“Awesome.Me too.If you like, we can get a whole one, and I’ll take whatever’s left home for later.We can have leftovers for a late supper when you get back after your shift.”
“Oh, that’s a good idea.Maybe we should even get two while we’re here.”
Tiffany grinned.“You won’t get any arguments from me on that one.”
“And Brayden won’t mind you bringing pizzas back in his car?”Savannah asked.
Tiffany laughed.“I don’t think so.I can’t make the guy out.He seems like he’ll go out of his way to do anything and everything for me—but I think he’s kind of terrified of me, too.”
Savannah laughed with her.“I don’t know about terrified.I’d swear he’s besotted with you.”
“I wish.But no—he’s just a good guy.”
“You really think he’d give you a ride everywhere just because he’s a good guy?”
Tiffany nodded emphatically.“That’s all it is, Savannah.I wish it was something more than that—I wish you were right—but he doesn’t know what to do with me.Or more to the point, he doesn’t want to do anything—not the kind of thing I’d want to do, with me anyway.”She blew out an exaggerated sigh.“My loss, I know.But all I can do is be grateful that he’s such a good friend to me.And I promise you; I try not to take advantage of him.He was the one who said he was coming over here to see his folks this afternoon.I told him we were planning to hang out but we couldn’t because you had a split shift.He was the one who offered to bring me over and said he’d pick me up after he hung out with his mom and Ted.”
Savannah shook her head with a smile.“If you ask me, he only came over to see his mom and Ted because it meant he’d get the chance to give you a ride here and back again.”
Tiffany shrugged.“Stop getting my hopes up, would you?If I thought he were interested, he wouldn’t stand a chance—I’d be on him like frosting on cake.”She laughed.“So, before you remind me of my poor broken heart, let’s talk about something else, can we?Oh—in fact, I know what I was going to say.I wanted to thank you for sending that Cara kid to me yesterday.”
“Oh, she came, then?”
“She did.”Tiff waggled her eyebrows.“And she brought her sexy silver-fox of a dad with her.”
“Troy?”Savannah gave her a shocked look.
“Yeah.He’s gorgeous—almost makes me wish I was into older men.I might turn to him to console me for my heartbreak over Brayden.”
Savannah laughed and slapped her arm.“I never know when you’re joking and when you’re not.”
Tiffany laughed with her.“To tell you the truth, I’m not sure myself sometimes.But look—here comes our server.Let’s put our order in quick.You said you’re starving, and I am, too.”
~ ~ ~
“Morning, Jakey.Long time no see.”
Jake lifted his head from under the hood of the car he was working on and greeted Harvey with a smile.The shop still smelled faintly of fresh coffee and motor oil, typical of a Monday morning.
“Morning.How are you doing?You’re right—it seems like forever since we saw each other.”
Harvey chuckled.“Yup.Must’ve been a whole twelve hours.I just hope you’re not going to get sick of having me in your home life as well as your work life.”
“No way,” said Jake.“I love it.”
And he did.He’d gone for lunch with his dad and Jo yesterday and hung around for the afternoon.Uncle Dom and Sadie had come over to check on their house that was being built next door, and things had gone from there.Josh had brought Harvey, and Jo and Sadie had started making dinner, and everyone had just hung out.
He smiled at Harvey.“I love feeling like we’re all one big family.You have to remember; it wasn’t like that for me growing up.I didn’t know Uncle Dom.Even Dad never knew he existed.And Dad was deployed overseas a lot when I was a kid, so it was just me and my mom.I love that it’s so different now.It’s awesome.Jo’s awesome.And Dad’s so happy with her.I know they’re both excited for you guys to get the house finished and move in next door to them.”
He was surprised when Harvey took a few steps into the shop and stopped, looking concerned.
“I know they’re excited to have Dom and Sadie as their neighbors,” he said quietly.“Do you really think they’re okay having me tag along?I won’t get in their way or nothing, but…”
Jake went to him and grasped his shoulder, hating that the old guy felt that way.“I don’t just think they’re okay with it,” he assured him.“Iknowthey’re excited to have you as their neighbor.They see it the same way I do.We all love that we’re building a big, close family—the kind of family none of us ever had before.
“From what Dad tells me, you and he get along really well at the gym.And Jo’s a sweetheart—she loves everybody.I know she’s excited to talk to you about plants and stuff for the yard.So yeah,” he gave Harvey’s shoulder a gentle shake, “you’ve got nothing to worry about there, I promise you.”
Harvey held his gaze for a moment, looking the most vulnerable Jake had ever seen him.Then he straightened up and gave a small nod.“Thanks, son.Anyway, I’ll stop flapping my lips and go make myself useful.You had coffee yet?”
