“Yes, ma’am.” He ran a hand through his hair. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll just go get a shirt.”
“No need. I’ve seen a man’s naked chest before.” She carefully laid the dress over the lifted handle of the suitcase and headed for the kitchen. “Do you like French toast, Jaxon Hennessy?”
Fifteen minutes later, Jaxon was sitting at the table eating French toast while Mrs. Gentry sipped coffee and studied him like he was a rare germ specimen.
“This is delicious, ma’am,” he said, even though he could barely taste over his jumpy nerves.
“Thank you. I suppose Tully told you that she doesn’t like to cook.”
“Umm . . . no, ma’am.”
“Did you know she has an allergy to shellfish?”
He cleared his throat. “No, ma’am.”
She studied him. “What’s her favorite cake flavor?”
He pushed back his plate, no longer able to eat. “I don’t know.”
She lifted her eyebrows. “What do you know about my daughter, Jaxon Hennessy?”
All the doubts he’d been fighting came flooding back like a swarm of bees, but this time, he didn’t let them get the best of him. This time, he fought for what he and Tully had.
“I know she’s strong and determined and refuses to let fear rule her life. I know when she believes in you, she believes in you and won’t let a little idle gossip sway her mind. I know she loves you and her daddy and wants to make you proud—just not at the expense of her own life and what she wants.” He paused. “And for some reason, she wants me. I know I’m probably not your first choice for a son-in-law. I’m probably not even your last. But I love your daughter. I love her more than I ever thought possible. I might not know she doesn’t like to cook or she’s allergic to shellfish or what her favorite cake flavor is. But I know she loves me. And I’m going to do everything I possibly can to be worthy of that love.”
Mrs. Gentry set down her cup of coffee and got up. As he was taught, he rose to his feet. He didn’t know what she planned to do. Walk from the room or slap his face and yell that he would never be worthy of her daughter. But he did not expect her to pull him into a tight mama-hug that made his eyes sting.
“That’s all I needed to know, Jaxon,” she said as she gave him an extra squeeze. “That’s all I needed to know.” She drew back and smiled a one-dimple smile just like her daughter’s. “Just so you know, I’m not surprised at all. My daughter has always had her eye on you. And what Tully wants, she always figures out a way to get.”
He couldn’t have asked for a better gift. “Thank you, ma’am.”
“Laura. That’s what everyone calls me.” She rolled her eyes. “Well, not everyone. Tully’s ornery father still calls me Laurie even though he knows I hate it.” But the sparkle in her eyes didn’t say hate to Jaxon. He had to wonder if there weren’t still some feelings there.
He started to thank her again when Tully spoke.
“Mama?”
Jaxon turned to see her standing in the doorway. And if there was any question in her mama’s mind about how they’d spent the night, it probably evaporated when she saw her daughter. Tully looked thoroughly ravished standing there in his T-shirt with her wild hair and whisker-burned cheeks.
But to him, she looked breathtakingly stunning. He watched with a full heart as she raced over to hug her mama. They did the huggy sway thing that women do for what felt like forever before her mama drew back and smoothed a strand of hair behind her daughter’s ear.
“Well, we can’t be standing around hugging when we have a wedding to get you ready for.” She looked at Jaxon. “Out! You shouldn’t be seeing the bride on the wedding day.”
Hours later, Jaxon’s heart got even fuller as he watched Tully walk down the aisle between the chairs he and his siblings had set up. She looked stunning in her mama’s wedding dress with her curly hair falling around her shoulders and her Bambi eyes filled with love.
When she reached him, she turned to her parents and gave them each a hug. Her mama and daddy hung on tightly with tears in their eyes. Their show of parental love made Jaxon feel a lot of things. Happiness. Jealousy. Regret. But mostly it filled him with the strong desire to give his and Tully’s children the same kind of strong love and affection.
At one time, he’d worried that he’d be like his parents, but now he realized that he was nothing like his parents. He knew how to love. He’d proved it with his siblings.
After taking Tully’s hand in his, he turned to those siblings who stood with the preacher and Magnolia in front of the beautiful mahogany bar Huck had made. They were all looking at him with looks of love as deep as his for them. All three would no doubt be leaving once they got their inheritance, but he intended to make sure they came home on a regular basis.
Home.
Jaxon glanced around the dancehall. It looked just like it had looked in all his memories. The only thing that was different was the feeling that welled up inside him. The dancehall had always filled him with resentment. Now it just filled him with hope.
All it had taken was a brown-eyed girl to remove his blinders and give him that hope.
He glanced down at that girl. “I love you, Tully.”
