Chapter 11
CHAPTER ELEVEN
J ed turned his car around the block, driving the short distance from his house to the Chou family’s front steps. His parents' old house was just a stone's throw away. The street he drove down was familiar, almost ingrained in him. He’d lived his whole life within a block of the Chou family, and now it felt wrong—wrong—to have a single street separating him from Jami.
His parents had retired and moved closer to his sister, who had dutifully given them grandkids. They weren't expecting any from him, not with the bachelor life he'd been living. But now things had changed.
He was married. Married. He should probably call his parents and tell them. He'd do that this weekend. First, he needed to collect his wife.
Jed pulled up in front of Jacqui’s house. He cut the engine and stepped out into the cool morning air. The house, like many in their small town, had the familiar look of well-loved charm. White siding, slightly weathered, lined with neatly trimmed hedges that ran along the front porch, Jacqui’s home was the kind of place that made you feel instantly welcome.
If you weren't a Winchester, that is.
The wide porch stretched across the front, complete with a pair of old rocking chairs that creaked in the wind. Jed remembered riding his bike down the street and watching Jami's mom sitting in one of those chairs. She'd looked pale and weak in her last days during her illness. Jed had wanted to take her a bowl of soup. He would've if he’d thought it would've been welcome. Not by Mrs. Chou, but by her daughters, who had never given him a smile.
Well, Jules had. But the youngest Chou smiled at everyone. Jed doubted the girl knew how to frown.
He made his way up the steps and past the rocking chairs. Flowerpots lined the steps, bright pops of color against the wood, adding a softness that contrasted with the rest of the sturdy, practical structure. The front door, painted a deep red, looked freshly cleaned—no dust, no smudges—just like everything Jacqui touched. Even the windows sparkled, their curtains drawn back, allowing the early sunlight to pour in, making the house seem even more open and inviting.
But to Jed, this place represented something different. A boundary. He clenched his jaw as he stared down at the door. It stared back at him like a guard post, reminding him he didn’t belong on this side of the street, in this part of Jami’s life.
He reached for the door knocker, then stopped himself. His jaw tightened further. He hated this. Hated that there was a door between him and Jami. That he had to knock to get permission, as if he were a stranger.
It grated on his nerves in a way he hadn’t anticipated, that he had to ask to see her. Last night had been their first night married, and they’d spent it in separate houses. That was the first and last time it was happening. He vowed right then that he would never again spend a night apart from her.
Bypassing the door knocker, Jed pressed the doorbell. The chime rang out. He winced, his ears catching the faint sound of footsteps approaching. He braced himself. It would be Jacqui—probably not thrilled to see him, ready with a list of reasons why he wasn’t welcome.
The door opened, and he straightened, expecting the worst. As luck would have it, Jacqui was standing there... smiling.
"Good morning, Jed," she said cheerfully.
Jed blinked. He knew Jules' smile. He’d been on the receiving end of it. He'd seen Jami smile, though it had been at that loser Ryan. He couldn’t remember a time that tough as nails Jacqui Chou had ever smiled. Definitely not at him. It unnerved him.
He glanced over her shoulder, catching Noah’s eyes. Noah looked just as bewildered as Jed felt. Noah gave a small shrug, his expression saying, Just go with it .
"Morning," Jed replied cautiously, not quite sure how to respond to this sudden change in Jacqui’s demeanor.
Before he could say more, Jami appeared in the hallway, and just like that, the world around him faded. She wore another sundress—this one in a soft lavender shade that complimented her honey-toned skin beautifully. The fabric alternated between hugging her curves and flowing over her limbs, teasing the eye with every move. Her hair was loose, framing her face, and she’d put on a touch of makeup that accentuated the up-tilt of her eyes, making them seem… inviting.
Jed swallowed hard, his pulse quickening. She was breathtaking. And all he could think about was how he had to tell her she couldn’t wear that. Not today. Not for what they were about to do.
"You look..." He paused, struggling to find the right words as his eyes roamed over her. “...incredible.”
Jami’s eyes sparkled at the compliment, but she lifted her chin defiantly. "But?"
He sighed. There it was . “But you can’t wear that.”
She frowned, crossing her arms over her chest, which only made him more aware of the dress's snug fit across her curves. "Why not?"
He stepped forward, ignoring Jacqui and Noah, who were clearly eavesdropping. “We’re cooking today, remember? The show? We can’t have you in a sundress while we’re in the kitchen. It’s not safe.”
Jami’s frown deepened. "So what? You want me to change into something less...nice?"
Jed’s gaze flicked to her bare toes in sandals. They were delicate, with the nails painted a light pink, perfectly pedicured. “No,” he said after a moment, an idea forming in his mind. “You can keep the dress. But you need to lose the sandals.”
Jami arched an eyebrow, clearly considering his suggestion. “You want me to cook barefoot?”
A barefoot Jami. Hmmm, he liked that idea. He was acting like a caveman. But that's what this woman did to him.
“Not barefoot. Just not in sandals. Health and safety, remember?”
She stared at him for a moment, her lips pursed as if she was trying to decide whether to argue with him. Then, with a dramatic sigh, she turned on her heel and headed toward the staircase. He didn’t miss the sway of her hips as she moved, the dress skimming her legs.
The tension in his shoulders ease slightly with distance between them. The thought of her cooking beside him in the kitchen, even in that dress, sent a thrill through him. He wanted her close, wanted to feel her presence beside him as they worked together. This marriage might have started out as a practical arrangement, but he was going to make sure it became something real.
As soon as Jami disappeared up the stairs, Jacqui turned to him, her smile still in place but her eyes sharp. “You’re not wasting any time, are you, Jed?”
Jed wasn't sure what she meant, but he got the sense that he couldn't show any weakness. Not in front of this woman. He shrugged, trying to keep his cool.
“Just know that if you hurt her, I’ll make sure you regret it,” she said, her voice calm but edged with steel, her smile turning cold. “I’m not above raking you over hot coals like a burnt brisket or using a dull knife to cut you up piece by piece.”
There was the Jacqui Chou he knew and feared.
Noah clapped a hand on Jed’s shoulder, breaking the tension. “Welcome to the family.”