Page 74 of Bad Medicine

“Toast with peanut butter and bananas on top.” Jasper chatted away as he sat down by the door, sliding his feet into his little shoes.

They were on the wrong feet, but Linny helpfully sorted him out, smiling as he continued to talk away.

“Rocco said dat bananas and peanut butter are king food.”

I chuckled at the confused looks the women shot me.

“TheKing, buddy. Elvis was known as The King.”

“Dat’s what I said,” he insisted.

“Rocco fed you?” Mia asked before turning to me. “You fed him?”

“I mean, yeah.” I shrugged. “He’s human. I assumed he’d like what I’d normally like, so we worked it out. Didn’t we, buddy?”

“Sure did.”

She looked at me then, like I was an alien from another planet or something, before blinking a few times and saying, “Thank you.”

“No problem, Doc. A man’s gotta eat,” I replied roughly, suddenly feeling the need to take her back upstairs and show her all the other things I felt like eating.

Linny cleared her throat, and I smiled as a blush crept up Mia’s neck and spread across her cheeks.

“Well, we’ll just be on our way, then, won’t we, Jas?”

“Bye, Mom,” he said, rushing over and squeezing her quickly. “Love you.” He dashed for the door, paused, then turned around to look at me and added, “Bye, Rocco,” before he disappeared outside.

Well, shit. If that wasn’t the cutest fuckin’ thing ever.

Mia stared at the door for a moment after it closed, lost in thought about something or other, before turning to survey the kitchen.

“Right,” she said decisively, and began moving the dishes to the sink and filling it was hot water.

“Hold off on that, Doc.” I reached past her, turning off the tap. “You don’t need to bother with the dishes.”

“I really do,” she insisted, pushing up her sleeves. “If anyone expects to eat again tomorrow, I have to clean the dishes today.”

“I know. But if you wait just a bit, the plumber will be here in an hour to install the new dishwasher.”

“Rocco!” Mia gaped at me, her eyes wide. “I can’t afford a plumber right now.” Turning back to the sink, she started the water again.

“Maybe not,” I said, once again shutting the water off. “But I can.” Placing my hand on her ass and giving a squeeze, I chuckled. “Don’t worry about it, Doc.”

Mia stiffened under my touch, and I froze.

Okay, she was mad.

I hadn’t expected her to gush and fawn over my actions like a simpering girl, but her anger was honestly surprising.

Mia rounded on me, eyebrows pulled low.

“What the hell, Rocco? What did you do?”

“Relax, woman. It’s just a dishwasher. You needed it, so I got it.” I shrugged, crossing my arms over my chest. “It’s not a big deal.”

“Rocco,” Mia huffed, throwing her arms in the air as the doorbell rang. “It’s the biggest of deals.”

Uh, if she was pissed about the dishwasher, she was gonna fuckin’ blow over what was coming next.