“Are you going to tell me what happened?”
When Aisha didn’t answer, she looked at Viper, who was sneaking a peek at dinner. He frowned down at the soup. From his thunderous expression, his afternoon hadn’t been much better than Aisha’s. Her husband wasn’t dealing well with his new diet.
“Don’t blame me,” he said, when he noticed her looking at him. “I was on time to pick her up.” He shrugged, going toward the refrigerator.
She looked back at Aisha’s downcast gaze, seeing the shimmer of tears in her eyes. “How was tennis practice?” She went to the refrigerator, elbowing Viper out of the way since he had his whole head practically inside. Taking out two cheese sticks, she handed one to Viper before closing the door.
“I want to quit.” She took the cheese stick out of her mother’s hand, tearing it open. “Can I go to my room now? I need to do my homework.”
“In a minute. Why do you want to quit tennis?” She rested her arms on the counter in front of Aisha.
She shrugged. “I just don’t like it anymore.”
“You liked it this weekend, when we drove three hours to watch your match.”
“That was four days ago. I just changed my mind, okay?” She had started to jump down from the stool, when Winter placed her hand on Aisha’s arm, forestalling her.
“I had lunch with Beth and Lily today. They said they were going shopping this afternoon since they had the afternoon free. John, Chance, and Noah were planning to play basketball until five. The basketball courts are next to the tennis courts. Did the boys say something to you?”
“No, they didn’t say anything at all. They were all too busy talking to the other girls to notice me. You should have seen them, Mom! Chance took his shirt off.” Aisha climbed off her stool, imitating how the boys were playing basketball.
Winter and Viper grinned as Aisha winked at imaginary girls. That was Noah, the ladies’ man. Then she dribbled a pretend basketball and acted like she was swishing it in a basket. She cockily jutted out her chin, pointing at the imaginary girls. That was Chance, the playboy.
Their faces became stoic as Aisha climbed back on the stool.
“What did John do?”
“He wasn’t playing. He said his leg was hurting. He was talking to Robin. His leg seemed fine when he walked to his mom’s car.”
“Oh…” Winter started to ask Viper what he thought about the boys’ behavior, but he was already sliding off his stool.
“When’s dinner going to be done?” he asked, throwing the cheese wrapper in the trashcan.
“In an hour.”
How could he be so oblivious? Their daughter was in the throes of her first crush, and he was worried about food!
“I’m going to go take a shower and let you two have some girl time.”
Viper made his escape despite Winter wiggling her eyebrows that he should stay. He took the steps two at a time.
Coward! she silently fumed, as she listened to how Aisha thought boys were stupid. Sadly, she agreed.
“It’s not bothered you before, how the boys flirt with girls—”
“I don’t care who Noah or Chance flirt with.”
“Oh, so it’s just John you’re angry with?”
“You should have seen him, Mom.” Aisha’s hurt expression, tugged on Winter’s mothering instinct. “He never looks at me the way he did Robin today.”
“How does he treat you?”
“He thinks I’m like one of the guys. They all do,” Aisha answered. “Not one of the boys invited me to go to the spring dance, and Ema got asked by three.”
“That might have something to do with Viper. All the boys at school know how protective he is. It can be a little intimidating.”
“Uncle Cash had his brass knuckles on when her date came to pick Ema up. His father tried to talk him out of taking her, but he did anyway.”
Cash had always been excessive where Ema was concerned. Hell, all the men were. Even Lucky made one of his daughter’s boyfriends go to bible school before church before he would let him talk to his daughter. Winter searched her mind for a way to soothe her hurt feelings. Unfortunately, Aisha came up with her own plan before she could.
“Could you ask Sex Piston if she will cut my hair and go shopping with us?”
Winter blanched. Viper wouldn’t even let Aisha wear mascara. No way would he let the woman give his daughter a makeover.
Thankfully, Viper came jogging down the steps at that moment. “Dinner ready?”
“Yes.”
His appearance had bought her time to make up an excuse for why Sex Piston would never be allowed to work her magic on Aisha. Men had been known to propose after a woman had been given the Sex Piston treatment.
Winter was filling the soup bowls, when someone knocked on the door. Her hands were full, so she expected Viper to answer the door but he sat down on the stool next to Aisha.
“Get that for me, sweet girl?”
Aisha immediately slipped off the stool at her father’s request.