Chapter 25 #2
Except it’s not, because now we’re walking in together.
And something about that feels different.
I kill the engine and look over at her.
“You ready?”
She exhales lightly. “Yeah.”
She reaches for the dip.
Our hands brush again.
“Let me get the dip.”
“No. I got it.”
I open the door and step out.
We split off as soon as we get inside. Cassie heads toward the patio with the dip, already getting pulled into a conversation with Jackson’s wife, Ivy.
I watch her go for half a second longer than I should.
Then force myself to look away.
I head outside, where the music’s low and the grill’s going. People are scattered around with drinks like it’s the most normal Saturday in the world.
There’s something about it—so easy and domestic—that it feels…foreign to me. I didn’t grow up with a big family. Always idealized them, though. And this scene is exactly what I pictured.
Jackson’s at the grill, apron on, that says I Like Big Buns and I Cannot Lie, flipping burgers like he’s running a five-star operation.
A flash of something I’m not expecting comes over me.
It’s not exactly envy. Maybe it’s the thought that, yeah, the domestic life seems really, really nice.
A strange thought for a wanderer like me, who has spent his twenties living in at least seven different cities.
Only if you were doing it with someone you were head over heels for, though.
“Hey,” Jackson says when he spots me. “You made it.”
“Free food,” I say. “Hard to pass up. Minor league salary and all.”
He snorts and slaps my back. “Grab a drink. I’ll be done in a minute.”
I grab a Miller Lite, and we fall into easy conversation—sports, the team, the usual.
“So,” he says after a minute, lowering his voice slightly, “I heard there might be a different scout at your next home series next weekend.”
I shrug, taking a sip. “Yeah. Maybe. Isn’t there always a scout?”
“Maybe?” he repeats. “That’s a big deal, man.”
“Stuff like that falls through all the time,” I say. “I don’t spend much time thinking about it.”
That’s not entirely true.
But it’s close enough. Especially lately. With Cassie in the picture, she’s been a beautiful distraction from the X’s and O’s of the game that I usually take to an obsessive level. Maybe that’s why I’ve been playing so well since I arrived here. I’m playing loose for a change.
Jackson studies me like he doesn’t buy it.
He flips a burger, then glances at me like he’s debating something.
“You ever think about settling down?” he asks.
I snort. “That’s coming out of nowhere.”
“Not really. I mean, I don’t know how a potential wife would feel about you wearing those Swedish compression pants, though.”
I chuckle. “Right.”
“I Googled those. Didn’t see them.”
“Weird,” I cough. “Anyway, nah, I don’t think too much about the end-game.”
“Yeah,” he says. “That’s what I used to say.”
I glance over at him. “Used to?”
He shrugs, casual. “Never thought I’d be the guy hosting barbecues in a small town either.”
I gesture vaguely around us. “This whole thing feels…on-brand for you, actually.”
“Does it?” he says.
“Yeah. Being a grillmaster. Wearing the apron. Coaching at the University. You always did have that mild-authority complex.”
“Watch it,” he mutters, but he’s smirking.
A beat passes. Then he adds, a little quieter this time, “Truth is, I didn’t think I’d ever commit to anything. Or anyone.”
That gets my attention.
I lean back against the counter. “What changed?”
He doesn’t even hesitate. “Met a really hot school teacher at a bar.”
I huff a laugh. “That’ll do it.”
Jackson glances toward the patio. “Ivy—hey babe, come here a sec.”
She looks up, smiles, and makes her way over.
There’s something easy about the way she fits beside him, like she’s always been there.
“Logan, this is Ivy,” Jackson says.
“We’ve met—briefly,” she says, smiling. “Hi again.”
“Hey,” I say. “Good to officially meet you.”
She bumps Jackson lightly with her hip. “What’s he saying about me?”
“That I married up,” Jackson says.
She gasps. “Oh, please.”
I shake my head. “So how’d you guys meet, exactly? A bar? But when did you know?”
They both go still for half a second, then look at each other.
And start laughing.
Not polite laughter. Like knee-slapping, contagious, ridiculous laughter.
Like—they know something I don’t laughter.
“That’s…” Jackson starts.
“A long story,” Ivy finishes.
“And private,” he adds.
She grins. “Let’s just say—there are some details we’re not sharing at a family barbecue.”
Jackson nods. “Yeah. Definitely not.”
I raise a brow. “That bad?”
“That good,” Ivy corrects.
She glances at Jackson again, something softer in her expression now.
“We could probably write a romance novel about it, if we wanted to.”
Jackson huffs. “You absolutely could, and should, babe. Maybe a summer project?”
She laughs. “Oh, hon. I appreciate you being supportive of my dreams, but I already spend my time doing photography.” She turns toward me. “Jackson turned one of the rooms in the house into a dark room for me.”
“Wow. That is…actually incredibly sweet.”
“That’s what happens when you marry up,” Jackson jokes. “You have to keep her busy.”
Ivy rolls her eyes, then bites her lip. “Well, I might have married a few years older, but you carry yourself well in an apron, Mr. Burger Chef.”
I watch them for a second. The way they look at each other is so easy, solid, and real.
Huh.
“So anyway…back to this romance novel,” I interject. “Why can’t I get the whole story?”
“Trust me,” Ivy says. “We don’t have enough time. Suffice it to say, you never know how those things start.”
Jackson flips another burger. “Or where they end up.”
I take a sip of my drink. I’m not sure why that sticks with me, but it does.
Then we’re interrupted by someone I don’t know.
“Jackson, my man,” a voice cuts in. “This is unreal.”
I glance over and see a guy in jeans, white tee, and—he’s actually wearing a sport coat. A tad try-hard, not to mention hot for the weather. But he seems put-together. I’ll give him that.
Jackson grins. “Eric. You made it.”
“Wouldn’t miss it,” he says, clapping him on the shoulder. His eyes flick around the yard. “Seriously, this is awesome.”
“Appreciate it,” Jackson says.
Eric leans in slightly. “So…where’s your sister? You said you were gonna introduce me.”
Oh boy.
I don’t react, not outwardly at least.
Jackson smirks. “Relax. She just got here. Cass!” he calls out, raising his voice toward the patio.
I don’t turn right away. Can’t give anything away to Jackson.
“She’s right there,” Ivy says, nodding past me.
Finally, I turn and follow her gaze anyway.
Cassie’s walking toward us, weaving through people, that same easy smile on her face.
And yeah. Something in my chest tightens again.
Weird.
“Cass,” Jackson says, “this is Eric.”
She steps in beside me, close.
“Hi,” Cassie says, smiling. “Nice to meet you.”
Eric smiles back immediately. “Yeah—definitely. Heard you’re new in town.”
“That’s me. The new girl.”
I take a slow sip of my drink, and pretend I don’t care. Not even a little.
Instead, I shift back a step.
“Jackson said you’ve been helping out at the coffee shop,” Eric adds.
“Yeah,” Cassie replies. “A little.”
“A little?” Jackson cuts in. “Place has been packed since you did that marketing campaign.”
Cassie rolls her eyes. “He’s exaggerating.”
“He’s really not,” I say before I can stop myself.
Three sets of eyes flick to me. Cassie’s lingers a half-second longer before she looks back at Eric.
“I just posted one video,” she says. “It kind of…took off.”
“I saw it,” Eric says. “It was everywhere.”
Of course he did.
“That’s actually what I do,” he adds. “Marketing. Branding. Helping businesses scale.”
Cassie perks up slightly. “Oh, really?”
“Yeah,” he says. “I’ve worked with a few small shops like that. You’ve got something there.”
I take another sip of my drink and, it’s gone.
Didn’t even notice. Miller Lite goes down so easy.
“That’s what I told her,” Jackson says.
Cassie smiles. “Okay, okay, I get it. You all believe in me.”
I set my empty bottle down on the counter.
My hand tightens slightly around the neck before I let go.
“You good?” Jackson mutters under his breath.
“Yeah,” I say. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
He doesn’t answer, just smirks like he knows exactly why. He’s not an idiot. I wonder if he knows something was up with us. Is up.
“I’m gonna go grab a drink,” I say. “Anyone need anything?”
Head shakes all around, so I make a beeline for the beer cooler, then split off.