Chapter 3
Joci set the ingredients for the candied nuts she was about to make with the boys and Jeremiah on the dining room table.
She carefully checked her recipe, gathered all the ingredients, and pulled pans from the cupboard.
The sheer amount of dish soap and water she'd used already this week was mind-boggling.
She'd made a dozen loaves of fresh bread.
Some of them she froze to pull out after she had the baby, and wouldn't have the time to bake anything for a while.
Tomorrow, she was going to bake cookies with Jeremiah's mom and sisters-in-law.
And she would bake extra to pull out for the same purpose.
She smiled as she thought of their cookie-baking day.
The Sheppard women were all so sweet and good to her; they'd included Jackie in their invitation and her bestie, Sandi, as well.
Sandi was overjoyed with the invitation, but had her own family cookie bake the same day.
Gunnar popped a marshmallow into his mouth. "Come on, Mom, let's get started. You keep checking that recipe, and I know you know every ingredient by heart."
"I want to make sure. It's important this year."
Gunnar shook his head, "It's important every year."
Joci chuckled. "I know. I'm sorry this gets me so knotted up. I guess it's the time of the year and all the feelings."
JT chuckled. "Not to mention hormones raging through your body from my little brother."
She smiled at her stepson, who looked so much like his father. "I think it's a girl."
JT smiled. "We'll see."
Her eyes moved to Jeremiah's. He was watching her and grinning from ear to ear.
She brought the recipe to the table and took a deep breath. "Okay, first thing is to line the table with two or three sheets of parchment paper."
She could make this recipe with her eyes closed, but since Jeremiah's comment about just showing up at the table, she decided to have them join in on the preparations. This was unnecessary and would be messy, but...worth it.
Ryder picked up the roll of parchment and rolled it out.
JT and Gunnar helped to lay it out and cut it to size.
Her heart was happy watching these big, grown men helping her bake.
Jeremiah's boys had never done anything like this, and when she'd first mentioned it, they looked at her like she had sprouted a new head.
"Okay, next, sprinkle the nuts on the parchment. They're sticky from the egg white bath, so you may want to butter your fingers."
They began scraping the nuts out of the bowls and pouring them onto the parchment paper.
A few handfuls ended up in their mouths, and a few were tossed across the table.
JT sat back in his chair and said, "See who can get a nut in.
" He then opened his mouth wide, and Ryder and Gunnar began tossing nuts toward him, hitting him everywhere except his mouth.
Including the wall above and behind him.
Finally, Gunnar tossed one into JT's mouth.
Gunnar jumped up, arms up in the air, "Yeah! "
Jeremiah laughed; she stood back and watched the scene so family perfect it made her heart swell. And the sticky mess left behind would be worth the cleanup.
Her phone rang, "Hello."
No one responded, she shrugged and hung up. This time of year, the scam calls began happening. It didn't seem to matter that she had her number on the Do Not Call List.
Taking a deep breath, she checked her recipe once more, which made all four men laugh. She waved them off, "Stop."
After their fits of laughter had subsided, she said, "Okay.
We need a cup and a half of sugar. A cup and a half of brown sugar, three teaspoons of cinnamon, and three teaspoons of nutmeg to begin with.
Once you've measured your ingredients, put them in this bowl.
" She set a large stainless-steel bowl at the edge of the table.
Each man took an ingredient and began measuring.
She took pictures on her phone of them as they concentrated on their respective tasks.
JT measured like a chemist, making sure his measurements were perfect.
Ryder didn't. Gunnar was careful but not as precise, and she was grateful this recipe didn't call for precision. It wasn't like making macarons.
They laughed as they poured, and she laughed with them.
Her eyes happened upon a furry gray cat sitting on the fence post outside, licking its paws and wiping its face.
She'd never noticed that cat before. Someone in the neighborhood must have gotten a new pet.
As she watched it, it seemed to sense her watching and looked directly at her through the sliding glass door.
They stared a moment, then the cat went back to washing its face.
"Mom, what's next?" Ryder asked.
She snapped back to the task at hand and continued to give them directions. Once all the ingredients had been added to the bowl, she instructed them to stir them together. At first, they argued over who would stir, and Jeremiah shook his head, "I'll do it."
He stirred the dry ingredients together, and she smiled at him. "Okay, now pour it over the nuts. As soon as the dry ingredients are on the nuts, use your hands to swish them around to make sure the nuts are coated all over. Then put them on the baking sheets and we'll bake them."
She laughed as the men in her family chuckled and enjoyed spending time with each other. She washed her hands at the sink, looking out the window at the gray cat now sitting perfectly still, staring back at her. It was pretty and seemed calm and carefree, enjoying the unusually warm seasonal day.
She set the baking sheets around the edge of the table. Each man had his own cookie sheet, and the contests began - Who had more on their sheet. Who did a better job of laying the nuts out precisely? Whose looked the best? She shook her head as the contest raged on.
Once the nut chaos had finished, she stepped away from the sink to make room for the men to wash their hands.
She moved to the living room and stared at the fireplace with its peaceful, warm fire heating up the room, and a calmness washed over her.
She'd always wanted this. Family, love, and togetherness.
She sat in the armchair in front of the window, and her phone rang once again.
Taking a deep breath, she answered, "Hello, this is Joci." She exhaled when no response was offered. Ending the call, she sat back and stared at the fire. Her eyelids grew heavy, and she allowed the happiness of the moment and the warmth of her home to seep in and offer her peace.
A loud beeping sounded, and her eyes flew open.
"Oh my God, the nuts are in the oven." She sat up straight, and the men began laughing.
Jeremiah pulled the baked goodies from the oven and turned off the timer.
When he sauntered into the living room, his eyes met hers, and a sexy smile graced his lips. "Rest, Mrs. Sheppard. We've got this."