As she stood, she took in the floury, doughy, glazy mess that had become the kitchen, and she turned back to heraunt. “I’m so sorry I’m leaving. I forgot I always stay and help you clean up.”
“It’s fine,” Faith said. “We’re used to a little chaos around here.” Uncle Blaze laughed just as their new baby started to cry.
Joey went over to get her out of the swing, lifting the tiny infant in her arms. Harmony quieted quickly, and Joey gazed down at her softly, so much love filling her. She took her over to Faith, who cradled her in her arm and continued eating as if such a thing were simply easy. Joey could barely feed herself, so holding a babyanddealing with three other kidsandeating had to be a skill that Faith had learned at some point.
She went around and hugged and tickled all of her cousins, swept a kiss along her uncle’s cheek, and hugged Faith before she left.
Adam’s guitar lesson was in Jackson Hole, so he drove almost an hour to attend it. They’d agreed to meet at Brunch House, and Joey made the drive there quickly and found the parking lot almost overflowing.
She couldn’t find anywhere to park, and ended up going up and down the street, looking for somewhere to put her car. Her phone chimed a couple of times, and Joey cursed herself that she was now late. Adam did not like it when people ran late, but Joey could hardly help the crowd at brunch time, could she?
She finally went around to the other side of the block and found a parking spot behind a dance studio that was not open. She lifted her phone and found that Adam had texted.
Wow, there’s a lot of people here today. I’m still looking for somewhere to park.
I just found somewhere in the back lot, she said.If you go all the way around the block, you’ll find it.
Adam didn’t answer, and Joey quickly stashed her phone in her purse and left the car. She’d only taken two steps when Adam climbed out of his luxury SUV as well.
“I was just about to text you the same thing,” he said, holding up his phone. “And then I saw you drive by in front of me.” He grinned at her, and then looked over to her car.
Embarrassment drove through Joey, and she didn’t dare look at her pathetic sedan.
“Now I know what kind of car you drive,” he said good-naturedly, and Joey died a little bit inside.
She joined him, enjoying the woodsy, calming, cottony scent as he leaned in and kissed her cheek. “It’s the same car I got when I turned sixteen,” she said. “My daddy made me buy half of it, and I don’t know, we’ve been through a lot together.”
He pulled back and looked at her, something curious moving through his expression. “There’s nothing wrong with your car.”
“Well, it’s not like yours.”
Adam sighed in a semi-frustrated way, which made Joey’s pulse blip strangely through her chest. “I don’t care what kind of car you drive, Joey,” he said.
“Okay,” she said.
“I don’t need you to compare yourself to me.”
She swallowed, because Joey had been comparingherself to everyone for most of her life. “It’s a special skill I have,” she said. “Comparing myself to others.”
“Well, I wish you wouldn’t,” Adam said. He pulled her close, his lips brushing her earlobe as he said, “Remember, we don’t play games with each other. A car is just a car. It doesn’t say anything about the person driving it.”
Joey wasn’t sure she agreed, but she sure liked standing in the warmth of Adam’s arms. She pulled back and looked up to him. “How was your guitar lesson?”
“I’ll tell you about it once we have food.” He grinned at her and leaned closer. “Right now, I just want to kiss you hello.”
Joey smiled, because she would like that too, and she let him hold her and kiss her in the back parking lot, feeling a little reckless and dangerous, because literally anyone in town could walk by and see them, and hardly anyone had the discreetness of Uncle Blaze and Aunt Faith. Because of that, she didn’t let him carry on too long.
She ducked her head and said, “I’m starving. Let’s go in.”
Adam chuckled and took her hand so they could walk around the buildings to the entrance.
“Don’t think I don’t know you’ve just eaten something,” he said. “You taste like frosting.”
She grinned at him. “I went and made doughnuts with my aunt this morning. I’ve got some for you in the car.”
“Hmm, I can’t wait for that,” he said, and Joey found that she couldn’t wait for a lot of things when it came to Adam. She wanted to help him move into his new place.She wanted to see what he would do for Country Quad. She wanted to show him things about herself that she’d kept hidden from everyone else. She wanted to share her hopes and dreams about moving into her own place and maybe having her own pie bakery someday.
But for now, she enjoyed the way he held her hand, the way he made her feel strong, and the way he said, “Oh, by the way, I got your text about offering pies for the holidays. I think it’s a great idea.”
