12. Brody
Brody
I close the truck door as Jaxon eases us in reverse down the driveway. Jami’s thigh brushes mine, and she hugs herself, shivering. “I’m frozen.”
I crank the heat a little higher and lean toward her. “Here,” I offer, letting her share my warmth.
“Dinner was great,” she says, voice soft. “I really like your family.”
“Yeah.” I stare straight ahead, pretending not to notice the way her warmth seeps into me. Jaxon flicks on the turn signal.
“Liam,” she begins, and my stomach twists. The sound of his name feels like sandpaper.
Dude, get it together. You’re acting like a jealous asshole.
“You weren’t kidding when you said your family would be all up in my business.”
“Nope, wasn’t kidding.”
“Except they skipped the interrogation and went straight to setting me up. I guess they got all the information they needed about me from Mr. Cheeseman. I’m surprised they didn’t offer me a toothbrush with softer bristles.
” She laughs and adds, “Instead they offered me up a veterinarian who rescues puppies.”
“I’m glad you didn’t get the interrogation,” Jaxon chimes in, mock shivering. “I don’t recommend it. 0/10.”
Jami leans toward him, nudging his shoulder with hers. “So after your interrogation, they thought Rachel would be a good match?”
“She’s sweet,” he tells her, non-committal. He casts Jami a fast glance. “Did you like Liam?”
She snorts and throws up her gloved hands. “What’s not to like?”
What’s not to like.
I try to shut down that whiny voice in my head. Christ, I sound like a jealous toddler.
Jaxon leans past his sister, locking eyes with me. “What’s not to like? I think that’s a good question to ask Brody.”
Fuck.
She glances at me. “So… what’s your deal with Liam? You seem… weird about him.”
I exhale slowly. “He rubs me the wrong way,” is all I offer.
“Oh, when did he rub you?” Jami teases and Jaxon snickers. “Maybe the better question is…where did he rub you?”
I roll my eyes. “And you say I’m the annoying one.”
She chuckles. “Way to deflect, Brody.”
“He didn’t rub me, Jami, and it’s nothing personal.” Yeah, it’s very personal, but I’m going to keep that to myself. “It’s just… if something seems too good to be true, it usually is. That’s all.”
Jami nods. “Ah, got it. Veterinarian. Rescues animals. Fosters them. Comes home to help his dad. It’s like he’s too perfect.” She nudges me. “But I bet he’s the kind of guy who probably marries his pets in a backyard ceremony or something.”
I glance at her, one brow raised.
“Seriously,” she continues, grinning. “I’m just saying…
he probably has a little chapel…” She pauses and makes a little V with her fingers.
“Right by his shed. Reserved seating for ferrets. Goldfish in the front row. Maybe a couple rescue hamsters as flower girls. Vows. Tiny cake. Matching collars.”
As Jaxon laughs, I just shake my head. “Yet you gave him your number anyway.”
“Pressure.” She shakes her head like she’s ashamed of herself. “Your mom was so nice. I hated to disappoint her.”
“She means well, but…” is all I say.
“She does have this persuasive way about her. Geez, if I’m not careful, I could find myself in Liam’s backyard, in one of his tiny chapels.” She groans. “Brody.” She grabs my arm. “Tell me you’ll step in before it goes that far.”
“I’ll step in.”
I swallow against the sudden tightness in my throat as I think about the ways I’d step in, the ways I want this woman in my bed.
Shit. What am I doing?
I can’t be thinking about her the way I do. This stops. It stops now.
“Nice having two big brothers now, huh, Jami?” Jaxon says.
She rolls her eyes. “Yeah. It’s so nice.”
Jaxon glances at me and smiles—grateful, easy, full of trust. The kind that says thanks for looking out for my sister.
I feel like the biggest asshole alive.
If I could step out of this truck and kick my own arse, I absolutely would.
We pull into our parking spot, and I reach for the door handle, but freeze when Jami asks,
“Would you guys mind if I took the truck to the social? My classes start early tomorrow, and I just want to go over things one more time.”
“You comfortable driving this big rig?” Jaxon asks.
She nods. “I can handle big.”
Oh shit. Now is not the time to twist her words into something sexual. I step out, needing the cold air to shrivel my damn dick.
“I’ll take you,” I offer.
Her gaze snaps to mine. “No, I can drive myself.” She lifts her shoulders, a determination about her.
“I know you can. But I’ve got a bit of work to do myself. Might as well go together.” I add, teasing, “Besides, I don’t want you burning all the gas while driving this town for hours trying to figure out which place is ours.”
She laughs. “Yeah, well, I can’t argue with that. But I still want to drive,” she says, indignant. I slide back into the passenger seat. Her eyes narrow. “You’re not going to argue.”
“Nope. I think you should drive. This is a shared vehicle between Jaxon and me, and now you. It’s a big beast. You need to get a feel for it. It’s yours anytime you like.”
“Oh…okay.” She doesn’t quite know what to do with that. “Thanks.”
“All right.” I give her a nudge. “Slide over.”
Jaxon hops out, and Jami climbs into his seat. She reaches around the side and fiddles with the seat adjustment. By the time she’s comfortable, she’s practically perched on top of the steering wheel.
“Make sure you put that back when you get home,” Jaxon jokes. “Otherwise we’ll be crushed against the steering wheel.”
“I’m not that short,” she shoots back. “Okay, well, maybe I am. I just don’t have giraffe legs like you two.”
Jaxon smirks. “You’re more like a corgi.”
“Hey!”
“Corgis are cute,” I assure her. “Tiny little things with huge personalities.”
“Tell that to the guy who hoisted me out of the cargo plane. I’m not sure he’d use the words ‘tiny little thing’.”
“Go on. I’m freezing out here.” Jaxon shuts the door, and Jami peers over the console for a second before putting the truck in reverse.
“You don’t have a backup camera?”
“Nope. You’re okay. You got this.”
She shoots me a side-eye, like she’s trying to figure out if I’m waiting for her to crash into something or if I actually believe in her.
She rests her arm on the backrest and glances out the rear window. For a second, I think she’s going to ask me to drive. I lay my hand on her arm and give it a reassuring squeeze.
“It’s a big vehicle. Even I had trouble at first. But the worst thing you can hit tonight is a snowbank.”
“What about all those rogue caribous?” she jokes.
“Caribou.”
“That’s what I said.”
I chuckle. “You’re good, Jami.”
She nods, a bit more confident now, and eases out of the driveway. She grins at me as she shifts into drive.
“Not too bad?” I ask.
“Not too bad at all.”
She peers straight ahead, hands tight on the wheel as she steers the short distance to the social.
“Are you excited about tomorrow?” I ask.
“I can’t believe how many people signed up.” She flicks a glance at me. “You guys really did fill a need in this town.”
“I did my homework.”
“Smarter than you look,” she jokes.
“And just how do I look?”
She slows at the stop sign and turns to me. Under the dashboard light, if I’m not mistaken, I see…want.
“Lumber-snack,” she says and then snickers.
“Lumber what?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.
“When I first set eyes on you…” She starts driving again. “Back at the bar in Halifax. The way you were dressed. Flannel.” She makes a mock-slurping sound.
“You like flannel?”
“You looked rugged.”
“I didn’t realize flannel had that effect on women.” I tap my thumb on my thigh, considering it. “Hmmm.”
“What?”
“Nothing. So what is this about lumber…what?”
“Lumber-snack. Like lumberjack,” she clarifies, grinning. “But more delicious. That’s what I called you that night.”
“Wow. I feel so used. A commodity. A piece of meat.”
“Do you hate that?”
“Not really.”
She laughs—loud, easy—and as it fills the truck, it trickles through me, warming me in a way I haven’t felt in a long time. I laugh with her, too.
“Pull it together, lumber-snack. We’re here.”
I grin and shake myself out of it. She puts the truck in park and kills the ignition.
Since the evening staff are now gone, I dig out my key.
She climbs out, the door thudding behind her, and hurries to my side.
Together, we walk up to the front doors.
I slide the key in, push it open, and usher her inside. Warmth hits us, and I unzip my jacket.
“You keep this place locked?” she teases.
“For the sake of the teens, really. It’s a good hangout, but there are too many ways they could get themselves into trouble.”
Once inside, I point toward the smoothie bar. “Want anything?”
“I won’t be able to eat until next Sunday dinner,” she says, then her face falls. “If I’m invited.”
“Standing invite. Every Sunday. You’re one of us now,” I joke. She stiffens slightly, like she doesn’t believe it, like she’ll never truly belong.
“Come on.” I nudge her forward, and she unzips her coat, pulling off her hat and mitts.
We pass one of our rooms—empty except for a rogue yoga mat that somehow made its way inside. Jami pauses. “This space…what’s it for?” she asks, a little spark in her eyes.
“What do you want it for?” I counter, and she grins.
“That obvious?” I shrug, and she continues.
“I have an early childhood education degree,” she begins, stepping into the room.
As she glances around, I can almost see the plans forming in her head.
Low shelves lined with colorful bins—blocks, puzzles, stuffed animals—all neatly labeled, clearly meant to be within little hands’ reach.
A corner for reading, mats for sleeping.
Maybe that rogue mat isn’t out of place at all.
“You did that degree for your parents, Jami.”
“I don’t want to be a full-time teacher.
It’s just something Rachel said about daycare.
She can’t join leagues in the evening. No childcare in town, and she doesn’t want to keep asking family.
You have the space, I have the credentials.
We could try it, see how it goes, a couple of nights a week. I’d be happy to set it up.”
I scrub at my chin, taking in her excitement, her drive to contribute and make this place successful. “That’s brilliant, actually.”
“Yeah?” she says, eyes shining. “You think that would help the social?”
“I don’t know why I didn’t think of it myself.”
“I take it back. You’re not as smart as you look.”
She pokes me and I laugh and throw my arms around her. “Oh yeah?”
She pinches me playfully, and the next thing I know, I’m wrestling her onto the mat, her body beneath mine.
How the fuck did that happen?
“Jami,” I murmur, pushing her hair from her face, her body so soft beneath mine, all I want to do is sink into her.
She wets her lips, like a goddamn invitation no man in his right mind could resist.
“Brody…” Her voice is rough, ragged, breathless.
“Yeah.”
“We…” She swallows, her eyes searching mine, needy but hesitant. “We said no more kissing.”
“Right. No more kissing.”
A long beat passes. I press my forehead to hers, feeling her chest rise and fall quickly beneath me. “Breathe, Jami.”
She inhales shakily, her lips parting as she catches the air. “Okay,” she whispers, still trembling slightly against me.
A long beat passes before I push to my feet, helping her up with me.
What the fuck am I doing?
I gesture toward the door. “I’ll be in my clinic. Call if you need anything, okay?”
“Okay.”
I turn and make my way to the door, hoping she doesn’t need anything.
That’s a fucking lie.
I hope she needs a…lumber-snack.