And it’s the wrong one.

Jason is smiling down at me when I open the door.  I have to work hard to keep the disappointment from showing on my face or registering in my voice.

“Jason! What brings you out in this weather?”

He holds up a white paper bag that looks heavy.  “I brought soup. Thought you might like a little chowder for dinner.  It’s perfect on a snowy night.”

Shit.

I plaster on a smile.  “Oh, well…how thoughtful. Thank you.”  I start to take the bag from him, but he holds it aloft.

“Let me fix it.  You have to layer it with crackers juuust right or it ruins the flavor.”

Soup that has to be layered?  Is he really using that as an excuse to come and eat dinner with me?

“Well, uh, Emmy and I were just getting ready to…”  What?  Eat?  Yes, we were.  And now he’s here with food. That’s not a good excuse. And I’m a terrible liar.  So I just give up.  Seems like I’m stuck for the moment.  “We were just deciding on what to eat, so your timing is perfect.  Come in,” I say mildly, standing back so he can enter.

From the back of the couch, her favorite perch, Emmy eyes Jason suspiciously.  Her thumb isn’t in her mouth. Yet.

“Hiya, sweetie,” he says amicably enough. He doesn’t try too hard to get her to talk or to get close to her, which I appreciate. I’d have no choice but to get stern with him–and fast–if he did that.

Jason walks into the kitchen like he’s been here a thousand times.  He slips off his coat and tosses it over a chair at the table and then takes bowls from the cabinet, bowls which have probably been in the same spot for years.  He whistles as he spoons out soup into each bowl, covers it with toppings from the bag, and then more soup on top.  “Gotta let them sit for a few minutes. Why don’t you fix us something to drink?”

“Oh, sorry.”  The whole situation makes me slightly uncomfortable, like being in the kitchen with a boy who’s too touchy.

I squeeze past Jason to reach for glasses.  He doesn’t bother moving to give me room, but rather leans back just enough to brush up against me as I stretch, ribbing me with his elbow.  “This is nice, right?”

I smile, but say nothing, already thinking to myself that I’ll have to curtail this situation, even if it makes him mad. I’d really rather not do that, but…he’s leaving me no choice.

“I have milk or sweet tea.  Or water,” I announce.

“Sweet tea? You are from the south.”  I don’t answer, just keep smiling.  That’s my plan for the night–just keep smiling until this is over. Then I can figure out how to avoid him in the future.  “I’ll have milk.”

I pour each of us a glass of milk and set the table.  He hasn’t said he’s staying to eat and I haven’t asked, but at this point, I think it’s pretty much implied.

Supper passes smoothly for the most part.  Jason is like an oven, only rather than self-cleaning, he’s self-entertaining.  All I have to do is smile and nod and he takes care of the rest. His favorite topic of conversation is anything that involves him.  And he’s well-versed in the subject, his stories flowing endlessly from one accomplishment or anecdote to another.  All centering around himself.

Emmy actually eats most of her soup.  She hardly looks up, but at least she isn’t sucking her thumb.  I see her slide her eyes toward Jason often, though, like she’s making sure he’s not going to reach out and grab her.  Sadly, I feel the same way, almost.  When she finishes eating, she turns her pleading eyes to me and I tip my head toward the living room, silently excusing her from further torture.

I wait for Jason to take a breath before interrupting.  “I hate to cut this short, but I don’t have anything for dessert. I really need to get Emmy ready for bed anyway.”

Jason checks his watch.  “This early?”

“She’s a little girl. She likes to play when she takes a bath.  Not be rushed.”

“Oh, I know how you women are with your baths,” he says, unperturbed.

I resist the urge to roll my eyes at his insinuation. Like he’s got sooo much experience with the ladies.

I laugh, although for the most part, it lacks any actual humor.  “We sure do.”

“Sure you don’t want me to stay and clean up while you’re tending to her?  I’d be happy to.”

“That’s nice of you, but I’ll take care of it.  Not that much to do anyway.”

“Well, I can at least take my dishes to the sink,” he says, standing.

I put my hand on his forearm.  “Nope. I insist. You brought the food. The least I can do is clean up.”

He grins.  “Oh, so you’re one of those types of women.”

“And what type is that?”

“The type who likes to be equal.  In everything.”

The light in his eyes, the suggestive tone…they send apprehension skittering down my spine.  I clear my throat and slide around the other end of the table toward the door.  “Well, thank you again for the soup. Emmy and I really appreciate it.”

Jason grabs his jacket and throws it over his shoulder. I’m sure it’s meant to be a rakish gesture, but it just creeps me out.  He just creeps me out, actually.

“I’ll come back by to check on you tomorrow. Supposed to drop into the single digits tonight and I notice that you don’t even have a fire going,” he says, tipping his head toward the empty fireplace.

“I wasn’t sure it was functional and I forgot to ask.”

“It’s functional.  Cole keeps the chimney swept.  But you probably don’t even have any wood.  I can bring you some and–”

“Don’t go to any more trouble on my account.  We’ll be fine. I’ll give you a call in a couple of days just to let you know we’re fine.”

If that’s what it takes–the promise of calling him–to get him off my back, I’m happy to do it.

“Okay, okay, Ms. Independent,” he teases.

I open the door for him.  “Thanks again, Jason.”

“It was my pleasure.”  Again, his tone…and the way he emphasizes the word “pleasure”…ack!

I barely wait for him to clear the jamb before I close the door.  I slump against the cool wood, glad that he’s finally gone. My relief is shortlived, however, when I hear the sick raarrr raarrr raarrr of his engine struggling to turn over.  “No, no, no,” I mutter, hoping against hope that he’s not having car trouble.

But when I hear the thud of a slamming door and the clomp of stomping feet, I know I’m not getting my wish.  I’m expecting the knock when I hear it this time. With a sigh, I open the door, plastering another smile on my face.

At least Jason has the good sense to look sheepish.  “My truck won’t start. I’m low on gas. My guess is that the water in it froze.”

“Really?  That quickly?”

He shrugs. “It happens.”  I say nothing. He says nothing. We just stare at each other until finally he asks, “Can I come in?”

“Of course,” I say, biting back my exasperation.  “Do you need to use the phone to call someone?”

“There’s only one tow service in town and they’re probably gone.  And that leaves only Jordan. I hate to get her out after dark, though.”

I grit my teeth.  “I can take you before I put Emmy in the bath tub.”

“No, I’d hate for you to get stuck out in this weather.  It’ll warm up in the morning, if–”

That’s enough to piss me off.  “I’m sorry, but you can’t stay here, Jason. I have a child and she needs a quiet, predictable environment.”

“It would just be for one night. I could sleep on the couch.”

Could?  Could?? What the hell else other option did you think I’d entertain?

“I’m sorry, but you’ll have to make other arrangements.”

My tone is stern and I’d be willing to bet my expression has lost a lot of its feigned pleasantness.

“Okay, okay. I understand,” he says amiably.  “Can I at least wait inside until Jordan gets here?”

Whether or not he’s trying to make me feel like a douche, I don’t know, but I do.  I’m not that coldhearted.  “Of course you can.”