Page 98 of The Last Second Chance
She enjoyed it, the meal preparation for more than just herself. Cooking for others had always held a secret kind of pleasure for her. And just because this was a mid-morning break from hard labor didn’t mean she shouldn’t fuss a little.
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Jax droveColby and his younger brother Brody up to Joey’s house, stopping at the skinny shovel-cleared path to the front door. Three semi-frozen men looking for a hot meal and a reason to take off their boots poured out of the Jeep and up the porch steps.
He opened the front door to twelve dancing feet as the dogs swarmed them.
Joey waved a greeting with a spatula from the kitchen. “Grab some coffee, guys. Breakfast’ll be ready in a minute.”
They shucked off snowy layers and hung them on the drying rack Joey had thoughtfully set up inside the door.
“How’s the farm?” Joey asked from the stove.
“Under an avalanche, but I think we got a good bit cleared,” Colby answered, making a beeline for the coffee.
“Creamer’s in the fridge if you want any,” Jax said, remembering the bottle Joey had him buy yesterday.
He made a move to drop a kiss on Joey’s cheek and she dodged him. He bit back a sigh at her shyness. An audience shouldn’t matter, and the fact that she was still acting like this was a casual fling was going to start pissing him off.
He took in the spread she’d laid out on the island. A stack of piping hot waffles with—dear lord, was that bacon?—sat next to the tray that she was dumping perfectly browned sausage links onto. A jar of homemade strawberry jam was open next to the toaster and a loaf of bread. Creamy grits topped with cheese and hot sauce warmed on the stove.
This was love. This was how Joey showed her heart. Baking and cooking. Feeding the ones she cared about. For years, she’d squirreled away little bags of cookies for him. Every dessert she’d ever brought to family get-togethers, it was all her heart she was serving up. He wondered if she knew it. If she realized that with every waffle, every sausage link, every perfect cup of coffee, she was saying “I love you.”
His father’s words ran through his head.I’d learned long ago that actions spoke louder than words…
Maybe it was time for him to find a better way to tell her he loved her.
Brody poured himself a glass of orange juice from the pitcher and pulled out a barstool to sit. His straw colored hair stuck up at all angles after swiping off the orange knit cap.
“This looks awesome, Jo,” he told her.
“Thanks, Bro,” she winked.
The tops of his hormonal, teenage ears pinked up.
Jax rolled his eyes at Colby. He remembered what it was like to be eighteen and knew the thoughts that were rolling around in there, especially where Joey Greer was concerned.
His phone vibrated in the back pocket of his jeans. It was a text from Carter with screenshots of Blue Moon’s Facebook group, all snowy scenes from downtown.
Your pants are on fire.
Jax smirked. He fired back a response.
That’s the only thing keeping my balls from freezing while I dig your farm out from under eight feet of snow.
Carter’s reply came quickly.
Not sure whether to say fuck you or thank you.
Jax laughedand passed his phone to Joey so she could read the texts while he loaded up a plate of heavenly breakfast. He’d show her in kind. And, in doing so, would give a nod to his father’s insights on how to love a stubborn woman.
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With the bulkof the snow cleared from the essential access points of the farm by early afternoon, Jax sent Colby and Brody home and set about cleaning up the fresh snowfall. Carter had texted him so many times that Jax finally left his phone in the Jeep and enjoyed the blissful solitude.
The snow was finally starting to taper off, and with it the work. With breakfast far behind them, lunch was sounding like a better and better idea. And it would be the perfect opportunity to drag Joey away from work to surprise her with a little slice of fun.
What would be more romantic than a blizzard picnic?
