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“Yeah, it is.”
“Man, something smells divine,” Gideon offered politely, and then turned away the second Chris walked in the room carrying a plate of bacon slices and a platter of the French toast.
“Guess it’s not just you two,” Houghton muttered before taking a big sip of his coffee – causing Lena, Jake, Chris, and Gideon to look at him in alarm before Chris walked out of the room.
“Don’t do that,” Gideon muttered under his voice, obviously frustrated.
“What? I never said it was you I was talking about.”
“He’s right,” Jake said bluntly, “Leave Lena alone, and you can dish it out to me all you want once we’re in the deer stand tomorrow.”
Lena’s mouth dropped open at the unexpected protective gesture from him as Jake looked away, much in the same movement that Gideon had done when Chris had entered the room. Was that why Houghton had made the comment, because there was something between those two? Did they fight like she and Jake obviously did?
Jill, Daphne, and Chris returned to the dining room as Lena went to fetch her cup of coffee, only to overhear Jake’s voice.
“Nope. That seat is taken.”
Daphne was taking the chair where Lena sat last night beside Jill – and Chris sat opposite her, leaving an empty seat beside Gideon and one empty beside Jake.
She hesitated and glanced at the chair beside Gideon – only to hear a loud thump as Jake jerked back the chair directly at his side pointedly and looked at her with no expression on his face. Gideon let out a snort of laughter, which caused Chris to glare at him as Jake snapped.
“Shut up, or I’ll break your other one.”
Gideon sat back and gave Jake a blasé look that silently said, ‘Bring it.’ She wasn’t about to let this go any further. Dropping her gaze, she moved to take the seat silently next to Jake and stared at her plate, unsure what to say and not wanting to start another fight.
Things were obviously tense as silence reigned at the table.
“Well, if we are all claiming things and establishing dominance like a bunch of Neanderthals,” Houghton muttered openly. “Jill is mine, and I’ll hurt any one of you that bothers her or makes her so much as frown.”
“Babe,” Jill protested softly. “Don’t be like this; they’re in a rough spot.”
“I’m not,” Daphne volunteered happily, spearing the French toast and dropping a slice in her plate before using her fork to point at Gideon – then at Chris. “But you two? You have your work cut out for you both.”
“Daphne!”
“What? It’s no big secret.”
“What secret?” Lena asked, confused.
“Leave Chris alone – it’s our arrangement,” Gideon muttered and looked at Chris, who immediately looked away from him, turning bright red.
“Why do you think breakfast was late today?” Daphne continued, nonplussed. “These two hightailed it to the courthouse this morning and just got back. They missed most of their chores this morning to go and get married.”
“What?” Lena said, stunned, and looked at Chris and then at Gideon.
“Huh. That’s not a bad idea,” Jake said – causing Lena’s head to whip around as she stared at him in shock.
“I didn’t saywhenor towho,” he retorted, and she drew back like she’d be slapped. “What? What did I saynowto bother you?”
“Nothing.”
“It’s not nothing.”
“Y’all take it outside so I can eat in peace, please…”
“Jake, I wouldn’t marry you.”
“I wasn’t exactly asking, you know.”
