Page 54 of Spiritwarrior

“You won’t have to do a damn thing,” he said with certainly. “Baylin is going to have to move.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Sophie was heartened by the couple of customers waiting in their cars and the six waiting by the door as Jody and she arrived at the restaurant.

As she set her purse under the counter, she received a text.

Jody, who was already behind the counter, looked at her quizzically as she read the message.

“Ginny said she won’t be able to work today. Freddie woke up with a sick stomach, and she doesn’t think it’s wise to come here until she makes sure it isn’t contagious,” she said, reading the text off to him.

“Smart move. I’m not anxious to share that with my nephew.”

“Me neither.” Setting her phone down, she reached for her apron in preparation to go to the kitchen.

“Why don’t you let me handle the food today, and you wait the tables? That way, I can make the cinnamon rolls.”

“You know how to cook?”

“Silas made sure we can cook to pitch in when needed. Go take care of the customers. I promise I won’t poison anyone.”

She made a face at him but didn’t argue. She hated cooking, and he couldn’t do worse than George, nor her. Ginny had been doing the majority of the cooking, so she was more than happy to turn it over to him.

The morning ran smoothly with Jody working the grill, making breakfast. After serving a large table, she went back to the kitchen to Jody saying something. “What’s that?” she asked, thinking he heard her come in.

“Oh, nothing.” He shrugged her off. “Did you need something?”

“No, I’m just very impressed,” she complimented him. “Will you be able to do lunch, too?”

“Hamburgers are my third specialty,” he boasted. “Were you able to taste the cinnamon rolls?”

“They sold out before I could.”

Jody pulled a plate out of the microwave. “I had an idea you would. I saved you one.”

He watched as Sophie picked up the cinnamon roll. Grinning when her eyes nearly rolled back, he felt his body surge with lust when she licked a dollop of frosting from the corner of her mouth.

“Jody, these are fantastic!”

He leaned forward, intent on kissing her, when the sound of the bell ringing over the door had him groaning.

“I know, right?” She scrunched up her nose. “That bell is getting on my nerves, too.”

Jody peeked through the kitchen window to see who had come into the restaurant. His jaw clenched. It was Joel, who gave her a flirtatious smile as he sat at the front counter.

“I’m all out of cupcakes.” Jody heard her apologize to him.

“That’s okay. I’ll just take a cup of coffee to go.”

“You just missed getting one of Jody’s cinnamon rolls,” Sophie told him as she poured his coffee.

“I did? Jody made cinnamon rolls for you to sell?”

Jody met Joel’s eyes as he talked to Sophie.

“Yes, he did,” Sophie enthused.

“Damn. I’m sorry I missed tasting one. He usually makes it for women he’s …” Jody seemed to be thinking of a polite way to describe the relationship he shared with the women he made the rolls for. “Seeing.”

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