“Jaxi, you having a party or something? You’ve got enough food here to feed an army. Oh, hang on, you’re at the Coleman place, aren’t you?” Cari rang through the items, her mouth and hands in a contest to see which could move faster. “Course I figured you’d help, what with being neighbours and all.”
Cari winked at her but Jaxi shook her head.
“Don’t push it, girlfriend. Just get me through double quick so I’m back before Marion gets home and decides to scrub walls or rearrange furniture. It’s been a week since she got the cast on, and she’s attempting to take on her full workload again.”
“Typical for her, though. Hey, are you going to be busy, or are we heading out tonight for our usual R and R?”
“I don’t think I’ll make it, if that’s okay with you. I want to stick close so I can sit on my patient if she needs controlling.”
Cari shrugged. “Fine with me, I’m free all weekend. We can meet whenever.”
Jaxi paused in the middle of shuffling loaded bags back into the cart. “You’re free? What about Leo and the big date? That’s Saturday night, right?”
Her friend sniffed. “Wrong. He messed up one time too many. I’m done with him. Jerk.”
Jaxi hid her smile. Cari and Leo, the ultimate star-crossed lovers. A week didn’t pass without one pissing the other off, and yet they couldn’t stay apart. “What did he do this time?”
Cari propped her fists on her hips, her jaw hanging open. “You didn’t hear? He went trolling with those wild Six Pack twins, and they weren’t down by the lake from what I heard. They were fishing for females barely above the legal limit.”
Something was off in Cari’s information. That wasn’t Leo’s style, nor the twins. Women chased after Jesse and Joel. They didn’t need to prowl to find willing partners. Besides, Leo was rock solid when it came to Cari, but the two of them didn’t communicate and assumed far too much. “When was this?”
“Two nights ago. Marcy told Karen who told Janice she saw them.”
Jaxi fought back the urge to rub her temples. “Cari, the boys were home two nights ago. All night. Jesse and Joel suckered us into a Monopoly tournament and a game of Thirty-one that lasted until late. Everyone crashed after it was done.”
Cari’s mouth closed tight. “You’re not just saying that? I mean, to protect someone, ’cause I’d be really pissed to find out—”
Enough. Cari could rant for hours, and Jaxi’s spare time was fading away. She handed over cash for the bill. “Trust me. Games all night and a popcorn fight when Mr. C lost his last penny. The man is a hoot—he cheats at cards like a shark, then distracts everyone. I don’t know where Leo was but I doubt he was anywhere near any jailbait. He loves you, girl. Just call him and ask him. Go out on Saturday. Have fun.”
Cari slipped from behind the counter to hug her, and Jaxi squeezed her briefly before whirling to escape the store. She’d arranged for Marion to have coffee with a couple of the ladies from the church. They’d return to the house far too soon. The clock ticking, Jaxi shoved the cart outside and looked around for the truck.
“You need a hand?” Jesse pushed off the wall, his bright gaze trailing over her with admiration as he sauntered closer. His sexy drawl was nice, but it simply didn’t create the same chills big brother Blake’s rougher tones conjured.
“Are you my ride? I want to beat your mom home.”
Jesse shook his head sadly, his arms reaching around her to pull out a bag of M&M’s. “Sorry, I’m meeting Joel to buy some supplies for the workshop. You’re making Blake’s favourite cookies this afternoon, aren’t you? I like peanut butter better.”
He lingered in her personal space, opening the bag and offering her a candy. Jaxi let a sigh loose from deep within her. He was incorrigible. “You want to move it or lose it? I’m not interested, Jesse, I told you before.”
His gaze continued to caress her body. “That was a long time ago, almost a whole week. Maybe I can change your mind. There’s no harm trying.”
Jaxi prodded her thumb into his chest, snickering at his hopeful expression. He was damn sweet, but he wasn’t Blake. “There’s harm if I decide to lift my knee abruptly.”
Jesse danced backward and shook his finger in her face, his grin stretching from ear to ear. “You don’t play fair.”
She raised a brow at him. “Nope, I don’t. I play to win. Remember that.”
A truck horn blared, and one of the Coleman trucks slid up to the curb, Blake’s dark expression framed in the window.
“You needed a ride?”
Between the three of them the grocery cart was quickly emptied, and Jesse handed Jaxi into the passenger side before waving farewell. Blake peeled away, tires squealing, and Jaxi looked over her shoulder to see Joel join Jesse, the twins disappearing into the hardware shop.
She dropped her head back for a minute, closed her eyes and rubbed at the tight muscles in her shoulders. The past few days had rushed by in a blur. Marion’s warning that the workload for a family of eight, nine with Jaxi added, was hellish had been a complete understatement.
Jaxi loved every minute of it.
They were halfway home, sitting in what she thought was a companionable silence, before she turned to Blake. “Thanks for the lift. I hope I didn’t pull you away from something.”
He shook his head. “Had to drop off a delivery at the post office.” His lips clamped shut and Jaxi frowned. What bee did he have up his butt? Must have been a rush order or something.
“Jesse and Joel told me earlier you boys are playing pool tomorrow night.” She stretched her shoulders and neck slowly, working out the kinks.
He kept his gaze on the road. “Yeah.”
“Pass on a message to Leo for me? Cari’s feeling neglected, and he’d better not cancel his Saturday night plans or she’s going to give him hell. In fact, he might want to make sure it’s an extra special evening to smooth things for a bit.”
Blake grunted but otherwise didn’t respond.
Jaxi frowned at him, his reaction baffling. “What? What’s that look for?”
“Listen to you, handing out romance advice. Leo and Cari are old enough to take care of themselves. They don’t need little girls telling them how to live.”
Her jaw fell open, and she bit back the swear words she wanted to hurl. What the hell was he talking about? “I’m not a little girl, Blake. I’m twenty-one, and Cari and Leo are good friends of mine. I hate to see them screw up their relationship because they’ve forgotten to talk to each other.”
“I still say it sounds ridiculous to hear you giving out advice on relationships and romancing. Leave them be.” He took a corner too sharp and she collided hard with the side door.
“Slow down, Blake. What’s gotten into you?” Jaxi had never seen him this way. He was pissed about something, and damn if she knew what it was. “I’m sorry if I messed with your schedule asking for a ride.”
He glared at her for a second before his gaze darted away. “I said it was no trouble.” He stared forward at the road. “You look beat.”
She snorted. Good to know he found her attractive. “Thanks for the compliment.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Blake protested. “You’re burning the candle at both ends. Between helping Ma keep house and all the things you do in the community, you’re working too hard. The phone’s been ringing off the wall for you the last couple hours. A whole bunch of ladies called with information for the upcoming fall picnic, you got three calls from a guy named Royce, and the Taylors wanted to know if you could babysit for them tomorrow night.”
Crap, no wonder he was upset. He’d spent the morning acting as her answering service. “Sorry, Blake. I told people to call my cell phone but the battery died. I guess since everyone knows I’m staying with you they decided to try the house. I’ll tell them to stop.”