Fit for the Job by Darien Cox Page B

sucks,” Sassy said, falling back in her chair. “I had fun today, I don’t want to stay home tomorrow.”
    Jay got an idea, one he thought was a stroke of genius until he saw Evelyn’s face. “Want to go camping this weekend, Sassy?”
    Evelyn looked like she’d sucked on a lemon. “Camping? You’re kidding, right?”
    “It’s her birthday,” Jay said. “She should do something fun.”
    “How is that exercise?” Bodie asked, turning to look at Jay.
    Jay had to pry his gaze away from Bodie’s beautiful eyes. “Not just camping. There’s this river route in Massachusetts, just over the border. We take two vehicles, park one at one end of the river, then take two canoes on the other vehicle, and drive back to start of the river at the other end. Then we canoe down. It’s cool, I promise, I’ve done it with my friends tons of times. We’ll stop halfway, then a short hike up to this clearing in the pines and camp out for the night. In the morning we hike back down, canoe the rest of the way, and we’re done.”
    Bodie scowled.
    Jay bumped Bodie’s shoulder with his, the first time he’d risked touching him directly. “Canoeing. Hiking. Exercise.”
    “I wanna do it!” Sassy said, brightening.
    “I hate camping,” Evelyn said, frowning as she picked at her calamari. “Bugs.” She shuddered.
    “How can someone like you be afraid of bugs?” Jay asked. “I thought you did outdoor sports.”
    “Just...” She waved a hand at him. “Don’t even ask.”
    “You’re talking about an overnight,” Bodie said. “I’d have to clear it with Eben.”
    “Oh, fucking hell,” Sassy said.
    “Stop swearing,” Bodie said.
    “Fuck you, Bodie. My father will say no.”
    “You don’t know that,” Bodie said. He looked at Sassy, who’d gone into a sulk. “I’ll try to talk him into it, okay?”
    Sassy looked at Bodie, surprise evident in her expression.
    “I’ll try, I promise,” he said.
    Sassy’s cheeks dimpled with a smile. “Okay. Thanks, Bodie.”
    Bodie made a show of being suddenly interested in his food, but Jay could see the smile in his eyes. It was the happiest Jay had seen him look, and he wondered when the last time Sassy had smiled at Bodie was. It likely didn’t happen often.
    “I want something in return,” Jay said to Sassy.
    Sassy flounced back in her chair. “Oh here we go. What now?”
    “You have to play tennis with me tomorrow.”
    Evelyn grinned at Sassy. “Go on, Sass. Play tennis with him. It’ll be fun to kick his ass.”
    “Don’t patronize me,” Sassy said.
    “Okay,” Evelyn said. “If you’re scared he’s better than you.”
    Sassy frowned at her. “Please. I’m a bit old for the reverse psychology thing.”
    Jay sighed, shaking his head. “I guess you don’t want to do the canoeing camping trip then.”
    “That’s not fair!” Sassy said.
    Jay raised his eyebrows at her. “Well?”
    “Okay, I’ll play tennis with you. But I’m not going easy on you, so I hope your cardiovascular system is up to par, queenie.”
    Jay laughed. “What time do you want to play?”
    He grudgingly remembered he had his nephew’s birthday barbeque at his brother, Paul’s house tomorrow. Capello family barbeques were kind of a big deal, and he’d promised he’d be there. But if it conflicted with his current job duties, well, the family would just have to understand.
    “I don’t care,” Sassy said. “But I like to sleep late.”
    Jay poked at his food. “I’m supposed to go to this family barbecue thing tomorrow afternoon, but that’s not until two. But I can skip it if need be, no big deal.”
    Bodie glanced at Jay. “You should go. Eben didn’t hire you to work twenty-four hours a day.”
    “Yeah, you should go,” Sassy said. “We can play tennis earlier. It won’t take me that long to kick your ass.”
    Jay grinned. “Okay. Thanks, Sassy.”
    “Can I go?” she asked.
    Jay paused, and met her eyes. “Go where?”
    “To the barbecue with