Page 36 of Healer’s Betrayal

“Well, that’s just not possible,” I argue.

“I assure you it is,” he says in response.

“You obviously haven’t tried the right veggies yet,” I tell him.

“Don’t waste energy on it,” Ransom throws in from his side of the table. “It’s a lost cause.”

“What about broccoli and cheese casserole?” I ask.

Jackson frowns. “I don’t know what that is, but no.”

“What about honey carrots? Or cucumber salad?”

“Still all vegetables,” he counters.

I cross my arms over my chest and sit back against the booth. “I’m going to make you love vegetables.”

He turns, so his eyes meet mine. “Is that so?”

“It is.”

“It’s not going to work, Kayla,” Ransom adds.

“I’m going to try. Butch has taught me a thing or two over the past two months.”

Jackson appears to think about it. “Okay. Hit me with your worst.”

“My best,” I argue.

We make chitchat while we finish eating, but it’s nothing serious. Jackson picks up the bill, even though I try to argue with him about it. “I can’t breathe,” I complain. “I ate way too much.”

“Yeah. I think you ate more than Jackson,” Ransom says. “And that’s no easy feat. Well, that was fun. I'll see you two around.” Ransom climbs into his car, and Jackson opens my door for me. Noah climbs into the backseat, while I pull myself into the large truck. “Anywhere else you need to go before I take you home?” Jackson asks once he’s in the driver’s seat.

“I think we’re good; thank you. And thank you for the meal; that was so good.”

“Yeah,” Noah pipes up from the backseat. “Thank you.”

Chapter 15

Kayla

“What do you do for work, Jackson?” I ask as a way to break the silence.

“Build houses.”

His answer surprises me so much so that I turn to him. “Really?”

He nods. “Why do you look so surprised?”

“Because you surprised me. What part of the building process do you do?”

He shrugs. “All of it.”

“Do you work for yourself or for somebody?”

“I own the company.”

“Really?”