Chapter 61
Scarlett
The days with a kid goat sure are hectic.
Bell learned to get in trouble a lot faster than I anticipated.
I always knew goats were mischievous but Henrietta being an older goat and Penny being very pregnant when I got her, I didn’t get a first hand look until Bell was up and running.
And she always runs. Bell runs circles around her pen, knocking into things with her head like her bucket of oats, her bucket of water, the big yoga ball I got to help her entertain herself.
She rams things like she’s a big billy goat with horns. It’s honestly hilarious.
I’ve been a little nervous all day today because the girls are coming down to meet Penny, Bell, and of course Jake.
It’s been about a month since Andee and Dennis tied the knot and since we’ve all seen each other in person.
While the girls have seen Jake from afar, this is the first time they’ll meet him.
A little flutter in my stomach flips every time I think about it.
Not that I think they won’t like him, but they may torture him a little.
Jake is the first guy I’ve introduced to the group in years.
After a few failed relationships I decided that no one gets to meet my girls until I think they’re worthy.
Turns out, none of them have been worthy.
“Is this okay to wear tonight?” Jake stands outside the pen while I pick up Bell’s water bucket for the fifteenth time.
He looks so handsome, his salt and pepper hair has been cut, his beard trimmed.
Sporting a clean white t-shirt underneath a short sleeve green and black plaid button up and new dark blue jeans he’s clean and without stains.
“You look amazing,” I say, leaning over the fence with my lips pursed. He comes closer and lands his lips on mine for a quick kiss.
“I don’t know why I’m so nervous,” he says, wiping away imaginary dirt from the thigh of his new jeans.
“Oh no, you should be,” I say with a teasing grin.
His face shoots up at me, an intensely nervous expression on his adorable face.
“I’m kidding, sort of.” I laugh as I smooth the concerned wrinkles on his forehead.
“They’re going to love you. Because I love you.
” I pull the edges of his new plaid button up and pull him closer to me for more than just a quick kiss.
Jake pulls away, “I can’t meet them with a hard on.” He takes a deep breath, seeming to need to calm himself. I laugh, loving the power I have in just a kiss, even though I am a sweaty mess that needs to get in the shower.
“Alright ladies, let’s huddle up.” Penny and Bell don’t move or even listen but I give them a pep talk anyway.
“I’m going to go get ready, you guys are meeting important people today so let’s act reasonable, responsible, and not cover them in dirt or poop if they come inside to meet you.
Okay? Okay.” Penny continues to munch on her oats and Bell does another lap around the pen.
“What do you think the chances are that they behave?” I ask Jake.
“Low. Almost zero,” he says, opening the gate for me to come to his side of the fence. “What are the chances your friends will behave tonight?”
“About the same actually,” I say with a laugh. HIs nervous expression is back and I know I should make him feel better but it’s so much more fun to tease him. “I need to take a shower real quick before they get here.”
“I’m in,” Jake says.
I shove his shoulder which throws him slightly off balance as I run up the stairs and inside the house.
I glance back just in time to see his wicked grin and he skips the stairs altogether, jumping onto the deck and into the house before I’ve made any progress.
Letting out a tiny yelp I strip out of my clothes and jump into the shower seconds before Jake joins me in the bathroom.
With the door shut he takes his time derobing and a scream escapes me when he pushes the shower curtain aside.
His hands are on my body as he steps under the stream of water, his lips kissing and sucking along the curve of my neck.
“You know,” I say through quick breaths, “it’s not being chased through the woods but I might like this better.” He sucks along the sensitive spot on my collarbone and I let out a moan. “My cardio isn’t really up to par for the woods, plus we end up clean at the end of this one.”
Jake moves his mouth to mine, silencing my rambling about being chased. “It’s just a shame I’m forced to be quick with you. I’d much rather take my time.”
Something about his slow husky voice in this tight space and his fingers between my legs makes me melt into him. I’ve had more sex these last few months than I have in years, and it truly doesn’t matter if that man has two minutes or an hour, he hits the mark every time.
After the shower we work together in tandem to get dinner prepped before the girls arrive.
I guess I should say the group, now that Jonathan and Dennis are involved.
Jonathan has been around as long as we’ve all known Mia so we just included him as one of the girls.
I guess Dennis and now Jake change that dynamic a bit.
Andee arrives first, hands full of boxes with the Sweet Spot’s logo on them. “I brought dessert!” She announces as she almost smooshes the boxes in between us for a hug.
“Jake, this is Andee and Dennis,” I say introducing them. Jake and Dennis do some weird hand shake that must be some sort of man code.
“Congratulations guys,” he says.
“Awe, thank you Mr. Lumberjack,” Andee says and she goes in for a hug. The look on Jake’s face is priceless as he mouths the word lumberjack to me in question. I snicker but move my attention to Mia and Jonathan pulling up.
“Mia and Jonathan are up next,” Jake greets Jonathan at the door with the same secret man handshake he did with Dennis. Mia and I hug and then she says, “Nice to meet you Mountain Man.”
“Oh shoot, it was Mountain Man, not lumberjack.” Andee calls out from the kitchen. “Damn, I messed it up.”
Jake laughs and asks, “Should I change?”
“Oh, no. They were going to call you that no matter what you wore today,” I assure him.
“Ah,” is all he says in response.
Lydia and Kenzie arrive together next, the only ones left in the city. A small part of me feels guilty for knowing that I was once in that group but then I look at Jake, deep in conversation with Dennis and Jonathan and everything just feels right.
“And Jake, this is Lydia and Kenzie,” I point to each one when I say their name.
“Nice to meet you,” he says.
“Nice to meet you too, finally,” Lydia says.
“Hey Mountain Man,” Kenzie says. Andee pipes up from the kitchen, “I already ruined it, I called him lumberjack.” She smacks her forehead with the palm of her hand.
“Am I really such a mountain man?” he whispers to me.
“Nah,” I say, “But you know, farmer, mountain man, lumberjack… all the same in their mind.” I give him a wink and watch him roll his shoulders trying to relax.
After everyone settles around the table and we start to dig into the dinner Jake cooked, I sit back and study my friends and this beautiful life we have.
Seeing Andee, waving her hands around maniacally while telling a story about something that happened at the bakery makes me appreciate the way that she has come back to being herself.
She was married to Carson for years and the subtle changes in her happened slowly over time.
It’s only been since she left him that we’ve seen her come back to who she really is.
I won’t give Dennis the credit, Andee did that on her own, but I do appreciate the fact that he has always been happy to just let her be her.
The beautifully, silly, quirky, handful that she is.
I wouldn’t say this to his face because I have to make sure he knows I’m still on Andee’s side if he hurts her, but Dennis is okay too.
He’s meshed surprisingly well into this group.
We may speak in sarcasm and throw around insults as a love language but he has caught on and fits right in.
Mia and Jonathan seem to be closer too. Mia throws out another one liner and the whole group laughs. Jonathan looks at her like a proud husband. I might be imagining it but there’s more life in his eyes than I’ve seen in the past.
Lydia looks different tonight. I can’t put my finger on it but there’s definitely something going on with her that we’ll have to dig into when the boys aren’t around.
She sips her glass of wine and then digs into a story about the game she plays professionally.
Jake stares, practically jaw dropped as he verifies that she literally gets paid to play games.
Lydia beams as she explains further and I realize that’s what’s different.
Lydia has always been on the shy side. When you get her comfortable she’ll talk your ear off, but her first time meeting people can be rough.
I look back and forth between her and Jake, I’m not sure if she’s just feeling more confident or if Jake’s personality sets her at ease but I know she hasn’t had enough booze to make that the reason.
Kenzie sits at the far end of the table.
Her red curls bounce as she laughs at something Andee says.
She is definitely at ease at the table tonight but that isn’t really unlike her.
Kenzie can get along with just about everyone, which is why it’s easy for her to find dates.
The only problem with that is that she’s great at dating.
The people she dates are… not so great at being people.
An idea hits me and I wonder if Jake has anyone we could set her up with.
We. I am a we now. I’ve never been big on the idea of soulmates or needing someone to live life with.
And while I am still stubborn enough to say that I don’t need Jake, the difference now is I want him in my life.
Sure, when push comes to shove I could live this life without him.
But why would I want to? I left my life in Denver to come to this beautiful little farm and live a simpler life.
And I don’t know if there’s anything simpler than having your partner be someone you find peace with when you’re at home.
We work together, we play together, we get shit done together.
And now that I have that, I never want to let it go.