattern over the next few weeks. Teri sat one morning and reflected on how frequently Flynn was at the house, and how easily Nicholas accepted him there.
Flynn was just sitting down at the dining room table with Kenny when she went to refill her cup of coffee. She poured one for Flynn while she was at it. He and Nicholas had some sort of agreement , one or the other was always here so she was never without adult supervision. She wasn’t a child and it should annoy her, but at the moment she wasn’t sure what to think.
“Cassie ’s a distraction,” Kenny complained to Flynn as Teri handed him his mug. He even had a preferred mug, she realized. Almost like part of the household.
“Thanks ,” Flynn acknowledged before turning back to Kenny. “Jess can handle it and Dev needs to learn to cope anyway. Don’t worry about the girls.”
“It ’s cruel. Make them cook dinner or something while we practice.”
“You can ’t make women do anything, you can only encourage.”
Teri tuned them out again and returned to the kitchen to start on the dishes. Despite his comment , Flynn made an impression on the girls. Because he enjoyed cooking, the girls suddenly took an interest too. Teri was worried they’d never learn beyond the basics, but now they were eager to experiment and show off for him.
Of course
“Good cover ,” Flynn agreed with a nod. “He’s okay now?”
“Seems to be. It m ight come up again if you start dating her. He’s got a girlfriend. They’ve been together for years and I think Bren affects the way he sees things.”
Flynn sighed. “If I can ask , what was his original concern?”
“That you ’re too much like Jess and it’s too soon. We’re all protective of Teri. Bryan is just observant enough to see what Dev doesn’t and Jess ignores. He doesn’t have my habit of being in the middle of things and having additional information to make the pieces fall into place.” Kenny fidgeted. “Did Paul tell you about . . . well, I almost messed things up for him.”
Flynn nodded.
“I don’t want to make that mistake again.”
“It wasn ’t your fault and Paul didn’t blame you. Paul told me a lot of things that I really don’t need to know. I knew already that he didn’t tell Teri about his estranged wife and she was hurt and furious when she found out. Paul filled me in that you were the one to reveal his secret to point out that you’re resourceful. He told me something of Dev’s resourcefulness also.”
“Did he tell you about Dev tracking Teri ’s cell phone? I caught him before too long so all he found out is that they didn’t stay at the restaurant long enough to actually eat.”
Flynn rested his head in his hand , leaning on his elbow. “No, Paul forgot to mention that. Shouldn’t surprise me considering what he did tell me.”
“He ’s kind of a kid genius.”
“I got that. So , I’m warned on Jess and Bryan and re-warned on Dev. Check that off your list of things to give me a headache over. On Jess, I had another idea.”
“Besides the ‘don’t follow in my footsteps’ talk?”
“Yes. I heard a theory that he has a good mind , he just never had to use it.”
“That ’s one theory. You’re going to try to prove that? No offense, but if being continually outwitted by Dev isn’t enough to make Jess want to start thinking, what makes you think you’re going to?” Kenny felt like he was about to lose another bet at the smile that spread across Flynn’s face.
“Kenny , I want you to tell me more about Jess’s crush on Cassie.”
Chapter Five
The house fell into a predictable pattern over the next few weeks. Teri sat one morning and reflected on how frequently Flynn was at the house, and how easily Nicholas accepted him there.
Flynn was just sitting down at the dining room table with Kenny when she went to refill her cup of coffee. She poured one for Flynn while she was at it. He and Nicholas had some sort of agreement , one or the other was always here so she was never without adult supervision. She wasn’t a child and it should annoy her, but at the moment she wasn’t sure what to think.
“Cassie ’s a distraction,” Kenny complained to Flynn as Teri handed him his mug. He even had a preferred mug, she realized. Almost like part of the household.
“Thanks ,” Flynn acknowledged before turning back to Kenny. “Jess can handle it and Dev needs to learn to cope anyway. Don’t worry about the girls.”
“It ’s cruel. Make them cook dinner or something while we practice.”
“You can ’t make women do anything, you can only encourage.”
Teri tuned them out again and returned to the kitchen to start on the dishes. Despite his comment , Flynn made an impression on the girls. Because he enjoyed cooking, the girls suddenly took an interest too. Teri was worried they’d never learn beyond the basics, but now they were eager to experiment and show off for him.
Of course
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