“I suppose it won’t hurt to sit down for a second.” She eased into the chair, her eyes closing as she leaned back. “I was barely eighteen years old when we got married. Everyone said we were too young to make a big decision like that, but we knew we were doing the right thing. When you love someone as much as we loved each other, there’s really no decision to make. Your heart makes it for you.”
“You have a beautiful family, Mama Mae.” Roxy put her hand on top of my foster mom’s.
Mama Mae opened her eyes. “Indeed, I do. Let’s see about serving up the chicken and noodles. Care to help me in the kitchen, hon?”
“I’d love to.” Roxy glanced up at me before following Mama Mae back toward the kitchen. Watching her go, I knew exactly what Mama Mae meant. My heart had fallen for Roxy the day we met. There was no taking it back now.
“I know that look,” Owen said as he returned to the family room. “You’re a goner, aren’t you?”
“What are you talking about?” I pulled the bow off the chair and flung it over the top of Owen’s head. It settled around his shoulders, though there was only one person who’d want him for a gift—Kira—the woman who’d won him on the bachelor auction block for that fundraiser back when Mama Mae retired.
“You know exactly what I’m talking about. There are fucking hearts floating out of your eyes every time you even look at her.” He landed a playful punch on my shoulder. “You stick with Roxy Swisher and you won’t need your own place. Her dad would probably set you up as a V.P. of something or other in the family business.”
“That’s not why we’re together.” I wouldn’t betray her and tell anyone she’d hired me to help her get back up in the saddle. It didn’t even matter to me that’s how we met. What mattered was that we were together, and I was prepared to do anything to keep it that way.
“Dinner’s ready. Come on, y’all. It’s time to eat.” Mama Mae rang the dinner bell that had been calling her boys to the table for decades.
I joined my brothers—the ones I’d lived with at Mama Mae’s and the ones who’d taken our places and lived in the big house in the country now. We were all part of the same big family.
Roxy sat next to me as everyone dug into their dinner. We passed a big bowl of salad around the table, along with homemade yeast rolls fresh from the oven. It was impossible to keep track of all the conversations. Jokes flew, laughter filled the air, and a roll sailed from one end of the table to the other. Mama Mae had gone soft since I’d lived with her. A stunt like that would have earned me an hour of time out and forfeiting the rest of my dinner.
After we’d enjoyed apple crumble with cinnamon ice cream on top, Mama Mae walked us to the door. “Thanks so much for having my chair repaired.”
“You’re welcome.” I kissed her cheek. The scent of baby powder tugged at faded memories of her hugging me every night before tucking me into bed. I’d felt safe in this house. I’d also felt loved. That’s the feeling I wanted to create for the family I hoped to start someday. Hopefully, with someone like Roxy.
“Thank you for dinner. It was lovely meeting you.” Roxy hugged my foster mother then twined her fingers with mine.
“You’re always welcome here, hon. If you don’t have plans for Christmas Eve, I’ll be serving enough ham and potatoes to feed a small country,” Mama Mae said.
“You know I’ll be here, but I’ll have to see about Roxy.” We said our final goodbyes, then I led Roxy back down the drive where I’d parked my truck.
“You have an amazing family,” Roxy said as I pulled out of the drive. “I felt more love in that house full of strangers than I ever have in the home I grew up in.”
“It doesn’t have to be that way, sugar.” I glanced over, wondering if the same sort of feelings had been stirring in her chest. I’d never been good at expressing my emotions, but for Roxy I was willing to try. I wiped my clammy palm against my jeans as I worked up the courage to tell her how I felt about her.
“We need to talk about Saturday.” She wrapped her arms around her middle and stared straight ahead.
“What about Saturday? Do I need to wear a suit? If so, I’ll see if Owen has one I can borrow. Brody might be a better bet.”
“No, you don’t need to wear a suit.” Her voice had gone soft. Something was bothering her. “It’s about the lies we’ve been telling our family and friends. It’s not fair to lead them on anymore. We need to break up.”
“Break up?” I took my foot off the gas and swerved onto the shoulder.
“How long do you think we can keep this up? You did what I hired you to do. I can ride in the parade now.” Her voice cracked, but she didn’t look at me.
“You’re saying you don’t need me anymore, so you’re done with me.” Damn, the truth hurt. Especially when she said it so matter of fact.
“It’s not like that, Jake.”
“Then what’s it like? Tell me all about it.” I couldn’t keep the anger from leeching into my tone. I’d been so stupid to think a woman like Roxy would want to continue slumming with a guy like me.
“Just take me home, please.”
“You’re the queen of Christmas. Your wish is my command.” I pulled back onto the road and punched the gas, already regretting the way I lashed out. It was my fault for letting myself make more out of our time together. She’d been upfront about what she wanted. I was the one who’d let my feelings get in the way—a mistake I wouldn’t make again.
10
ROXY
