Page 10 of Amaze Me

“Why are we headed toward the farm?” I demanded when I realized what direction we were going. Panic set in. “Judd—”

His hand covered mine where I gripped the console. “Relax. We’re not going to the farm. I promise.”

I settled back into the seat, my nerves easing slightly. Anxiety, the excitement of seeing him and the lingering illness had me taking shallow breaths, and I rubbed at my middle again. It didn’t ache, but I wanted to urge it to settle.

“Are you okay?”

“I think something from dinner is disagreeing with me.”

“That’s strange. We ate the same thing. I’m sorry, baby.”

Yeah, come to think of it, we had ordered the same meal last night.

I didn’t have time to ponder that, as he pulled into a parking lot across the street from the convenience store/gas station near the cereal factory. I was quite familiar with the factory. Not because it was just blocks from the Fowler farm, but because my father had worked there.

Unlike the Fowlers, who were pretty wealthy, my family hadn’t been affluent. For Judd, I was the girl from the proverbial “other side of the tracks.” We’d definitely been poor in comparison—that is, until my mom and dad had won the lottery two years ago. Now, they had enough to travel and do things they’d never been able to do before, and I was thrilled for them.

“Why are we here?”

He indicated to the building adjacent to the parking. It was new. Obviously, I’d seen it being constructed, but I didn’t know what it was. “I wanted to show you this.”

“What is it?” I asked after he’d run around the truck’s cab to let me out. He lifted me down while my hands settled on his shoulders. His gaze burning, he deliberately slid me along his body before he set me on my feet. His grasp on my waist didn’t allow me to step back right away, though.

“You’ll see,” he said. I drew in a shaky breath, almost forgetting what I’d asked him.

Oh, right. The building.

Judd laced his fingers through mine, then to my surprise, he led me up to the glass door and inserted a key. I couldn’t see inside because all the lower panes were covered in brown paper. As he held open the door for me, cool air-conditioning wafted over us.

“What is this?” I asked again, looking at the cafe tables and the counter lined with tall stools. A cooler had been left on the long swath of butcher-block and off to the side, I saw another counter and a drive-thru.

His arms looped around me from behind, and his chin rested on my shoulder as I peered at everything. “Mimi’s Coffee. I’ve been working on it for months. Well, me and your mom and dad. They invested because they wanted to give you this space—but if you don’t like it, you can always sell it for a pretty penny. It’s actually a prime location. Stacy over at the realty office made sure to tell me that almost a thousand times.”

I could just stare. I pulled out of his arms and walked around, gaping at it all, not saying a word. I didn’t have any. I’d been robbed of speech.

He’d built me a coffee shop?

“I got some things—supplies and machinery,” he hurried to say. “But I left all the decorating to you. I talked to Sable, and she helped me with what equipment to buy so you can bake and make fancy coffee.”

I nodded while he spoke. Sable was one of my mom’s friend’s, and she owned a bakery in Hoover City.

“She offered to send one of their employees over here to help you learn how to run the machines. Of course, you’ll probably want to hire your own help from here in town, if possible. As the only coffee place around, and being so near the factory, Mimi’s Coffee is going to be popular. Especially, after everyone finds out how great it is.”

My head shook slightly. I’d been loving working at Jilly B’s, and I’d only just started.

“But Jill…” I murmured.

“She knows. I think pretty much everyone knows, except for you and probably my mom. And about her…”

“Judd, she’s your mom,” I interrupted. Without even hearing the words, I knew he’d heard about the troubles I’d had.

“And she’s way out of line. Just so you know, I talked to Stacy about a place over in the new housing development that’s going up. Just an inquiry since I’d want your complete input on it.”

I stared at him, my lips slightly parted. He’d move away from the farm? For me?

“You haven’t said anything,” he went on. “Are you mad about this?”

I shook my head again. “Overwhelmed. I can’t believe you were doing this for me.”

He grasped both my hands and gazed down at me, adoration in his eyes. “I’d do anything for you.”

“Why are you so perfect when I don’t do anything for you?”

Judd’s face darkened, and I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen such an ominous look on his face when he peered at me. I took a step backward, but before my foot even settled, he grasped my waist, lifted me then plopped my butt on the counter. His hips wedged between my knees, while his hands never let go of me.

“You do everything for me. We’re going to talk about this crap and finish it now.”

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