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We were finally clear to leave the church. It was a beautiful day, and I longed to go home and relax with a book or take a long walk, but I had other things to do.
Alton caught up to me before I could make my escape. "Do you have plans for today, Grace?"
"Actually, yes, I do," I answered, walking down the stairs ahead of him. Big mistake. I could feel his eyes focused on my butt.
"Oh. I was hoping we—"
"Grace." He was cut off by another voice, one I wasn't sure was much more welcome than Alton's.
I could hardly believe I saw Jax standing before me. It had been over a week since I’d spoken with him. Despite all that had happened, those deep brown eyes still managed to bring memories and thoughts to mind that should probably make me turn and run back inside to confess and repent.
He wore a button-down shirt that was left untucked from the jeans he was wearing. Alton also wore a button-down, but on him, it hung loosely on his frame like it was on a hanger. Not like on Jax where it fit just right so it emphasized a broad chest without looking tight yet nipped in toward his waist. And was that a splash of color beneath the sleeve of his left arm? A tattoo? Those had never my thing, but that peek tempted me to want to see more, mostly because it emphasized the muscle that flexed there.
"Jax?" I took a few hesitant steps toward him and crossed my arms. "What are you doing here?"
He took off his sunglasses and grinned. "Lunch date, remember?"
I shook my head. "I didn't agree to that."
"You also didn't say 'no.'" He winked at me.
I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't stop the beginning of a smile. Why can't I resist that charm?
"Who's your friend, Grace?" Faith stepped up beside me and offered a welcoming smile at the enigma before me.
"I'm Jaxson Carter," he volunteered before I could deny any friendship with him.
It wasn’t hard to read Faith’s wide eyes as she looked at me. This is the guy from the wedding?
Whatever she was thinking about him, her manners superseded. She extended her hand toward him. "Hi. I'm Faith, Grace's sister."
He captured her hand, bringing it to his lips for a small kiss. "A pleasure. I see beauty runs in the family."
Faith beamed, obviously entranced by his charm. I nudged my sister. What are you doing? Maybe if we were twins, my telepathy might have worked. As it was, she ignored me, so I refocused on Jax, rolling my eyes at him.
Adam was too engrossed with his phone to pay attention. But Alton’s sharp eyes narrowed. He stepped between Jax and me.
"I'm Alton Butkus. I'm president of the church council here." He should have been a peacock given the way he preened in front of the interloper he saw as competition.
Jax looked at him briefly. "Your mother must be so proud."
Alton stood even straighter, the sarcasm flying right over his head. I hid a smile behind a hand, but my shaking shoulders gave me away.
Jax gently tugged my forearm pulling me forward again. "I know a wonderful place to take you that serves excellent coq a vin." He made a point to say the French word for chicken sound like cock.
"I think it's pronounced more like ‘coke,’” Alton corrected.
"Oh, shut it, Alton. Nobody cares." Alton's head jerked as if I'd slapped him. He crossed his arms and pouted but didn't say anything further.
"Sorry, Al, it's a private joke between Grace and me."
“Al” bristled, probably more from Jax's irreverence to his name than his obvious connection to me. I knew he was getting ready to give Jax his pedigree. Fortunately, Caleb, Faith's son, burst through the church door and ran to his mom, wrapping his arms tightly around her legs, unknowingly interrupting the moment.
Not so fortunately, my mother was right behind him. I took a deep breath, knowing what was coming as she walked straight to us and held her hand out to Jax.
"Good morning. I'm Anne Hart."
