Page 12 of Second Helpings (Sweet Treats 4)

I stare at her, hardly believing my ears. Is she telling me to throw myself at Jack and Jock? She nods again, eyes twinkling.

“Opportunity only knocks once!” she sings before turning to the next customer.

Shaking my head, I turn back to the table, trying to summon my composure. Has the entire world gone crazy? What’s going on? How can everyone be pushing me towards Jack and Jock, including random people I’ve never met before? This is insane.

But I sit down at the table again, immediately dwarfed by the two men’s huge forms.

“Get what you needed?” Jock drawls with amusement, as if he heard the entire exchange. It’s impossible because the coffee counter is at the other end of the store, but then again, Jock and Jack seem to have magical powers. I wouldn’t be surprised if they their super-keen hearing helped them deduce every word the barista said. Immediately, my cheeks flush again.

“Yes, thanks,” I manage. “Thanks for coming out, by the way. I just wanted to talk and get a few things into the open.”

“Sure thing, pretty girl,” says Jack, leaning back in his seat. “We’re at your disposal. Anything you want, just let us know.”

I smile hesitantly, feeling a little more confident.

“So, what was last night all about?” I begin slowly. “How did you get the egg into my hands, and what were we doing, anyways? I’m totally lost.”

Jack and Jock share an unreadable look. Then, Jock looks at me thoughtfully.

“Has Tyler gotten a chance to talk with you yet?”

I shake my head.

“No, my dad took off for Layla’s place last night, and hasn’t come home yet. It’s only seven a.m. now, but I wanted to meet you guys for coffee asap given the situation.”

The two men nod, their blue eyes filling with understanding.

“Ah, so he’s still with my daughter,” Jock says.

“Who’s also my niece,” Jack adds.

“Yes,” I say in a cautious voice. “My dad’s been dating Layla for a few years now. They’re a great couple.”

Jock nods again, and then his blue gaze swings to me.

“Did he ever tell you how they met?” he begins.

I nod.

“Yes, it was during a party. My dad went to a shindig at the Crossroads Hotel by the highway, and Layla was there too. They hit it off and began dating immediately.”

Jock and Jack nod, their expressions giving nothing away.

“But did he tell you what the party was for?” Jack asks in a smooth tone.

I nod.

“Yeah, it had something to do with a conference, I think. My dad’s a long-haul trucker, just like you guys, so I figure it had to do with transportation matters. It was a professional gathering, from what I recall.”

Jack and Jock nod thoughtfully again.

“It did have to do with transportation,” Jack nods. “Although it wasn’t business-related. You see, we long-haul truckers stick together. We have long days on the road, and so we formed a fraternity of sorts.”

I nod.

“Sure, that makes sense. There are lots of professional associations like the American Medical Association, the American Bar Association, and even the American Fisheries Association. It makes sense to have a Long-Haul Trucker Association too.”

The two men tilt their heads back and laugh, although the laughter’s amused and not unkind.

“That’s one way of putting it, but like I mentioned, our association isn’t professional. It’s strictly fraternal,” elucidates Jock.

“Oh of course,” I say quickly. “So you guys hang out and are buddies right? You do community service and talk about how to contribute to society, like the Rotary Club or the Lions Club.”

Jack shakes his head then, his eyes going a deep shade of navy.

“No, sweetheart, we’re nothing like Rotary or Lions. We’re more of a fraternity in the traditional sense, except that we have women too.”

I look at them, confused.

“But you’re a fraternity, then how can there be women in the group? And how is that traditional?”

Jack shrugs.

“Lots of fraternities call themselves fraternities, but in fact are mixed gender. Plus, our female members aren’t full members per se. They’re associate members.”

I’m getting more and more confused.

“Okay. But what does this long-haul trucking fraternity have to do with last night? Am I missing something?”

The two men laugh again, their eyes warm.

“It has everything to do with last night, Sienna. You see, our group is called Dads and Daughters. The dads are long-haul truckers, and the daughters are the daughters of the long-haul truckers.”

“Sure,” I say. “That makes complete sense. Are you training women to be long-haul truckers too? Although it’s a male-dominated field, it pays well and I can see how the lifestyle would be attractive to some women. Is it a mentorship program of sorts?”

Jack and Jock chuckle again, their eyes amused.

“No, it’s not a mentorship or professional development group. Like we said, honey, there isn’t much of a professional aspect to our group. Instead, it’s about enjoying our lifestyles and making the most of our choices.”

---