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His mother sounded a little out of breath. “Do you know how big the hills are here, Jacob?”
He laughed because Addie would live in the hills if he let her. “I do. And Addie wants to climb every one. Has she tired you out?”
“Energized us is more like it!” his father’s voice boomed in, which meant he was on speaker, too. “And we’ve worked up an appetite, sure enough!”
“My father talks in exclamation points, much like Addie,” Jacob whispered with his hand over the sensitive phone mic. “Dad, one of our new restaurants has a food spread on. Why don’t you guys come back here for supper, and we can take Addie into town for custard later. She can show you all her favorites.”
“Are you talking barbecue, son? Because don’t tease a Southern man with some ill-famed edition of Yankee barbecue. I’m no one’s fool when it comes to good ’cue, and you know that.”
Jacob winced because Josie was standing right there, hearing every word, but when Josie answered, he was pretty sure she’d stand her ground with his father. And possibly win. “I will throw down the gauntlet to you, Mr. Weatherly, because my ’cue will stand up to the best of the best in the Deep South, and/or Southwest, take your pick. Unless you’re going to pretend that the Carolinas have anything up their sleeves to compete with the Gulf. Because I’m pretty sure you know they don’t. At least that’s the word in Cajun country.”
A long, slow silence ensued, until his father burst out laughing. “I’ll take up your challenge, young woman, and all the cheek in this world won’t change my mind if your food doesn’t stand the test. Although I’ll do my best to be polite.”
Josie laughed.
So did his father.
And just like that they’d met on some indefinable restaurant-friendly common ground. Jacob wasn’t sure what he’d do if his father didn’t like Josie’s barbecue, and Bob Weatherly wasn’t exactly discreet. If something needed work, he let you know in no uncertain terms. But hearing Josie go toe-to-toe with his father had done something he hadn’t been able to do the past couple of years.
She made his father sound like the old Robert Weatherly, the proud and funny CEO of a major restaurant chain, at the top of his game.
He hung up the phone and turned her way. She’d finished brewing her coffee, and added a generous shot of syrup, then foamed milk to the top. “This—” she lifted her cup and her gaze “—is the most amazing coffee machine ever.”
Their eyes locked, and suddenly he wasn’t thinking about coffee, or his dad, or anything except the attractive and amazing woman in front of him.
Strong. Kind. Resolute. She’d gone the distance with corporate offices and came out a winner, and Jacob had been in this business long enough to understand the rarity in that.
But it wasn’t her business acumen calling him. Or the smoke-scented hair and clothing.
It was her—the strong, beautiful woman who hid her wounds well, and wore a sea green tank top like other women wore designer labels.
He leaned forward, his gaze traveling from her eyes to her lips, wondering, and not wanting to wonder anymore.
And she leaned forward, too.
Then she drew back. “Um. No.”
Jacob didn’t draw back. “I think yes.”
She stepped away and indicated the coffee. “I’m grateful for the coffee, but that’s as far as this goes. I don’t kiss casually, I don’t flirt and I’m not into short-term relationships, so let’s call an immediate halt to this attraction.”
“So the lady admits there’s an attraction.”
“The lady also states that the attraction is to be avoided.” She faced him frankly and kept her voice firm. “She is not a fan of broken hearts or messing up little kids’ lives with transient affections. You’re leaving in another month. I’m staying here with a brand-new business to run. Complicating matters isn’t in the schedule.”
“What if they’re already complicated?” he asked.
She stayed quiet, walked through the office door and didn’t turn. As stated, she didn’t flirt, although he’d given her the perfect opening. She moved straight on through the restaurant to the smoker area while he followed.
