Page 51 of Say the Words
“You have the manners of a cave man. Didn’t the Army teach you anything?”
He shrugged, popping the last bite of crust into his mouth. “Where do you think I learned this? No fuss, no muss.”
I found the pie dish on the counter and groaned in delight.
“Cherry peach?” I served a slice onto a plate. Pie would be a good step in the right direction to a mended heart. “You didn’t make this, did you?”
Jed made a noncommittal sound while he finished chewing, and when he finally swallowed, he called, “Pop, who brought the pie again?”
Pop turned his head, tearing his eyes from the TV. “Neighbor. June, you know Marilyn Wells, don’t you?”
Marilyn Wells wasn’t what I would have called a neighbor—she lived practically across town. “She owns Fine & Dandy.”
“That’s the one.”
Fine & Dandy was the type of small-town home decor store I went nuts over. Perfect little pieces at perfect little prices. I stopped in now and then when I visited town, but I couldn’t recall ever talking with Marilyn about anything more than the latest floral mugs she’d just got in. Certainly, she’d never brought over baked goods before. I had no idea the woman was such a pie artist.
“This is amazing.” The tart cherries mixed with the sweetness of the peaches, giving the right amount of zip. “Is this our fruit?”
He hitched a shoulder. “Might be. I took her some last week.”
“Well, I’m impressed. She should expand her store.”
“I’ll tell her you like it.”
I finished off my slice of pie in a few bites. Maybe I should have followed Jed’s lead and eaten it over the sink. I put the dirty dishes in the washer and poured myself a glass of milk.
Jed leaned one hip against the kitchen counter. “So. Did you have a nice night?”
Ty’s kiss flashed through my mind again, warm and perfect, followed by his declaration that getting involved with him would only hurt me. The dull ache in my chest said it was already too late. I made a vague gesture, not ready to open up yet about the mess that had been my night.
“What’s wrong?” His gaze hardened. “Do I need to add another Hardy to my punch list?”
“No. We just argued. Kind of.”
“What did you argue about?”
I opened my mouth to answer but couldn’t find the right explanation.
“Oh, Hardy’s on the list now.”
Soft laughter rippled through me at this glimpse of his protective streak. “Don’t do that. It’s fine.”
“You give me the signal, I’ll kick his ass, broken ribs or not.” He looked me over. “What exactly did you—”
Pop joined us in the kitchen, sparing me from having to make up a weak answer to Jed’s question.
“Wade and his clan are coming for dinner day after next. Plan to be here, okay?”
Wade’s job as a firefighter/EMT down in Georgetown meant we had to plan family dinners around his one day on/two days off schedule. And Pop thoughtmyjob was strange.
“Anyone else joining us?” Jed asked. “Family? Friends?”
Pop stared him down. “Everybody’s welcome.”
Jed seemed disappointed in this nonchalant attitude about doling out invitations, but he shook it off. “Fine. I’m going down to The Broken Hammer for a while before I head home. June, you want to come?”
“I think I had enough on Saturday. Sorry.”
