As far as weird went, this was definitely weird—me at Officer Asshole’s house.

I’d been there for the last hour, seated at his table with a delicious feast before me, a feast he’d cooked and Aria had served.

Ryan made slow braised beef and honey roated chicken with spring vegetables.

It was definitely impressive and for me nothing was sexier than a man who could cook, but I didn’t tell him that.

I did however decide that if I was trying to like him, I should probably stop thinking of him as Officer Asshole. I thought it was fair to say he was leaning more toward the nicer side for me, especially after yesterday. Plus, there was the overarching fact that while the man had upset me to no end, I still thought he was gorgeous, the kind of handsome that could make me push aside the real world for one evening.

The real world had dealt me a bad day—another bad day. I hadn’t gone to Sally’s, but I had suffered through another chat with Perry. He was still unhappy with me for apparently reflecting poorly on the magazine.

I’d learned long ago that to move past a disagreement, sometimes you had to see things from the other person’s perspective, so this was me trying—trying harder. I had a meeting set up for Monday to see Sally, which would bring it to one full week since our last meeting. That gave me more preparation time, and more time to think of strategy.

I knew if I didn’t pull it off, it would be bye-bye for me.

It was my second chance to make a good impression. It weighed heavily on my mind, but I was determined to push it aside for the night.

Here I was eating dinner with Ryan and Aria. I would have never imagined myself being here, attending as an esteemed dinner guest—that was what Aria had called me. She was a great little hostess, and I even noticed she’d worn the skirt I gave her and some of the hair clips, as if she was showing me she was using what I’d given her.

What was even weirder was that I was actually enjoying myself. The food was great, and so was the company.

Aria talked nonstop. From the surprised look on Ryan’s face, I could tell that was perhaps uncommon.

I didn’t need to talk about myself because she did it for me. She babbled on about everything we’d talked about the other night, from me going to Yale and the scholarships I’d turned down to my work at People. Then she started talking about something I never expected: poetry.

Back at my house, she’d seen a few of my poetry books and realized they were the same ones she had for her English class. She, who hadn’t bothered to look at them since the school year had begun, declared that she thought she’d take a look since she thought they must be cool if I had them.

That had led her to reading all of her five books the day before, and because she wanted to know a bit more about the poets, she’d spent all her free periods in the library today.

As she explained that, Ryan had looked from me to her with a quizzical expression. I took that to mean she wasn’t normally a big fan of the library.

The situation with them was different for me, because none of my friends had kids and I wasn’t used to being around children or teenagers.

While I thought Aria was adorable and great, I could see how it must have been hard to have a sixteen-year-old, a mini adult who wanted to explore her own world.

“I can’t believe how much there is to know about all this stuff, and it isn’t just the poetry—it’s the art too,” she continued, looking at me eagerly.

“I hear there’s a gallery in town. In a few weeks they’re doing a Waterhouse exhibition.”

She gasped and clutched her hand to her heart. “Really? As in John William Waterhouse and ‘The Lady of Shallot’?”

I nodded. The exhibition was one of the things I’d noted before arriving. I’d planned to go even before I got the assignment. I’d thought I’d take Noah, but he wasn’t a fan of anything like that. It would be nice to go with someone who would enjoy it as much as me.

“We can go if your dad agrees.” I glanced over at Ryan, who was already looking at me, his fork danging between his fingers.

“He’ll agree because it’s like school work. He’s just opposed to anything else that contributes toward a life.” She frowned, looking at him.

He straightened up and gave her a hard stare. I had to bite the inside of my lip to keep from laughing.

God, if I’d said anything like that, my dad would have gone ape shit on me. Granted, I wouldn’t have thought to speak to my father that way. I noticed how outspoken Aria was, and I figured she was like that with Ryan because he was just a little over twice her age. Jayce, was five years older than me, and that was how I was with him. These two reminded me of the way I was with my brother.

“School contributes to a life,” Ryan replied.

He rolled up the sleeves of his long-sleeved shirt and I got a good glimpse of the tattoos snaking up his thick forearms. The week before, as I’d watched him from afar, I had seen the tats but hadn’t been able to make out what they were. I was certain I saw the edge of the Colosseum and the end of a spear.

He glanced at me and caught me looking. I didn’t like being caught ogling, but I wouldn’t act like I was embarrassed, so I held his gaze and only looked away when Aria said my name.

“Brooke, don’t you agree?”

I looked at her, trying to figure out what she’d just said. I must have missed it.

“What am I agreeing to?” I thought I’d play it safe. It was like a mini world war in here, and if I agreed to something, it could set off a bomb.

“School and life are separate. I don’t want to be seen as some kind of geek.”

I laughed. “I’m sorry, Aria, I’m kind of a geek, so I was always stuck in a library somewhere.”

She looked so shocked when I said that, but Ryan looked relieved.

“You think you’re a geek? No way.” She shook her head. “You even buy Cosmo.”

“It’s the girl bible—everyone has Cosmo.” I nodded.

“I agree. We’d be lost without it.”

“Cosmo, the same magazine I caught you with other the week?” Ryan asked, stabbing the withered remains of his chicken with his fork. He looked from me to her again.

Aria stared at him head on and straightened up. “Yes Dad, that same one.” She looked at me. “Dad got all worked up over an article titled How to know if he’s good in bed.”

I wanted to laugh but tried to suppress it. It was funny, really, but I knew if I reacted it would be construed as me agreeing with her, and I didn’t. There was no way I would feel comfortable knowing my sixteen-year-old was reading stuff like that. Articles like that were okay for me, but for her…

“Come on, Aria, you seriously expected your dad not to freak out?” I had to ask her because I knew my dad would have probably burned the magazine.

She frowned at me. “Brooke, you’re supposed to be my friend—you can’t take his side.” She pouted.

“I’m not taking sides. As your friend, I have to be honest. If there was lipstick on your teeth, wouldn’t you want me to tell you?”

“Yes, I would be very upset if that happened and you didn’t tell me.”

“Same thing here. Why don’t you leave those articles to the big girls? I loved Cosmo Girl when I was your age. They had the coolest articles, and the best thing was the discount at Macy’s and Sephora.”

She gasped. “Really? I didn’t know that.”

“Girl you’ve been missing out. Thank God I’m here, right?”

“Oh yes.” She nodded.

Ryan chuckled. “Finally something we can all agree on.” He widened his eyes.

I smiled at that too, but it got me thinking about what his life must be like. Where was Aria’s mom? No one had said anything, neither Aria nor Ryan.

I’d scanned the dining room for pictures, but there weren’t any of the family photos I expected to see around the place. I hadn’t been in the living room yet so I couldn’t be totally certain. Maybe they had a bad relationship and Ryan wasn’t with her anymore, or maybe they had a good relationship but the kind where she saw Aria during the holidays or weekends, but then that would be odd too because usually most kids lived with the mother and the father had visitation arrangements.

The other possibility I thought of was that she wasn’t around anymore, like …she’d died. I hoped not. I knew the pain from loss all too much. I may not have known Aria long, but I would have felt truly sad for her if that was what had happened.

The buzzing of a phone brought me out of my thoughts.

It was Aria’s cell vibrating on the table. The excitement that danced in her eyes as she looked down at the screen told me it had to be the boyfriend calling.

The put-out look on Ryan’s face confirmed it.

“Excuse me,” Aria said, picking up the phone and dashing out of the room before Ryan could say anything.

He frowned and glanced at me.

“You should see your face.” I chuckled.

He sighed and sat back in his chair. “You seem to speak the same language as her—any tips on how I deal with this boyfriend situation?”

I blinked several times then shook my head. At the age of sixteen, I’d gone on a total of one date. It was for junior prom, and after that I didn’t date until I was eighteen, after I was out of the woods for my exams and I was certain I’d secured the spot I wanted at college.

“I was a geek, remember.” I giggled.

“You don’t look like a geek, Brooke. I’m not going to believe that, even if you spent your days and nights in a library.”

“It’s true. I was. What were you?” I asked, even though I already knew before he answered.

“A jock. I played football, quarterback for my school team.”

Yup, I’d guessed some sort of jock, and I was right.

“Okay jock, are you seriously going to tell me you didn’t have a girlfriend at sixteen?” I laughed at him trying to find an answer.

“Oh, God.” He sighed. “It’s different.”

“How?”

“It just is.”

“Okay.” Better to agree; no way was I getting in the middle of this battle of theirs, interesting as it was.

“So no tips?”

“Have you met the guy?”

“I don’t know if that is wise. We probably shouldn’t meet.”

“When I started dating, my dad had to meet whoever I was with, and he was always like that.”

I thought of my father often, but I didn’t really talk about him. Talking about him stirred memories, memories of not just him but Mom too.

“Was he?”

“Yes, he was, and he’d always wear his uniform too, so they knew he carried a gun. If there was any doubt he had about the guy, he’d meet with him in his office with his gun collection.”

Come to think of it, Ryan wasn’t as much of a nightmare as Dad had been.

Ryan laughed and leaned on his elbows. “Your dad sounds cool.”

“He was.” I pulled in a breath to calm my mind. The last time I’d told anyone what had happened to my father was years ago. “He was a captain in the Marines. He died in Iraq ten years ago saving his men when they were ambushed. It was the same year he was due to retire.”

I was in my sophomore year college when it happened. It was a wonder how I’d made it through and completed my semester, let alone my degree.

Ryan immediately looked sad. His expression fell and guilt filled his eyes, most likely because of what he’d said to me the day before.

“I’m sorry that happened to you. It must have been tough.”

I nodded. “Yeah, it was.”

Ryan pressed his lips together. “I’m sorry, Brooke. That definitely is sad. I…know what loss feels like.” Sadness filled his eyes, turning them a darker shade of green. “My wife…um, she died six years ago. It was cancer, leukemia.”

I stared at him, realizing my worst thought was correct. Aria’s mom had died, and I didn’t have to be told that they hadn’t mentioned her because of the pain they must have felt.

I could see it in Ryan’s eyes.

“I’m so sorry,” I said on an exhalation.

“Thanks.”

Looking him over, I suddenly had a lot more respect for him as I put the pieces together. He’d said he had Aria when he was eighteen, and just now he’d said his wife had died. So, he’d married at an extremely young age, had a child he’d raised on his own for the last six years, and still he cared so much for her.

I didn’t know any men like that.

Aria came back into the room at that moment, phone in hand, and gave us both an uneasy look.

“Can I be excused for the evening?” she asked Ryan.

“It’s seven.”

“Exactly.”

Ryan’s voice took on a stern edge. “Why? Where are you going now?”

“Out.”

“With?” He flicked his hand over and gave her an expectant look.

“Brad. He got off work early and wants to see the new X-Men movie.”

“Brooke is our guest, Aria. You invited her to dinner and you’re just going to leave? Also, you didn’t want to see that movie with me—what makes Brad so special?”

“Are you kidding?” she snapped. “I’m not going to see a movie with you and have people thinking I’m out with some sugar daddy.”

Ryan’s mouth dropped open, and as much as I tried, I couldn’t stop myself from laughing at that one.

“Jesus Christ, Aria. What the hell? It’s X-Men.”

“Whatever, Dad. I’m going. I know what I’m talking about, and Brooke is cool with me leaving.”

I liked how she spoke for me even though I’d given her no indication as to what I thought. She definitely amused me.

“Brooke, that’s not funny.”

“This is what I have to put up with.” Aria pointed at Ryan. “See? Psycho maniac.”

“You guys are so funny. I feel like I’m at a play.”

“It’s not a play. She just called me a sugar daddy.” Even Ryan couldn’t stop himself from laughing.

“I didn’t. I said people would think that. Do you know how embarrassing it is to have to explain you’re not my college boyfriend or some man who wants to lure me away to do God knows what?”

“Just stop already.” Ryan shook his head.

“I’m going,” Aria said again.

“Hey, I get to meet this Brad person.” Ryan looked over at me and nodded.

“No—God no. Why? So you can scare him away?” Aria winced.

“I get to meet him, end of story.”

Aria actually looked over at me. “Brooke, do you see how uncool he is?”

“Yes,” I said, to Ryan’s horror. “So uncool, but then is Brad a fling?”

“A fling?” Ryan could barely say the word.

Aria looked as confused as I’d intended her to be. “A fling?”

“Yeah, ’cause you don’t have to introduce flings to anyone. If he’s not important to you then no one has to meet him. Come this weekend you’re probably going to ditch him anyway.”

“No, Brad’s not a fling. I really like Brad. I like him a lot.” She nodded.

“Oh.” I bit the inside of my lip. “Then if this guy isn’t a fling, you’ll most definitely have to introduce him to the person who matters most to you. It’s Cosmo rules.”

When Aria looked at Ryan, awe filled his eyes. Then when she got out her phone and called Brad, he looked over at me wide-eyed like I’d just worked some kind of magic.

“Brad, hey—can you come by the house? I want you to meet my dad.”