Chapter 15 #2
Jack chuckled knowingly, smoothed back Heidi’s hair, and tilted her head back so he could look into those eyes he wanted to drown in the rest of his life.
“All they have to do is meet you – and they’ll get a glimpse of perfection,” he murmured softly and ignored Becky Sue’s sigh of envious longing.
His focus was Heidi – always Heidi. “Whatever you’re serving is just a bonus.
You could hand me a flour brick, and I’d feel blessed, Sweetheart. ”
“You’re putting undue stress on me with this stupid Jamboree…”
“I’m putting a spotlight on the woman I’m so proud to call my own,” he admitted in a hushed voice. “Nothing you can do will ever be wrong – and I swear that compared to Dottie’s pickles…”
“Vile things,” Heidi shivered in disgust and curled her lip, interrupting him.
“… Whatever you make will be pure heaven,” he finished, smiling as he leaned down and stole a much-needed kiss. “I’ve missed you.” And saw her respond as she sighed, hugged him again, and whispered, “I missed you too,” somewhere against his neck.
As he looked up at Becky Sue, he mouthed ‘What’s wrong?’ Becky Sue just rolled her eyes, twirled a finger by her head, and then shrugged. It was a moment later that Becky Sue plopped something on a plate and carried it over to him – but nudged Heidi instead.
“Here,” Becky Sue ordered. “Make him a taste-tester since you didn’t believe me the first two times. I’m gonna go grab a third serving of this supposed ‘garbage’ that we just spent the last hour making.”
Heidi took the small plate, turned, and looked at him.
She lifted an eyebrow, glared at him warily, and hesitated.
“I need you to be honest,” she began carefully, like she was debating on how to say whatever was on her mind.
“Not ‘we’re-dating-so-I-better-lie-to-her’ but the God’s honest truth, Jack…
no mincing words. I need to know exactly what you think because my reputation and the café are on the line. ”
“What do you mean?”
“I can’t exactly fry donuts at a table on the street, now can I?”
Uh oh…
That was a very real problem that hadn’t occurred to him.
She was right. There would be no plugs, no fryers, in the middle of the town square, and staying inside meant missing all the atmosphere – which is why he’d insisted that participants have booths, tables, and tents set up along the street.
Maybe he wasn’t so great at logistics after all?
“No,” he drew out slowly. “You’re right about that – and let me apologize now because I didn’t think about that.”
“Apology accepted,” Heidi said curtly. “Now – bite into that.”
“What is it?”
“I don’t have a name for it yet.”
“Experimental Goo number three?” Becky Sue volunteered cheerfully, her mouth full in the distance. Both Jack and Heidi angled their heads to look at the other woman who was sitting on a stool, chewing happily. “What?”
“You’re not helping,” Heidi muttered. “I thought I liked you…”
“You love me,” Becky Sue grinned – and took another bite, wagging her eyebrows at them both. “Go ahead, Loverboy. Tell her what you think.”
Jack looked at the cookie and hesitated. “It’s thick, so you might make smaller portions so it goes further?”
Heidi nodded, her gaze intense and focused. “What else? Does it look appetizing?”
“It looks… chunky,” he began and then squinted. “Are those cherries?”
“Yes. Is that a problem?”
“Heck no,” he replied, the cookie already halfway into his mouth.
He loved cherries, and you rarely found them in cookies.
It was the reason he stomached fruitcake when Mimi made it from scratch at Christmas.
As he bit down, his knees buckled, and his eyes closed in bliss.
Blindly, he reached for a chair, chewing, and taking in all the flavors at once.
Cherries, vanilla, brown sugar, cinnamon… and pecans. It was like a Pecan Sandie had crashed headfirst into a chocolate chip cookie – and melted. There was so much there at first it was a little overwhelming, but Becky Sue was right – it was divine and a little gooey.
“Oh my stars…” he groaned and then looked at Heidi. “You made this?”
“It’s bad?” she whimpered, wringing her hands.
“It’s decadent – and I’m with Becky Sue – can I have another one?”
“Really?” Heidi asked, perking up. “You’re not joking?”
“Do I look like I’m joking?”
Heidi looked at him, hesitated, and put her hand on her hip – almost mimicking that same stance that Becky Sue did all the time. “What would you rather have – another cookie or a kiss?”
Jack dropped the last bite of his cookie on the plate like it was a contagion and pushed it away. “Kiss me. There is no comparison. I’m finished with my cookie right-darn-now, if kissing you is on the table.”
“Y’all make me sick,” Becky Sue muttered openly in the distance. “Just saying…”
Heidi looked at him, her eyes full of emotion as a smile tugged at her lips.
She cupped his face with both hands where he was sitting, leaned forward, and kissed him tenderly…
and he melted at the gift of affection from his woman.
As she straightened up, her eyes held his, and there was so much intensity in that gaze that he almost popped the question right there – instead, she spoke.
“You are welcome to both at any time… Handsome.”