“Oh, I am,” I reply quickly.
I pull out the chair beside the man I assume is Cole.
“Layla, this is my oldest—Cole.”
I turn and smile. “Hi.”
Cole looks at me like I’ve just sat in the wrong seat on purpose. His eyes flick down, then back up, jaw tightening.
“Take that hat off,” John snaps.
Cole removes his cowboy hat and drops it on the table. So that’s him. My cowboy. He’s… handsome. Annoyingly so. And completely uninterested in hiding his irritation.
“Shrimp and grits!” Nancy announces as she sets the platter down, followed by cheddar biscuits.
I load my plate cautiously. Please be good. Please be edible. I take a bite. Oh. Ooooh. I’m in awe.
“That’s really good,” I blurt with a mouthful.
“Never had shrimp and grits?” Cole asks.
“Nope.”
He hums. “Figures.”
“Where you from?” he adds.
“Seattle,” I say. “Born and raised.”
“City girl,” he mutters, eyes scanning me again. “Makes sense.”
“Sweet tea?” Nancy asks.
“Sure,” I say. “Never had it.”
Luke nearly chokes. “You’ve never had sweet tea?”
I wrinkle my nose. “Never.”
“Try it,” he laughs.
I sniff it, dip my tongue in like it might attack me, then take a full gulp.
“Holy shit, that’s good.”
All three of them laugh. I feel my cheeks heat.
“How old are you, Luke?” I ask.
“Nineteen,” he says. “I know it’s rude to ask a lady—”
“I’m thirty-two,” I cut in. “I’m old.”
Luke’s eyes widen. “You and Cole are the same age!”
I turn to Cole. “When’s your birthday?”
“July fifteenth,” he says flatly.
