“Are you always so pushy?” she countered.
She kicked the back door open and Red followed her down the back porch. “Okay, how about this. I just spent several hours toiling away out of the goodness of my heart. So, how about you do me a solid, and tell my mother that.”
Jessie twisted the hose, shooting him a dark look. “You know, nobody likes a mama’s boy.”
“I am not a mama’s boy. I am a man who respects his mother. There’s a difference.”
“Not from where I’m standing,” she said.
“Oh, for Christ sakes, fine! Starve! I’ll face the firing squad alone,” he hollered.
Stomping back toward the open backdoor, he paused when she called out to him. “Hey, Red.” He turned slowly to face her once more and her mouth was quirked in a smug little half smile. “Does dinner include dessert?”
He looked at the starry night sky and prayed for strength. “Usually.”
“Fine, I’m in.”
* * *
As Jessie followed Red out to his family’s home, she had to take calming breaths. The last time she’d sat down with any family had been her own, and that was many years ago. Not even counting the time she’d brought Will home, the night her father had announced he was marrying Silvie and that the three of them were moving in had been the worst family dinner ever. She’d gone toe to toe with her dad until Silvie had been in tears, and her two daughters had been giving her the is this girl for real look. Apparently, strong language had been a thing rarely used by their mother.
Her father had sent her to her room, and she’d gone, only to climb out and spend the night with her friends at a party, where she’d drunk way too much and made out with some sophomore who was another group’s designated drive. So not only had she been sick the next day and grounded, she’d spent over a month trying to get rid of the little dweeb.
And now she was about to walk into a family dinner with a man she hardly knew and wasn’t even dating. Good times.
He pulled into the drive of an older white house that looked small and cozy, but she had a hard time imagining raising five children in it.
“Please tell me you did not share a room with all four of your sisters,” she called as he got out of his car.
His cheeks reddened and he looked so embarrassed, she almost felt bad. “No, the house is bigger than it looks. My parents own the drug store in town and saved up enough to add two rooms on the back.”
“Wow. So, your sisters had to share a room and you got your own?” She sounded completely appalled, and he almost rolled his eyes.
“Yep, but before you feel too bad for them, there’re only two bathrooms, and one is in my parents’ room. So, I had to share my bathroom with four girls and take my shower at night my whole life.”
She bit her cheek, trying to stop her laugh, but it came out as more of a snort. “You poor baby.”
“I am a poor baby! It was the only way I could get a hot shower.”
Just as he was reaching for the knob, the door swung open, and a short blonde woman with a familiar scowl shouted, “Do you have any idea what time it is?”
The older woman didn’t see her yet, and Jessie stood back and watched as Red grumbled, “We have company.”
“What…oh.” His mother was staring at her curiously, and Jessie resisted the urge to smooth her wild ponytail. At least she’d lost the bandana.
“Hello,” Jessie said, hoping no one noticed the crack in her voice. Why was she so nervous? She didn’t normally care what people thought of her, but these were potential customers, right? It wouldn’t hurt to be personable.
And it has nothing to do with the hot guy standing next to you, and wanting his family to approve of you?
She silently hushed the voice in her head as Red’s mother pushed him out of the way. “Come in, dear. I apologize for answering the door that way, but we have dinner at six on Sundays, and I was worried when this one wasn’t answering his phone. You can probably tell by the size of him, he doesn’t miss many meals.”
Red’s mother winked at her, and Jessie laughed. “No, I don’t suppose he does.”
Red leaned down and kissed his mother’s cheek as he passed. When she pulled away from her son and zeroed in on Jessie, Jessie couldn’t read her expression.
“You can call me Hannah, and you’re Jessie?”
“That’s me.” Jessie stepped into the house, surprised when Red’s mom hugged her. It was a short, affectionate embrace and Jessie was shocked at her urge to melt into it.