EVERYONE PITCHED in for groceries. Brett and Windy completed the food list, and his focus turned to finding something suitable to offer as a Christmas gift for Jada.
He left Windy to fulfill the feminine products items, and settled on a hope-themed charm bracelet for Jada, along with red gloves that looked similar to her mitts. She may laugh at the gloves, that was partly the point, but the gift was part-practical/part-selfish. With gloves he could weave their fingers together.
Satisfied, he stood in the check-out line, then waited for Windy to finish.
Like yesterday, the afternoon and evening were spent in the mixed company.
“You’ll be glad to see us go,” Claire had told him when he was allowed into his kitchen.
With a pat on his full belly, he shook his head. “And give up your chili? I’m missing it already.”
She took his bowl and paper plate. “You planned a quiet Christmas vacation, I bet. But thank you for being such a hospitable host.”
“Think nothing of it.” He waved off undue gratitude. “I’m warm in my own home. You’re the ones put out. Growing up, we were surrounded by people, but never on a personable level. They were rich donators to one charity or another. Not one of them were good friends to sit down with and laugh about nothing. I like this.”
“Being with people who care is important this time of year. You know, since I live only half an hour away, I think I will come back Christmas day.”
“Good to hear.”
A deluge of voices floated around him from the other room. Everyone calling him, “Doctor. Doctor.” One voice came up with “Bossy,” and that’s the one he listened to.
Jada strolled in with Peggy in tow, the two of them sharing a joke that lit up her face. “Brett, some of them wanted to watch a movie. They said you have a ‘very regimented’ movie collection.”
“I don’t watch them often.”
“Right. Too busy reading.” She smiled at him.
“Hey. I have some good action flicks. Where’s Lance?”
“Go on in there. Peggy and I will wash up.” She came close and used her body to shove him out of her way to get to the sink.
“That makes it my turn to dry.” He grabbed for a dishtowel and nodded to Peggy that it was okay to take off.
Claire’s hand squeezed his shoulder as she passed him on her way out of the kitchen as well. “Not glad to see us all go.”
He laughed. They hadn’t made it a secret today that they enjoyed each other’s company. If he had his way, Jada wouldn’t go. He didn’t mind the looks they’d received. The strangest one came from Mary Jo. That little girl needed a talking to.
Jada rinsed out the sink and filled it with suds to do the pots and pans. They loaded the dishwasher and discarded the disposable wear. The chore didn’t seem overtly domestic, but routine. A task they’d performed many times before, and Brett liked that they worked around each other with ease.
“I’m glad you’re staying.” There was no need to whisper, but he liked the close-knit atmosphere they’d created in the kitchen.
“Me, too.”
“Glad you can’t read a map and ended up lost. My gain.”
“You have a strange way of showing gratitude.” She smiled at him before pulling the sink plug and rinsing the dishcloth.
“No, I mean it. If you’d taken a plane, we never would have met.”
“Well, that’s an easy one. I don’t fly.”
“You don’t…fly?”
She glanced at him and shook her head, then turned back to the draining sink and wiped the counter.
“Never?”
“Had a rocky experience once.” Counter clean, she turned to lean against it and fold her arms. “The plane landed without its wheels on the runway. I’ve been driving ever since. Always traveled that way on my own.”
Brett dried the last pot and hung it on the overhead hook before setting aside the towel and moving to stand in front of her. “When did this happen?”
She frowned, thinking. “Six, seven years ago?”
“How do you feel about it? Does the memory cause you anxiety, or—”
“I thought therapy took place at the hospital.”
He curled his lips in and released them with pop. Right.
“That’s the first time you’ve slipped into doctor mode with me.”
“Can I tell you something? All my life I wanted to be in medicine and healing. But with you, I don’t think about being a doctor, just a man.” Still, the man in him cared. A lot. He searched her eyes from some sort of plight about flying, but discovered he was taking her confession a lot harder than she was. “All right. Just answer me this. Would you fly if you had to, or it’s totally out of the question?”
“Why? Planning on taking me to Turkey?”
“No.”
“Then probably not. If there’s land, I’m driving.”
Leaning forward, he bowed his head and pressed his lips to her forehead. When he stood straight, he nodded. “Thank you, Jada Maude.”
“For?”
“Sharing.”
“I guess there’ll be a lot of sharing happening between us.”
“Guaranteed. I see more of you now. Who you are. I’d like to see a lot more.”
Lowering her head and looking nervous, she sagged against the counter and closed her eyes. Her head stayed bowed for a few seconds before she faced him. “It’s not easy opening up.”
“I know.” He ran his hands down her arms, hoping to chase away whatever daunting fear just surfaced.
“I’m pretty closed off most of the time. Aside from Judith, there aren’t many people I’ve been close to. Not close enough to trust them with certain things about me.”
“You’ve done all right with me. I sensed you’ve been careful with what you shared, but that’s typical for a single woman. And you’ve let me know about you by more than our conversation.”
Her forehead wrinkled.
“You care about people. You looked after everybody here by preparing food and making the beds, and half of them don’t even know it. You hate the cold but braved it, probably because you knew the Mansouri kids wanted to go out. In fact, you watched out for the family from the start. The youngest boy told me you gave them candles after the crash. I’ve seen what I needed to see, and you told it to me.”
“I did what needed to be done. Someone had to.”
He chuckled at her humble outlook. “You may not talk a lot, but you have shared with me.”
“That’s a first, then. I’ve never done that before.”
“Never opened up to anyone? Not even a boyfriend to add to the list?” Hard to believe. They’d gone over abstract and personal things for the past forty-eight hours. When Jada didn’t reply, he stopped caressing her arms and leaned down to look into her eyes. “You’ve never done what?”
She glanced past his shoulder and shrugged like it wasn’t important. “Never really had a boyfriend.”
Did he hear right? “You never…as in…never?”
“I liked a couple of guys, they liked me. We didn’t evolve to anything official.”
“Oh.”
The words turned over in his mind to find some sort of semblance. An attractive woman, fun to be with, easy to talk to, why would anyone want to miss out? He supposed foster care played a part, but not open up to anyone before? He couldn’t jump to conclusions about what type of experience she had with men. Discounting friendships and working relationships, where it was clear her interaction was fine, that confession spelled virgin on a whole lot of levels.
“Uh.” He bent down to look at her again. “Really?” His voice rose an octave higher than he’d hit since high school.
“Don’t sound so surprised, guy. Not what you were expecting?” Her shoulders hunched. “Not what you want.”
“What? You think I’ll lose interest? Why, you’re putty in my hands, lady.”
A budding smile morphed into a snort, and she pushed him away. He bounced right back to wrap her in
his arms.
“Nope, not getting rid of me. Aww. Come on. I at least have to wait until I decide whether or not you can cook. The chicken stew doesn’t count, Claire and Windy had way too much spin on that one.”
She tried to shove him again, so he held on, grinning down at that smart face that eventually broke out in a smile and moaned laughter. “I can cook decent enough. And you’re not going to complain about it.”
“We’ll see.”
“You’re also not keeping me in the kitchen. I’m a natural office organizer.”
Did she realize they were discussing the future? “I’m going to have to expand my office here anyway. I take my coffee with one cream, two sugar.”
She gasped in a hearty laugh, and slapped his arm to hold onto his shirt as she tipped to the side in her amusement. “You are so bad!” Her irises were so dark but sparkled in the kitchen’s track-lights. Glowing cheeks bunched in fun as those irresistible lids and thick lashes lowered to shutter her eyes.
“Jada Maude.”
“Hmm?”
“I’m going to kiss you.”
Her face stilled. They’d stopped moving. That heavy dark gaze made a quick dash to his mouth. Heaven help him, he couldn’t not kiss her.
Brett loosened his hold around her waist to glide his knuckles up her throat and chin. The motion carried the tilt of her head to the perfect angle. Checking her eyes, he liked their strength, their unwavering hold on his. He was going to kiss her. He’d declared it, and now heat and a flurry of activity bounced around his insides. He never moved this fast. Once he crossed this threshold, there’d be no turning back. That didn’t frighten him one bit. There’d be no turning back with Jada.
He raised a finger and traced the curves from her temple, over her cheek, to the corner of her parted lips.
When those lips responded to his light touch, he moved in and claimed them. Finally. The kiss confirmed what he knew would happen. Jada made him melt into her. Their mouths moved as one. It was a light, simple, unrushed sip of honey. And when she slowly pulled away, he snuck in two more nips before letting her lips go.
Smiling, Brett touched the tip of his nose to hers, then kissed her there. “Let’s go find out what movie they’re watching.”
Her face fell into his chest, her breath warm, and he gave her a few seconds to collect herself. After a minute, she leaned up and shared a peaceful smile before nodding and allowing him to lead her out.
Yep. More stares. He kept hold of her hand and navigated around bodies, cushions, and chairs to the spot Claire kept open for them. Not bothering to let go, he studied the different shades of their locked hands, meeting her with a wink when she glanced his way. Jada released a smile, her head finding his shoulder. He liked her there, like she claimed him as hers. She’s the one who belongs. Stifling a yawn, he settled in and watched the movie.
EPILOGUE