Page 184 of Pumpkin Spice Promises

Jax made a gagging noise beneath the truck.

“Well,” I grimaced. “That’s disgusting.”

Hunter shrugged. “Maybe you’ll understand eventually.”

I opened my mouth to tell him there wasn’t a chance in hell.

Then Carson’s face appeared in my head. Her sitting on the porch beside me. Her coffee cup beside mine at the garage. Her fingers curled into my shirt while she kissed me. The fact that I’d started keeping the stupid vanilla creamer she liked in the office refrigerator even though neither Jax nor I touched the stuff.

I looked away.

Hunter noticed, and the son of a bitch actually smiled.

I pointed at him. “Don’t.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You were going to.”

“Didn’t have to.”

Thankfully, a black Camry turned into the parking lot before either of them could make my life worse.

This time I didn’t bother pretending I wasn’t looking.

Carson climbed out carrying a cardboard drink tray in one hand and a large paper bag in the other.

Jax leaned out from beneath Hunter’s truck. “Finally.”

“Touch my food and I’ll break your hand.”

“How do you know she brought you anything?”

Carson crossed the lot and entered through the bay, bringing the smell of coffee and cinnamon into a garage that usually smelled like oil, hot metal, and rubber. She’d pulled her blonde hair into a loose braid today. A few shorter strands had escaped around her face, and there was a faint pinkness across her nose from being outside.

Her eyes found me before anyone else. “Please tell me you’ve eaten something today.”

“Coffee.”

“That’s not food.”

I shrugged. “Had sugar in it.”

“Still not food, Beau.” She handed me one of the cups.

“You worry about me, sweetheart?”

“About as much as I worry about the cows.”

“That’s basically a declaration of love.”

Her cheeks turned pink, something I liked doing. She shoved the paper bag against my chest. “Eat your sandwich.”

Jax appeared beside her with his hand out. “What’d you bring me?”

Carson looked at him. “Nothing.”

His face fell for a second. Then Carson reached back into the bag and pulled out another wrapped sandwich.