Page 65 of The Sweet Life

Jake looped the last of the fairy lights from one tree branch to another above the tables they’d set out in the backyard. According to Sage, the fairy lights were more for the aesthetic than for actual light. It seemed a very un-Sage-like thing to say or even think, but she’d been investigating natural methods to level out emotions in stressful situations. Jake voted for alcohol and lots of it, but Sage had vetoed his suggestion.

He glanced to where she was placing battery-operated lanterns on the tables in case her family didn’t finish up the body scrubs, body butters, and massage oils before it got dark. The three products were apparently the farm’s most popular items.

Jake climbed down from the ladder and was rewarded with a kiss on his cheek when he joined Sage at the table. “Thanks for all your help.”

“We’re a team, remember,” he said, then decided he had to give it one last try. “Are you sure this is a good idea? There’s still time to cancel, you know.”

“Why would I cancel? We need the products, and myfamily needs to figure out how we’re going to deal with my fath—I mean Aaron.”

His chest tightened at her attempt to cover her slip. No matter how much Sage denied it, she wanted to meet her father, and that worried him. There was no excuse for Aaron Abbott not having contacted his daughter in all those years. He was a deadbeat, and Sage deserved so much better. Jake didn’t want her hurt but knew he couldn’t protect her. She’d have to find out for herself.

“You know your family better than I do, sweetheart, but less than twenty-four hours ago, your mother and aunt were going at it on Instagram Live. It might be better to do it Sunday like you’d originally planned.”

“Yes, but you said that in your experience, Aaron would probably contact us within the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours.” She put her hands on her hips. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Because you actually listened to me—and you think I’m right. Are you surprised I looked shocked?”

He was shocked, just not for the reason he’d given her. He was shocked by the raw hope in her voice, the naked desire on her face. Her need to meet her father was even stronger than he’d first suspected.

He shouldn’t be surprised, though. Look how he’d reacted when his own father had called him from prison. After years of abuse, he’d still held out hope that they might have a healthy father-and-son relationship.

“Oh, okay. It didn’t look like a shocked expression to me, but whatever. You’ve proven you’re an excellent investigator. I have no reason to doubt you.” She tapped her finger on his lips.“And don’t think I missed the lip twitch when you mentioned my mom and aunt going at it on Instagram. You watched it again when I went to the market, didn’t you?”

He wrapped his finger around hers and brought it to his lips, giving it a teasing nip before kissing it. “I did, and I gotta say, I don’t blame your mom. But I kind of saw Cami’s side too.”

She crossed her arms over her chest, distracting him. She wore one of his white shirts tied at her waist and a pair of worn denim shorts with her sneakers. She looked gorgeous and relaxed. These past few days away from work had done her a world of good. He only hoped that between him and her family, they could get her to stay the entire six weeks. He didn’t fool himself into thinking he could convince her to resign from Forbes, Poole, and Russell.

“What are you talking about? I watched it too, remember?”

“Then you heard your mom thank the audience on behalf of her, Carmen, and Eva. She left out Cami, and I think your aunt’s feelings were hurt.”

“Cami had no part in La Dolce Vita or the new product line.”

“Sweetheart, she grew up at the restaurant the same as your mom and aunt. She worked there too, from what I’ve heard.” He shrugged. “I could be completely off base, but she might feel like, if it weren’t for your mom, she would have been part of their product line from the beginning. They started it nine months ago, and Cami was back in their lives by then, wasn’t she? And it’s not like your mom hasn’t let her know in myriad ways that she wishes she’d stayed in LA.”

“You’re very annoying, you know.”

He drew her into his arms and nuzzled her neck. “That’s not what you told me this morning or last night. I think you said—”

She covered his mouth with her palm. “I don’t need you repeating what I said in the heat of the moment in the cold light of day.”

“It’s pretty cute when you act like a prude.” He teased her because she was far from a prude in bed.

“Behave,” she murmured, even while she tilted her neck to the side to give him better access.

At the hitch in her breath, he smiled against her warm, fragrant skin. “The body butter smells good on you.” He nipped her neck. “And it felt really good rubbing it on you after your shower. We should try the massage oil tonight.”

“It’s your turn tonight, remember?”

“I definitely vote for the massage oil then.” He leaned back. “You know, if you cancel your family, we could get started on that right away.”

She smiled up at him. “Too late. I hear a car coming up the road.”

He angled his head. She was right. He couldn’t believe he’d missed it. It was second nature for him to be attuned to his surroundings. Not just because he’d been special forces. When you were raised by abusive parents, you were always on alert. Maybe his body and mind sensed he no longer needed to be hypervigilant. Or maybe Carmen was right, and there was something magical about this place.

“Let’s hope the lavender puts everyone in a relaxed state of mind.”

“It would take a miracle for my…” She looked around.“Jake, Alice’s celebration, it has to be here, not at the Smoke Shack or the beach. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before.”

---