A Little Dare - Brenda Jackson [49]
“Well, I guess that’s settled,” Shelly said, smiling at Dare and the son he had given her. “I’d better get going if I want to make my hair appointment on time.” She turned to leave.
“Shelly?”
She turned back around. “Yes?”
“I almost forgot to mention that Mom called this morning. She heard from Laney last night. She, Jamal and the baby are coming for a visit in a couple of weeks and will stay for about two months. Then they will be moving to stay at their place in Bowling Green, Kentucky while Laney completes her residency at the hospital there.”
Shelly smiled. When she’d last seen Dare’s baby sister, Delaney was just about to turn sixteen and the brothers were having a time keeping the young men away. Now she had graduated from medical school and had landed herself a prince from the Middle East. She was a princess and the mother to a son who would one day grow up to be a king. “That’s wonderful! I can’t wait to see her again.”
Dare grinned. “And she can’t wait to see you, either. Mom told her that you had moved back and she was excited about it.”
Without having to worry about AJ, Shelly decided to throw in a pedicure after getting her hair and nails done. Upon returning home, she collapsed on the bed and took a nap. The lack of sleep the night before still had her tired. After waking up, she was about to go outside on the porch and sit in the swing when she heard a knock at the door. She glanced through the peephole and saw it was Dare and AJ. Both of them had their hands and, faces smeared with what looked like motor oil. She frowned. If they thought they were coming inside her house looking like that, they had another thought coming.
“Go around back,” she instructed, opening the door just a little ways. “I’ll bring you washcloths and a scrub brush to clean up. You can also use the hose.” She then quickly closed the door.
She met them in the backyard where they were using the hose to wash oil from their hair. It was then that she noticed several oil spots on AJ’s outfit as well. “What on earth happened?”
“Storm happened,” Dare grumbled, taking the shampoo and towel she handed him. His frown indicated he wasn’t all that happy about it either. “You know how he likes to play around? Well, for some reason he decided to fill a water gun with motor oil, and AJ and I became his victims.”
She shifted her gaze from Dare to AJ. Whereas Dare was not a happy camper because of Storm’s childish antics, it seemed AJ was just the opposite. “Storm is so much fun!” He said, laughing. “He told me all about how he had to save this little old lady from a burning house once.”
Shelly smiled. “Well, I’m glad you enjoyed yourself, but those clothes can stay out here. In fact, we may as well trash them.”
AJ nodded. “Storm said to tell you that he’s going to buy me another outfit and he’ll call to find out when he can take me shopping.”
Shelly crossed her arms over her chest and lifted a brow. “Oh, he did, did he?”
“Yes.”
She shifted her gaze back to Dare. “What are we going to do about that brother of yours?”
Dare shrugged, smiling. “What can I do? I guess we could try marrying him off, except so far there’s not a woman around who suits his fancy except for Tara, but she’s Thorn’s challenge.”
A bemused look covered Shelly face. “What?”
“Tara Matthews. She’s Laney’s friend—a doctor who works at the same hospital in Kentucky where Delaney plans to complete her residency. I’ll explain about her being Thorn’s challenge at another time.”
Shelly nodded, planning to hold him to that. She glanced down at her watch. “I was about to cook burgers and fries, if anyone is interested.”
Dare looked pleased. “Only if you let me grill the burgers.”
“And I’ll help,” AJ chimed in, volunteering his services.
Shelly shook her head. “All right, and I’ll cook the fries and make some potato salad and baked beans to go along with it. How does that sound?”
“That sounds great, Mom.”
Shelly nodded, liking the excitement she heard in her son’s voice. “Dare?”
He chuckled. “I agree with AJ. That sounds great.”
Dare