Jenny squeezed the back of Mrs. Miller’s chair, so hard, her fingers hurt. Her first instinct was to tell her mother to mind her own business. But the little voice in the back of her head shut her up fast. Isn’t that exactly what you want, too?
“Ah, I see.” Her mother smiled and nodded her head softly. “I know that look in your eyes. You want that, too.”
Out of nowhere, a lump lodged in Jenny’s throat. A casual cough dislodged it so she could finish applying Mrs. Miller’s color, but both women continued to stare at her, waiting for a response.
“Who’s put the color back in her cheeks, sweetie?” her mother prompted.
Sucking in a deep breath, she put the bowl down and did the math—her mother, plus one of her oldest friends, added to a discussion about marriage and grandkids equaled no way out. She dropped into the last free chair with a sigh.
“You’re making too much of this, but if you must know his name is Brody. He’s a Marine from Omaha.”
“Omaha!”
“A Marine!”
Her mother and Mrs. Miller gasped at the same time. One frowned, while one grinned from ear to ear.
“Why would you date a boy from the other side of the state? You’re not thinking about moving are you? Is that why you brought on another stylist?” Helen’s face went a little more ashen with every question.
“Mom...” Jenny smiled and shook her head. She and Brody had only been seeing each other for...a week? Could they count any longer? Regardless, it definitely wasn’t long enough to think about a future together beyond next weekend. “One, he’s not a boy and I think he’d take offense to us calling him one. Two, I’m not moving. Pretty sure I’m a River Bend lifer. Three, I brought Elena on so I’d have more time to spend with you. I didn’t want to tell you that, but I don’t want you thinking I hired help because I’ve got plans to leave town either.”
Mrs. Miller’s misty eyes darted between Jenny and Helen like she was watching a soap opera unfold.
“Sweetheart...” Her mother got to her feet again and slowly made her way over, wrapping her arms around Jenny’s shoulders. “I can’t believe you did that for me.”
“I just want you to be happy.” Jenny squeezed back. “Which means you’re stuck with me for a good long time.”
“That’s a relief.” Her mother sighed and whispered in her ear. “By the way, I already knew his name. My heart might be bad, but my hearing is top-notch. Lucky for you, Lorna’s isn’t.”
Oh, my God.
Helen pulled back and patted Jenny’s flaming cheek. “Since he made you blush and not cry, he’s already a keeper in my book.”
Chapter Sixteen
One week later...
Fucking Friday night traffic.
Brody tapped this fingers on the steering wheel while the semi in front of him hit the brakes for the tenth time in the last two minutes. The right lane was just as backed up, so there was no going around. Just this snail-paced progression that had snapped his patience about fifteen miles back.
Seeing red and blue lights flashing ahead probably should’ve made him feel bad for all the four-letter words he’d hollered at no one in particular, but he had a woman waiting, dammit. At this rate, Jenny would be in bed by the time he hit River Bend.
Not that climbing in beside her would be so bad.
Fuck, maybe bed was exactly where he wanted her, after all.
He chuckled to himself as his radio muted and a call came over the bluetooth. His mother’s cell. Not unusual, but rare enough this late on a Friday night that it gave him pause.
“Hey, Mom, what’s up?” Finally—finally—the right lane cleared enough for him to slide out from behind the damn truck.
“The moon? The stars? Your father’s cholesterol?” Lena Nelson quipped, followed by a throaty giggle.
Brody rolled his eyes. “Kinda late for you to be calling, isn’t it?”
“It’s eight o’clock. We’re not that old, Brody James. Jeez.”
Yeah, yeah. He waved his hand, you know, because his mother could see that through the phone. Argh. “Maybe not, but you know I’m headed out of town this weekend. I figured something was going on.”
“Actually, it is. Your dad and I are stuck in traffic on I-80. We’re heading to North Platte for the weekend. Grandpa had a little fall earlier today.”
Heat rose up Brody’s neck. “A fall? Doing what?”
“Unfortunately just walking from the living room to the bathroom. He’s not hurt, other than a bruised hip, but we wanted to check in nonetheless.”
“I could’ve done that. I’ll only be in River Bend.” Hell, maybe he should grab Jenny and head that way, too.
“No, no, sweetie, it’s fine. You enjoy your weekend. I needed to get out of the house anyway. Make the most of this nice spring weather and whatnot.” In the background, his father griped about the cars braking in front of him and Brody smiled.
“How long are you staying? Until Sunday?”
“Probably. You?”
“Same.” He lifted his cap and scratched at his head as an unfamiliar, but not unwelcome, thought came to mind. “Maybe I’ll come up tomorrow.”
“Really, honey, you don’t have to. Grandpa won’t like us doting on him. Grandma’s already doing enough of that, I’m sure.”
Of course, she was, but... “There’s someone I want you to meet.”
As if the weird whirling sensation in his stomach wasn’t enough, his mother’s long moment of silence nearly did him in.
“Mom?”
“Are you seeing someone?” Jesus, was she breathing hard or what he hearing things? “Is that why you’re spending so much time in River Bend?”
Shit, she was gonna make a big deal out it, wasn’t she? “On second thought—”
“Don’t you dare, Brody James! Don’t you tease me like that and then try to back out! You bring her tomorrow or I’ll drive to River Bend and find her myself!”
Way to open your mouth, dumb fuck. Fist bump! “I’ll bring her.”
“Darn right you will. I’ll make brunch.”
“Brunch?” He didn’t plan on leaving Jenny’s bed until at least noon.
“Brunch. And don’t be late. Crepes are better fresh.”
Ahh, fuck. Not the crepes. “It’s not Christmas, Ma.”
“Nope—meeting your girlfriend is better than Christmas. See you in the morning, sweetie.” Click.
Well, hell.
***
Meeting him at the door naked was probably too presumptuous. Maybe a bra and panties would be a more subtle approach.
Jenny stared in the mirror, chewing the inside of her cheek and considering her options. Black or white? Either way, it’d end up on the floor, so did it really matter?
Yes, it definitely mattered. Being with Brody wasn’t only about sex—it was about pleasing him. Him, the first man in maybe ever who seemed to actually care about her more than her body.
That alone was worth the extra effort.
Suddenly, she froze. Were those tires crunching in the driveway? Crap!
She stuffed the lingerie back into the drawer, snatched up the first oversized t-shirt she could find and yanked it over her head in a frenzy. Panty-free would have to work. She’d do better next time.
She sprinted through the house, pausing just long enough to catch her breath and wet her lips before she flung opened the door. He met her on the porch with a wicked grin and the duffel bag slung over his shoulder hit the concrete with a thud.
“Jesus Christ,” he murmured. His eyes blazed hot as he lifted her off the ground and carried her desperately into the house, his hands seemingly everywhere at once. Her back hit a wall—which one she wasn’t sure, because she lost all sense of everything but him when his hungry mouth came down on hers.