Chapter 8
Wren
I’ve eaten at Pancake House a million times and not once have I been treated like this.
The hostess’s smile got big as hell as soon as we walked in.
Two of the servers damn near break their necks to speak as we walk to our table and now our server is getting the manager to speak to him.
Meleck is fine. He’s handsome as hell and charming too but this is crazy. My curiosity has been piqued.
“Okay. What’s going on? And why does the manager need to come talk to you?” I ask as soon as she walks off to get the manager.
“I told you I came yesterday. The power went out and I fixed the breaker,” he says, as if that’s a common occurrence.
“So, you just go from place to place saving everyone with your electrical superpowers,” I tease.
“I just help whenever I can,” he says with so much endearing and sexy humility.
“In case you didn’t know, most people don’t have that quality,” I assure him.
“Nah, but I think they do. You have it,” he counters, to my surprise.
“You really believe that?” I question.
“You don’t? Not every sibling steps up to raise and take care of their little sister and most women don’t offer their attic apartments to random men.”
“Let’s be clear, it’s not to all men. Only cowboys who volunteer to save my life and my goat milk,” I tell him and smile, because he’s definitely not like most men.
“My original business was my jams, but I started the soaps and they took off. The money I make from them is a major part of keeping our ranch. Losing my milk supply would have been a category five. You offered to save that and me, so yeah. The attic apartment is all yours,” I admit.
“You’re real talented,” he compliments while staring a hole through me, and again, I’m pretty sure I blush just like I did when he’d complimented my jam at breakfast.
Our server returns with a short man on her heels. As soon as he reaches the table, he reaches his hand out to shake Meleck’s. He accepts and they shake.
“Tia told me you were back. I just wanted to thank you again for yesterday and tell you that lunch is on us. Get whatever you two want.”
“You don’t have to do that,” Meleck insists.
“Nah man, I do,” he says, then turns to our server. “Whatever they order, give to the line to fire first and comp the ticket.”
“I will,” she says.
“And get dessert too,” the manager adds before walking off.
“Do you know what you want yet?” she asks. Because I eat here often I already have my order in mind so I nod and so does Meleck.
“I’ll have the smoked turkey melt with a bowl of the loaded potato soup,” I tell her, and to my surprise, he orders the same. “You copying me?” I tease.
“Nah. I had it yesterday and it was good,” he says.
“Dessert?” our server asks.
“I’m good,” he says.
However, I decide to get some of their donuts. They are homemade and Amara loves them. I order the small portion of three to-go. When she walks off, I turn my attention back to him.
“Let me find out you like what I like,” he says.
“If I do, is that a bad thing?”
“I don’t think anything between us would be a bad thing,” he says and damn!
At his words, my mind goes to the most inappropriate place and Reece’s raunchy words ring in my head. He is definitely a threat to my coochie because I immediately picture him and me and nothing bad is in that image at all, nothing.
To calm my hot ass down, I take a sip of my sweet tea.
It doesn’t work. Everything about today is at the forefront of my mind.
We spent the entire morning together. He inserted himself into my routine and it wasn’t an interruption.
He wasn’t in my way; he fit and I probably enjoyed it more than I should.
I feel so comfortable with him after this short amount of time and this shit is crazy, like my damn thoughts.
Does he feel a connection too? Are his words filled with the undertones I’m hearing? Does his anything mean what I think? Am I fucking misinterpreting this whole damn day? For all I know this man has a whole ass family back in Missouri.
Before I can think, process my words and thoughts, or even put together a more posed question, I blurt, “So who did you leave in Missouri?”
Shit! The perplexed look on his face matches the regret on mine.
After taking a gulp from his cup of water, he stares at me for a moment, then finally just says, “Nobody.”
My functioning brain knows I should just rock with his response but my damn mouth just won’t. “No wife, no girlfriend, no kids there?” falls off my lips.
“No,” he says while slowly shaking his head.
Again, my damn mouth explodes. “Well, are they anywhere?”
This time, he gives me more. He smiles then shrugs.
His elbows rest on the table then he leans forward.
While enunciating every word as clear as rain, he says, “I have no wife, no girlfriends, no situationships, no kids, nothing and no one in any states. And no one internationally before you even ask.” He smirks and I shrug and smile.
“There’s only one woman I’m even interested in at the moment and I’m sitting here looking into her pretty ass eyes. ”
“I like that,” I admit honestly.
“Good because I like you,” he says, still staring.
“Be careful; it’s hot,” our server says.
She places my plate down in front of me.
I was so mesmerized by his eyes that I hadn’t even realized she was back with our food.
I don’t think he noticed either, but when she turns to him, he removes his elbows from the table and sits up.
She places his plate down next. “Do you need anything else?” she asks.
“Can I have a side of green onions please?” I ask, for my soup.
“I’ll bring some right out,” she says.
When she steps away, he reaches his hands across the table for prayer. I grab them and bow my head. He blesses the food then tastes his soup first. After cutting my sandwich in half, I start with it. I’m waiting for the onions for my soup.
“You don’t have a problem with what I said, do you?” he asks.
“About liking me?” I question, just to be sure.
“Yeah. I can’t lie; I would hate it if you do but I’ll fall back. I have no issues with separating business and pleasure.”
“I don’t have a problem with it.”
“Good ’cause I have a feeling that the pleasure with you would be amazing.”
Well damn. So do I. My mind instantly stops churning. It’s confirmed; the connection I feel is genuine. He’s feeling me as much as I’m feeling him.
“Am I wrong?” he asks.
“I hope not,” I admit with a smile. Lawd, I hope not.
When his beautiful smile spreads across his handsome face, I feel it beaming in my core. This man is exactly who he thinks he is and I love that for me.
As we eat and have small talk about rewiring the barn and my business, I’m pretty sure my smile stays cemented on my face. Things are so easy and natural between us and I can truly relax and just be me.
“Would you like a to-go box?” our server asks when she returns. There’s nothing left on his plate but I still have half of my turkey melt, so I ask for a small one. “I’ll be back with it and your donuts,” she says before walking off.
“Amara is going to love this and the donuts,” I say, and it hits me. I have to pick her up. I glance at my phone at it’s already five after three. “It’s time to get her and we don’t have enough time to go back to the house for my ride.”
“We don’t need your ride. We got her. How far is the school from here anyway?”
“About fifteen minutes. We need to hurry. My little sister hates it when I’m late,” I say, then grin because she is a mess when I’m even a minute behind schedule.
“I can see that too. She has personality for days,” he says.
“And she likes you,” I admit. “She’s definitely full of personality but it usually takes months for her to show it to people.”
I glance at my phone again, watching the time. Thankfully, our server returns with my container and the donuts. As she reiterates that the check has been handled by the manager, I pack my leftovers and he hands her a tip. As soon as she walks off, we leave.
We make it to the high school five minutes after the final bell but Amara isn’t outside yet so I shoot her a text. She responds, asking if I can take her bestie Kimmie home. Of course, I say yes.
“Her friend needs a ride too. I said yes. I hope that’s cool,” I tell him.
“Yeah. That’s straight. Let me just put this stuff on the back with the wood.”
Meleck shifts the truck into park then gets out.
He takes the bags from the backseat, walks to the back of the truck, and places them on the bed.
While he’s closing it, Amara and Kimmie walk out of the front door of the school.
Amara’s head swivels as she looks for my truck so I let my window down and wave her over.
Kimmie spots me and informs Amara, then the two walk over.
Meleck sees them and meets them at the back door.
Like a true cowboy, he opens the door and holds each of their hands as they get in.
“He’s cute,” Kimmie utters as soon as she’s in.
“I told you,” Amara says with a titter. As soon as he’s back in the truck, they both laugh and I just shake my head at them. I notice a slight smile on his face but he doesn’t say anything. He just shifts into drive and pulls off. “What’s that sweet smell?” Amara asks.
“Donuts from Pancake House. Meleck got them for you,” I say. His electrical skills had paid for our food.
“You did?” she asks, almost squealing.
I can see the hesitation on his face but he finally says, “Yes. Your sister said you liked them.”
“Love them,” she says while holding her hand out. I hold the bag up and she takes it. “Thank you. I’m hungry too. Lunch was garbage today.”
“Yes, that turkey and gravy was disgusting,” Kimmie cosigns.
“What did you eat then?” I ask.
“No-thing!” Amara says. “But I knew I was gonna eat stew tonight plus a grilled cheese.” I glance back and see her open the bag and hold it out to Kimmie. “Huh, get one,” she tells Kimmie, then looks at me. “Are we going to the store today for my ugly sweater?”
“We have a million sweaters at the house. We can turn one of them into an ugly one,” I say.
“That’s what I’m doing. I think I’m going to cut up an old one tonight and do something with it,” Kimmie says.
“Not the one we are wearing tomorrow for twin day,” Amara scoffs.
“No, an old one. It’s green,” Kimmie says.
“I guess I can do an old one too,” Amara says.
“Turn left at the light,” I tell Meleck and he nods.
“Wren, is that hat new?” Amara asks. Not even the donuts can stop her afterschool ranting and questions.
He looks at me for my answer and I wink before saying, “New to me.”
“I approve,” she says.
“Well, I’m glad you do,” I say, then smirk.
“Instead of taking Kimmie home, can she have dinner with us? Her momma will pick her up.”
“Did Traci agree to that?” I ask because these two are notorious for making plans without prior adult approval.
“If you say yes, she will,” Kimmie says.
“Wren, please. She can help me make my Christmas bags for my teachers. I already got the flavors and scents they want,” Amara adds.
For Christmas last year, she gifted her teachers a bag with a card, a jar of jam, and a bar of soap. Not only were her bags a hit but I also secured three new customers. So this year, instead of randomly choosing flavors and scents, she asked her teachers.
“If Traci says it’s cool then I’m cool with it too.”
“She’ll say yes,” Amara assures me. “Text her.”
Kimmie texts her mom and she agrees, so I direct Meleck back to the ranch.
Once we are out of town, he seems to have a pretty good idea of where to go though.
Before I can tell him to turn right on Bishop, he actually asks if that’s the turn, and twenty minutes later, we are pulling into the driveway.
Amara and Kimmie hop out as soon as he shifts the truck into park.
“Those two can talk,” he comments.
“A mile a minute,” I say. “Thanks again for picking her up. Thank you for everything today actually. It was nice having help out there.”
“You talking like the day over. You tired of me being around already?”
“N-n-no. I didn’t mean it like that,” I stutter. “We have a lot of stew in the fridge. I was going to see if you wanted to eat dinner with us later tonight.”
“I do.”
He shifts a little, turning to face me, and those damn eyes stare into my soul. Out of nowhere, a wave of nervousness overtakes me and unintentionally, I swallow hard as hell.
“Good because I cooked a lot,” I say, then turn to open the door.
“Ay. Before you get out, I need to do one more thing.”
I turn back to face him then ask, “What?”
Catching me off guard, he wraps his hand around my neck.
Gently, he holds it while he leans in. His lips crash into mine with the perfect mixture of passion and aggression.
He takes my mouth, then my tongue, as he kisses me like I’ve never been kissed.
My entire body inflames and a soft moan flows from my mouth into his. This man can kiss.
Once the air is depleted from my lungs and all sense from my mind is gone, he releases my mouth, leaving me wanting more of his lips, more of his tongue, more of him.
That kiss changes things. It changes me, and when my eyes open, I see what I already know deep down, I want everything he’s offering.