Julie followed Clay into a kitchen that anyone who loved to cook would die for. Her eyes automatically went to the huge gas stove and she sighed. She loved to cook. Knowing she was probably gaping like an idiot, she glanced at Clay, who stood quietly watching her.
"Beautiful kitchen." She nodded, then closed her mouth, feeling so out of place she wanted to run. Instead, she stood firm like she always did. "What does your brother like to eat?"
Clay didn't say anything for a few seconds, but then moved toward the beautiful stainless steel double-door refrigerator with a bottom drawer freezer. Yeah, she needed to get a life.
"I have someone come in and cook daily." Clay pulled out a covered plate, taking the foil off it before placing it in the microwave. While the food was being nuked, Clay grabbed a bed tray and set it on the island, which came complete with a sink.
Julie mentally snapped herself out of her cooking fantasy to watch Clay, and thought maybe the cooking fantasy would be much safer than the other fantasy playing at the edge of her mind. He had always been too handsome for his own good, but as a man he had a dangerous air about him that set her on edge.
She had wondered if he would remember her from high school, and hadn't got her hopes up that he would, so she felt no disappointment. Well, maybe just a little bit. She wasn't the type one remembered. Plain Julie Daniels never turned any heads in her high school days. Hell, who was she kidding? She didn't turn heads period, and she was cool with that. Life was easier that way.
She watched as he put the food on the tray, along with utensils and what looked like iced tea. Before he picked the tray up, she walked over. "I can take it."
"I've got it." His voice was deep with a tone used to giving orders.
"Mr. Marshall." She reached for the tray again, but he moved it out of her grasp. "It's Clay, and I said I've got it." He nodded toward the door, as if expecting her to obey his orders.
She was better at giving orders than taking them, so she just stood in his way, staring up at him. "You are going to have to trust me to take care of your brother." She reached for the tray again, but he refused to give it up. "I think we have been over this before, about five minutes ago."
"I don't have a trust issue with you," he replied, also standing his ground holding the food tray. "Bo has never been violent, but his current state is questionable and I will not put you in harm's way."
"He won't hurt me," Julie replied, trying her best to ignore the tingling in her stomach at his protective words. She knew deep down he probably just didn't want to be sued.
"No, he won't." His eyes promised something she couldn't quite read, but it was gone as he looked down at the plate of food. "If you are going to get him to eat anything, I suggest we stop this argument you will lose, and get his food to him before it gets cold."
Julie opened her mouth, but then snapped it closed with a sigh. "Well fine, but put it down for a second. I need to cut up the meat and put it where I want it first."
He eyed her for a second before doing what he was told. "So, when I called Blind Faith, it was your sister I was talking to?"
"Yes." Julie nodded, concentrating on cutting the tender chicken breast into pieces.
"I remember you from high school, but not your sister." His deep voice filled the room, but that wasn't what made her drop the knife, causing a loud, embarrassing clang. He remembered her.
Picking up the knife quickly, her eyes flashed to him for a second before she focused back on the food. "She went to the Texas Institute for the Blind. Jessica was born legally blind," she replied, still reeling that he remembered her. "After she graduated, she wanted to open a place that helped anyone who was blind, so that's how Blind Faith came about."
"You both come highly recommended." He picked the tray back up as soon as she was finished and headed out the door.
She raised her eyebrows at that, but kept quiet as she again followed him out of the room and up the stairs to Bo's room. Moving in front of him, she knocked on the door and rolled her eyes as Bo said, "Go the fuck away."
"No can do," she called as she opened the door. Glancing toward him, she was pleasantly surprised to see he had put on a shirt, even if it was inside out. "Hope you're hungry."
"I thought I told you to get out," Bo grumbled, trying his best to look intimidating while lying in bed.
"And I told you to make me, and until you do that you'll just have to deal." Julie turned to take the tray Clay still held. "I'm going to set your tray across you."
"I'm not hungry," he grumbled, but his stomach growled loudly, indicating he was lying.
"Is that so?" Julie replied, heading to the side of the bed.
"I don't like you." Bo's tone wasn't as hateful as before, but still held a little heat.