“Well, Jailbait, as much as I’d love to hang out here with you, my men would revolt—unless you brought us something to eat every day. Think of the advertising for your business.”
“Or they could just come to my fruit stand.” She stood up and dusted off her jeans.
The thought of my men knowing where Tessa lived didn’t sit right with me. Not because I thought they’d try anything inappropriate, but because I just didn’t like them…knowing where she lived.
We walked back down the hallway to the sound of hammering and the guys laughing about something—and probably eating all my treats. Though, that was okay. I’d be stopping by to work on the porch, and I would grab some then. Suddenly, an idea came to me that I should have shut down before it had room to grow.
Instead, I found myself saying, “You know, Jailbait, one way to really seal the deal with these guys is if you were to give your amazing date a kiss on the cheek before you go.” Her head shot toward me, and I couldn’t help the grin.
“Killing two birds with one stone?”
“Huh?”
“Jake’s kiss for this summer?”
I looked at her like she was crazy. Because shewascrazy. I may have been a glutton for punishment, but even if I went down in flames at the end of this summer, I would be kissing Tessa Robbins.
“If you think you’re getting out of Jake’s stipulation with just a kiss on my cheek, you’re in for a big surprise.”
Tessa didn’t look at me then, and a slight flush rose on her neck and cheeks. I needed to stop. Now. But first…
“Enough distracting me, woman. Give your man a kiss.”
She shook her head at me before rolling her eyes and rising up on her tiptoes. Her hand pressed against my chest, and her perfumed lips were on my cheek at the exact moment my men began catcalling and Nate walked into the building.
* * *
“So,the Fourth of July is Tessa’s mom’s thing. She spends days leading up to it baking, cleaning, and preparing all the food, setting up tables and chairs, and organizing the sound system, on top of everything else.”
I nodded on the phone while Kelsey talked, and I rummaged through the refrigerator at my parents’ home for something to eat. I had pulled a long shift at work and then another two hours working on Frank’s front porch. My back hurt from bending over. I was annoyed at Nate for walking in on me and Tessa earlier that day, and as much as I loved my sister, this conversation was over for me about ten minutes ago.
“So you have to help her out,” Kelsey was saying.
“Wait, what?” I asked.
“Tessa. Her dad is busy and very dense at what exactly it takes to pull off this big of a party. I’m serious when I tell you that Tessa’s mom does almost all of it. And she’s laid up and can hardly move right now.”
“I get that, but what does any of this have to do with me?” I finally decided on a ham sandwich and started pulling out all the fixings.
“Umm…because you’re DATING her. The fourth is next week. Cade and I are coming home on Wednesday, and I’ll be over as much as I can, helping her bake and stuff, but she’ll need help getting tables and chairs set up, lawn mowed…”
“Wait, did you say you’ll be helping herbake?”
“Yes. Shut up. Cade likes my cooking.”
“He’s grown a tolerance to it for survival. But the rest of us haven’t had your cooking in years. You might kill us.”
“Zip it. Anyway, we’ll be there to help, but trust me, she’ll need muscle. Well, actually, in that case, I’ll send a message to Jake. Maybe we can use you as an errand boy.”
“Smart alec,” I muttered as I slathered some bread with mayo and mustard.
“Just please tell me that you’ll offer to help. I know you’ll see Tessa this week.”
I made a noncommittal grunt.
“And promise me whatever this bet thing is, you won’t mess with my friend. I think you know exactly what I’ll do to you if I catch wind of anything.”
Sisters were the worst. That was a fact. Why they always thought they had to jump into my business was beyond me.
