Page 34 of No More Secrets
“Well, Summer, you’re in for a treat. First wheatgrass is on the house,” Julia winked.
“I’m anxious to try liquid grass.” Summer sat, as Julia cut spears of green grass from a potted flat on the counter.
“Summer’s here doing an article on the farm,” Jax said, taking the seat next to her.
“I know,” Julia winked. “But I find it incredibly rude when strangers skip over the whole introduction part even though they already know who you are and where you got your cowboy boots.”
“Not to mention creepy,” Summer added.
“You get used to it eventually,” Julia said running the blades of grass through a hand-cranked juicer. Juice the color of spring clover trickled into the shot glass.
She wiped her hands on her apron and put a glass in front of each of them.
“Cheers,” Jax said, raising his glass.
“Cheers.” Summer echoed, clinked hers to his. She briefly wondered whether she should hold her nose but decided to just go for it. She downed it quickly like medicine.
“It’s sweet,” she said in surprise.
“What did you expect?” Julia teased.
“I think something that tasted a little more like dirt. Are there health benefits?”
“Oh, lord,” Jax chuckled. “Prepare to be educated by Dr. Juice.”
“The benefits of drinking clean, fresh juice are numerous,” Julia began.
Twenty minutes later, Jax helped Summer lug her eight jars of juice to the car. “Between the clothes and the juice, this qualifies as a shopping spree in Blue Moon. You and your purchases will be all over Facebook.”
“And you will too, by association.”
They swung by Righteous Subs, a tiny sandwich shop squeezed between the bank and Karma Kustard, to pick up dinner before heading home.
“I had fun today. Thanks for being my shopping buddy,” Summer said. It sure beat harvesting lettuce.
“No problem. It’s nice to ease back into life here.”
“Is it rude if I ask about the accident Mrs. McCafferty was talking about? I promise, you can tell me to shut up and I’ll only be moderately offended.”
Jax eyed her over his sunglasses. “I can see Blue Moon is already rubbing off on you.”
“Very funny.”
“Joey and I used to date, as I’m sure you’re aware,” Jax said. “Right before graduation we were in a car accident. I was driving.”
He said the words casually, but the way his fingers gripped his leg was anything but casual. She let it drop.
“So. Why did you come back?”
He sighed and propped an elbow on the door. “Your picture.”
“What picture?”
“The picture on your blog of Joey.”
“But I just posted it yesterday.”
“I told you, I have a Google alert set up for the farm. I’ve been thinking about coming back for a while. And when I clicked that link and saw her I knew it was time.”
