Page 20 of After You

“I can’t stand very long on my hip,” she said. As if to emphasize the point, she moved to one of the kitchen chairs. “And when Kyle found out I was eating frozen dinners, he said there was no way that was going to continue. And he started coming over tocook.”

The look Alice gave Kyle was so full of affection that Hannah felt her chest tighten.

She looked at Kyle. He was leaning against the counter, his arms crossed, the stupid apron doing absolutely nothing to detract from his confident masculinity. And now that she knew he was wearing it because he cooked for her grandma so she didn’t have to eat frozen dinners…stupid tingling nipples.

“She won’t admit how long she was eating that stuff before I found out,” Kyle said. “Every time I came over for dinner, she had something homemade and amazing.”

“Those meals took her hours to make,” Ruby piped up. “She’d have to do part of it and then sit andrest.”

“Big mouth,” Alice said, shooting her friend a glare.

Ruby shrugged. “Like that’snews.”

Kyle chuckled and Hannah felt her stomach flip. Cooking for her grandma, wearing an apron as if it was the most natural thing in the world, sporting streaks of flour and whatever the pink stuff was without a care…that was all bad enough. But the affectionate way he was looking at her grandmother and that soft laugh was knotting Hannah up. And she’d been here for less than anhour.

Huuuuuge trouble.

“Well, I’m glad I caught on to what you were up to,” Kyle said to Alice. “I think we can both agree that with all the practice this past year, my scalloped potatoes and ham is as good as yours, and my zucchini bread is even better than yours.”

Alice gasped. “It is not better than mine. Though I agree that your teriyaki chicken is better than minenow.”

Kyle laughed. “My teriyaki chicken has always been better than yours.”

Hannah knew she was watching this with her mouth hanging open. Finally, she asked, “For the pastyear?”

Kyle looked over at her, almost as if he’d forgotten she was there. “Maybe a little more.” He looked at Alice. “It was last March or so when I stopped over and found you with that frozen pizza. I almost fellover.”

“You’ve been cooking for my grandmother for over a year?” Hannah said. “Because her hip bothers her too much?” She was aware that Alice was sitting right there, but Hannah couldn’t look away fromKyle.

For just an instant, she thought she saw something harden in his eyes. Then he nodded. “She’s been pushing through for a longtime.”

Hannah looked at her grandmother. “I thought you’ve been putting it off for just a couple of months.”

Alice didn’t meet her eyes as she said, “Oh, it hasn’t been toolong.”

“Alice.”

All three women looked over atKyle.

“You have to be honest with her.” His tone was soft butfirm.

Alice sighed. “It’s been bothering me for a long time. Kyle’s been trying everything, but it finally got to the point where there aren’t any other options but surgery.”

“It’s been to that point for about five months,” Kyle said. He met Hannah’s eyes. “She’s been suffering for a while.”

Hannah didn’t have time to be amazed by how influential Kyle clearly was with Alice. Hannah could feel his disappointment. In her. She swallowed. “I didn’t know.” She looked back at Alice. “You didn’t tellme.”

“I didn’t want you to come home because you had to. I wanted you to want to behere.”

Okay, that hurt. “I want to be here to help you.” Though it seemed that Kyle had been more than helpful. For over ayear.

“Well, you’re here now,” Alice said brightly. “And I couldn’t be happier.”

Hannah bit her tongue to keep from commenting on the fact that she was here early. Clearly Alice still needed help, even if she hadn’t had the surgery yet. Hannah wasn’t entirely sure why Alice had given her the wrong date, but technically there was no reason Hannah couldn’t stay longer. Her boss was currently only six blocks away, and as long as he was around, she could do her job. She might, however, have to let him out of the room at some point.

“So, I’m going to wash the car quick and then head to the clinic,” Kyle said, pushing away from the counter.

As he slipped the apron over his head, his shirt rode up on his stomach, revealing the six-pack that made Hannah have to stifle a groan. She could have looked away, she supposed, but she had no idea where she was going to find thatwillpower.

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