Page 9 of Redeemed

"Hello, Mrs. Benevides! How are you enjoying the festival?" JT jumped in to save her. "We got really lucky with the weather today, didn't we?"

Sofia sat like a deer in the headlights, staring at her mother until JT swiped a finger back and forth over her knuckles. The motion somehow settled her and let her brain connect with her mouth again. "JT and I were just having lunch," she said, striving to sound casual.

Before Mrs. Benevides could respond, JT was on his feet. "Can I get you a plate, ma'am, before Bubba runs out of the brisket?"

"Uh, well, yes. Gracias, JT, " she stuttered.

Then JT flashed her one of his wide smiles and offered her his seat. "I'll be back in just a minute, babe. Do you need anything else?"

Sofia shook her head silently and then it happened. JT placed a soft kiss on her mouth and another on her temple before he turned to get her mother a plate. It happened so quickly, she barely had time to register that his lips had actually been on hers before he was walking away. She brought a finger to touch her mouth where JT's had been before she realized her mother was speaking to her in rapid Spanish.

"“¿De cuando acá? ¿Porqué no me habías contado que estaban saliendo?¿Desde cuando? Esto no me gusta. Él tiene su reputación, ¿sabes?”("When did this happen? Why didn't you tell me you were seeing each other? How long has it been going on? I'm not sure I like this. He has a reputation, you know.")

Sofia tried to focus. "Uh, just in the last week, Mamá. And you shouldn't listen to rumors. JT is a good man. He's kind and smart and has his own business. Aren't those all things you tell me to look for in a man?" Sofia said, feeling the need to protect JT from the town busybodies.

"Phssst...You know what I mean, Sofia," her mother continued. She leaned toward Sofia and whispered, "He likes the ladies a little too much. You don't want to be just another girl on his list!"

Sofia's cheeks reddened. "Mamá! How could you think that of me?"

"I'm not thinking that of you, mija, I'm thinking it of him." She gestured with her chin to JT who was talking to a pretty blonde girl in the line for barbeque. "See already he's flirting with another girl."

Sofia followed her mother's gaze. She saw JT at the stand talking to a girl. For a minute, a stab of pain caught her in the gut but then she recognized the long blonde braid. She turned back to her mother and rolled her eyes. "Mamá, that's just Jenny. She's our new waitress. She's only 19. JT is just being friendly. Why do you have to think the worst of him? And why can't you trust my judgement? I'm thirty years old!"

"No te enojes, Sofía!" she protested.("Don't get upset, Sofia")I'm only looking out for you, and you know what I say is true. How many girls has he been out with in the last year?"

Not nearly as many as you think."I don't know, Mamá, I haven't kept a list. It doesn't matter anyway. He's with me now and it's not some fling. We care about each other."

Mrs. Benevides scoffed. "A week only...You..."

Sofia cut her off. "Five years, Mamá! We've been friends for five years before we started seeing each other."

"You weren'tfriends. He is yourboss. Why..." Her next comment was lost as JT came ambling back up to the table.

"Here you go, ma'am," JT said, placing a full plate of barbeque and hushpuppies in front of her. He moved around to the other side of the table and sat close to Sofia. He casually slipped his hand in her hair and slid the silky waves behind her shoulder. Heat licked up her shoulder and neck following the path of his fingers.

"So, what were you ladies talking about?" JT asked, taking a sip of the drink he had left on the table.

"Oh, just how nice the festival is this year, yes?" Sofia's mother said quickly. "I miss the café's booth, though."

"Ah, well. With all the events we're doing and Maggie fixing to burst with the twins, we decided we would sit it out this year," JT explained. "And I'm glad to have the day off to spend with Sofia out of work."

He rubbed a comforting hand up and down her back as he spoke. Sofia had to hold back a sigh of pleasure at the casual touch. Her mother didn't respond but tucked into the lunch JT had brought her. As they talked of inconsequential things, JT never stopped touching her. He squeezed her hand, laid his palm on her spine, ran a finger up a thigh, all without seemingly being conscious of doing it. Meanwhile, Sofia thought she would burst into flames before her mother finished her lunch. She fought the urge to snuggle up to him and rub herself up and down his hard body like a cat.Dios mio, Mamá! Finish already!

Finally, the last piece of brisket went in her mother's mouth. Sofia jumped up. "Here, Mamá. Let me take that for you. Oh, look! I think I see Selena waving for you." Sofia pointed in the direction of the hay bale forts where she knew her sister had gone, though she didn't have any idea if she was there now. She knew her sister needing help with her boys would stir up her mother'sabuelagenes and move her along.

"Really? Oh, I'd better go. She can't handle those boys for an hour without me," her mother crowed proudly.

JT stood as well as Mrs. Benevides rose from her seat. "Nice to see you, ma'am. Hope you have a good time the rest of the day."

Mrs. Benevides gave him a once over before speaking. "Thank you for the lunch, JT. Recuerda lo que dije, Sofia."

Sofia simply glared at her as she made her way across the square in search of Selena. "What was that about?" JT asked, having not understood the rapid phrase.

"Mama was warning me about you," she said without thinking.

"Warning you about what?" JT asked, taking off his ball cap and smoothing back his hair that had been due a trim over a month ago.

Sofia looked at him briefly then looked at the ground, embarrassed that she had said anything. "She says you have a reputation, and she doesn't want me to…well…be just another notch on your bedpost, so to speak."

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