From Dinner to Adventure

Lasagna had never tasted so good to Colin.

"Um, this is delicious!" he praised with genuine enthusiasm, surprising himself almost as much as the pleasant flavor of the dish.

"Really? I'm so happy!" Angela beamed.

Olivia had introduced herself, but he had only learned the other sister's name by accident during a conversation—she had been too busy in the kitchen for small courtesies. Still, she was very polite and well-mannered.

Colin was surprised, given that kids these days—whatever their generation was called—were supposed to be unruly.

Certainly, the three kids of his neighbor were a nightmare—loud, rude, and ill-behaved. He had often overheard them talking back to the elderly woman living below. Luckily, he rarely had to deal with them himself, as he usually got home either late at night or when they were in school (or watching cartoons, because he suspected that all three of them couldn't care less about school).

The politeness of the Lipski sisters surprised him even more, given that everything indicated the girls had no parents and were being raised by their uncle, who looked more like their older brother.

Interesting. What happened to their parents? Colin wasn't a nosy person, but he wasn't entirely free from ordinary human curiosity either. But it wasn't his business, he told himself. Every family has its problems, its secrets, and its tragedies.

Still, these girls were truly adorable and deserved a compliment when it was due.

"Yes," he smiled politely. "I have to admit, I'm not the biggest fan of Italian cuisine. I'm more of a potato guy than a pasta guy, but you really surprised me. Honestly, the lasagna was excellent."

"Potato guy," Angela pulled out a small notebook and jotted something down. Was this little one seriously planning to adjust the whole family's diet to his preferences?

Apparently, the question showed on his face because:

"Relax," Brad chuckled, swallowing the bite he had in his mouth. "Potatoes are our friend. Rice comes second. Only after that, pasta and grains. And right next to potatoes—there's meat."

"White meat," Olivia added solemnly. "And broccoli."

"And spinach," Angela chimed in. "A diet needs to be balanced. I can't let Uncle lose his shape or strength. He has to be in top condition when he decides to go back to the track."

"The track?" Colin recalled what Stacy had mentioned. "I heard you used to be a race car driver?"

"A long time ago," Brad waved his hand dismissively, clearly not eager to continue the topic. "Now I work as a jack of all trades."

So he didn't have a stable job. That didn't exactly shock Colin. Brad gave off the impression of a free spirit, a guy who wasn't easily tied down. Stone couldn't even pinpoint why he felt that way—it wasn't anything specific, just… an aura he radiated? A man to whom the whole world belonged. A restless soul. After all, he himself had mentioned earlier that he had no idea where to settle down permanently.

And yet, now he seemed fairly settled. Well, except for his job, which was definitely not stable. If he missed his old wandering life, he wasn't showing it.

Curious. Why wasn't he racing anymore? An injury? Was he not good enough? Or did it have something to do with raising the girls?

Hm. Despite his initial, somewhat dangerous impression, Brad seemed like a pretty decent guy.

"Is that why you were the one to pick me up?"

"Well, that, and because I made a deal with the mayor that you'd be staying with us. Who else but the host should bring you home?"

That was actually a fair point.

"This is a very beautiful house," Colin complimented. "Well-maintained. Keeping it clean must be quite a challenge."

"You have no idea. The whole house is on my shoulders," Brad sighed—perhaps a little dramatically, probably just to tease the girls, since they both turned to him like he was public enemy number one.

"Uncle, how can you say that?" Angela protested.

"We do our share of the chores," Olivia added. "If you keep talking like that, we'll report you for child abuse and forced labor."

Brad put on such an innocent, wounded expression that Colin was glad he didn't have anything in his mouth at that moment. He barely suppressed a laugh.

"Me? Your beloved uncle?"

"You mean our only uncle," Olivia's gaze was terrifying. She was holding a fork that looked far more menacing than a regular dining utensil—at least in combination with her expression. "So? Will you confess the truth to Dr. Stone?"

"I confess," Brad dropped his head in mock defeat. "The girls help me." Then, lowering his voice to almost a whisper: "A little."

"What was that? I didn't quite catch it," Olivia's face remained darkly ominous.

"I only said that you are truly a wonderful help. Right, Dr. Stone?"

"Absolutely." Faced with the threat of a sulking girl, Colin bravely chose male solidarity.

"Olivia, come on," Angela pleaded. "Uncle is just teasing us."

Olivia glanced toward Colin as if trying to gauge his reaction. She quickly lowered her gaze to her plate and resumed eating before adding, "But we're already old enough to take care of the house on our own. And besides, we'll be adults soon."

Not that soon, Stone thought. Why do kids always want to grow up so fast?

"That doesn't mean we'll stop being a family or needing each other," Brad replied, surprisingly warm and gentle. That tone shouldn't have fit with his black, tousled hair, his black T-shirt, and his overall air of danger—yet it suited him perfectly. Lipski must really love his nieces.

"Anyway," Brad switched back to his lighter tone, "as long as you're in high school, focus on your studies. Yes, I appreciate how hardworking and responsible you both are. Angela is great in the kitchen, but Olivia is amazing at managing finances. She's the sharpest mind in this household."

The compliment brightened the girl's expression, and once again, she sneaked a glance at Colin. Stone hoped she wasn't developing a crush on him. That it was just curiosity. Kids weren't his thing. Neither were women.

"Uncle's not stupid either," she said softly. "He just acts like a spoiled child sometimes."

What the hell? She went from attacking Brad to admiring him in a split second? Teenagers. Guess they were all like that. Colin had no family to know for sure. He didn't visit friends who had kids, either. He wasn't a pediatrician, so professionally, he only dealt with adults. In general, he just didn't care for children. Or teenagers. Not for any specific reason. Just… he didn't. Well, maybe the neighbor's kids had something to do with it. He didn't hate them, he just thought his life was complicated enough without them.

Her comment was about to go unanswered when Brad's phone rang just as he was opening his mouth. He reached for it.

"Lucky for you, brat, I have to take this," he said, standing up from the table.

Meanwhile, Olivia turned her full attention to Colin Stone.

Her stare was a little too intense, he decided.

Get a grip, he scolded himself. She's just a teenager, curious about the new guy in town. All teenagers are curious.

"Do you have a girlfriend, Dr. Stone?"

Wow. That question came out of nowhere.

"A girlfriend?" he smiled awkwardly. Was she asking because she was interested in him? That would be awkward. Should he lie to avoid further questions? Just admit he was gay? He really didn't want people to see him only through the lens of his sexuality rather than his skills. But he also wasn't going to hide something he wasn't ashamed of. "Actually, I'm—"

"Doctor, we have to go!" Brad cut in. "Sorry, but there was a bar fight, and we've got injured people. They started early tonight."

Colin was on his feet instantly.

"I'll just grab my bag—"

"Take a jacket too, it's getting cold. I'll meet you at the car."

Olivia's question was left behind at the table, completely forgotten as Colin Stone focused solely on whether he'd find stab wounds at the scene.