Page 33 of Redeemed

"Are these some you made?" Sofia asked, taking the bag from his hand.

He nodded. "Yeah, some of the last ones that are fit for human consumption." He chuckled at himself despite his anxiety. "Your mama is a hard taskmaster. They had to be perfect, or she threw them out! I told her I'd still eat them, but she wouldn't have it!"

Her mouth quirked up. "She's definitely got strong opinions about things that are important to her," Sofia agreed. "Have a seat. Do you want a beer?"

"Sure, thanks," JT answered, taking a seat at the bistro table. The table was set prettily and whatever she was cooking smelled amazing, but he kept having flashbacks of seeing this table set similarly last night and Sasquatch – yeah, that was going to be his new name – with Sofia in his arms just a few steps away. His gut started churning again. He was equal parts angry at Sofia for cheating on him and afraid that she was going to kick him to the curb.I should have had that shot before I left the house.

Sofia brought him his Amber Bock and set it on the table. She stood in front of him for several beats then cupped his face softly before running her hand through his hair like she was trying to memorize the feel of him. His eyes closed at the pleasure of her simple touch. When she drew her hand away, his eyes popped open. She gave him an enigmatic smile and returned to the kitchen.

His mouth suddenly felt like it was full of cotton balls. He took a large gulp of his beer. What had that look been about? Damn, he was like a thirteen-year-old girl here-full of insecurity and confusion. JT had never had issues with confidence before or any concern that a woman might not like him. He'd admit to being slightly cocky as far as women went but Sofia had him tied up in knots. He took another swig of his beer as he watched her move around in the kitchen behind the breakfast bar separating the two rooms. He tried to take another gulp and realized he'd already finished the bottle.

"Can I help with anything?" he asked, belatedly realizing they really hadn't said anything to each other and that was weird.

"No, I've got it," Sofia answered, bringing a casserole dish to the table full of some kind of smothered chicken with chilis and tomatoes, and what looked like Mexican rice.

"Smells delicious," he said as she set the dish down in the middle of the small table.

Sofia preened. "Thanks. It's chicken with chili sauce. I figured it would go with the tamales. Mamá said she was going to send me some." She glanced at his empty beer bottle, a line forming between her brows. "Do you want another beer?"

JT glanced at the empty bottle he'd been nervously playing with. "Uh, yeah. Thanks."

In a moment, she returned to the table with a plate of tamales in one hand and his beer in the other. She forked a couple of the cornhusk wrapped delicacies onto each of their plates. "The table is too small for all these plates but if you want more, I'm going to put the rest of them on the bar."

JT nodded and put his napkin in his lap. He served them both the chicken and some rice from the casserole dish. As soon as she took the first bite, he dug in, glad for the need to chew and not talk for a little bit. Eventually, however, Sofia started to speak.

"So, were your cooking classes successful? If the menudo came out as good as these tamales, I'd have to say they were," Sofia offered.

"Your mom is a magician in the kitchen," JT answered. "This morning, she gave me a bowl of the menudo we made yesterday, and I thought I'd died and gone to heaven." He didn't tell her it also saved him from the miserable hangover he had been sporting as well. "I think I got everything down. You know she doesn't have any actual written recipes."

Sofia sighed. "Yes. I keep trying to get her to write some of her recipes down for me so I'll always have them, but she says she can't. She says I have to come watch her. I guess that's what you had to do?"

JT chuckled a bit. "I was writing as fast as I could and trying to guess how much of each of the spices she was using. I'm pretty sure I got close. Close enough to make everyone at the wedding happy anyway." JT's lips turned down at that when he remembered who this wedding was for. He tried not to be resentful. After all, Amarylis couldn't help it that her cousin was a douche and Sasquatchhadgotten them this gig.Shit!He shoveled more rice into his mouth.

"I really missed…" Sofia's comment was cut off by the doorbell ringing. She frowned. "Who could that be?" She placed her napkin on the table and went to the door. JT turned in his seat to watch her. God, it had only been about twenty-four hours, and he'd already missed watching her, just being in her presence. His eyes followed her walk toward the door and had him fantasizing about everything he wanted to do to that luscious ass.

His ruminations were interrupted by a low rumble in the doorway. No fucking way! Sasquatch.

"These are for you," Jesse said, smoothly presenting Sofia with a bouquet of blood red roses.

Sofia's brow furrowed but she reached out and took the flowers. "Why are you bringing me flowers?"

JT stood from the table and listened for the answer. He needed to hear this.

"For last night, of course," JT heard Sasquatch reply. He scowled at the smug smile on the other man's face. His eyes scanned over to JT as if he was just realizing she wasn't alone. "Oh, I didn't know you had company."

That was it. JT was in between Sofia and Jesse with two long strides. "What the actual fuck, Sofia?" He growled. "Were you ever going to tell me you were seeing this, thisguy? Is that what tonight's dinner was about? Trying to let me down easy?"

"JT, I don't know what you're…"

"I saw you with him, Sofia. Last night. I saw you kissing him through that window," JT accused, pointing toward the picture window next to the table where their dinner still sat, growing cold. "I would have thought you'd at least have enough respect not to cheat on me. I thought we had something good going, but obviouslythis," JT spit out the word and played his hand up and down in front of Jesse's suited form, "is more to your liking."

Sofia's hands went to her hips. "Now you listen to me JT Wade! I don't know what you think you saw but…"

"I don't think I saw anything. I saw him playing with your hair and kissing you right behind that table there. The table set for a nice little cozy dinner for you and, and Sasquatch here. You never close your blinds. Everyone could see it. You weren't even trying to hide." JT wanted to hit a wall or throw a chair across the room. He could feel his face reddening as his blood pressure skyrocketed. He had to get out of there.

"Now, JT, I don't think you should speak to Sofia like that," Jesse said in an infuriatingly placid tone. JT thought he actually saw a twinkle in the man's eye. He was enjoying this.

"I'm outta here!" JT said, pushing past Jesse in the doorway.

---