“This is my friend Sasha,” Jax explains, resting his hand on the small of my back. “Sasha, this is Meg, the heart and soul of J & R Ranch.”
I hold out my hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“We don’t shake hands around here, honey.” She pulls me into a warm hug, making me laugh.
I think I’m in love.
“Leave the poor girl alone, woman. You’re gonna scare her off before she even gets settled.”
The growly voice coming from behind me makes me turn around in surprise.
A burly man with a sun-weathered face and salt-and-pepperbeard is standing in the doorway. Despite his gruffness, there’s a warmth in his eyes that immediately puts me at ease.
“You must be Hollis.”
He nods once, crossing his arms over his chest. “And you must be the girl Jax won’t shut up about.”
Heat rushes to my cheeks as Jax clears his throat. “Hollis,” he warns.
The older man just chuckles, stepping forward to clap Jax on the shoulder. “Good to see you, son.”
“You too, old timer.”
I watch the exchange, taken by the fondness they have for each other. It’s clear there’s history there. Then it hits me when I recall what Jax told me about how Hollis helped him with his recovery.
“Are you two hungry?” Meg asks as she starts moving the freshly baked cookies from the cookie sheet onto a cooling rack. “Lunch is just about ready.”
“Starving,” Jax answers as I nod in agreement.
The long drive has left my stomach growling. I was so nervous when I got up this morning, I was barely able to stomach my cup of coffee and yogurt.
“I’m so hungry I could eat a horse,” I blurt, then immediately clap my hand over my mouth, eyes widening in horror. “I mean—not arealhorse!” I cringe. “Obviously.”
Jax bursts out laughing as Hollis’s eyebrows shoot up.
“Don’t worry, darlin’,” Meg says with a giggle. “Horses aren’t part of the menu here. I made beef stew and cornbread instead.”
Ushering us through the kitchen and to the dining room, she gestures for everyone to take a seat at a large, rustic wood table.
“This place is amazing.” My skin tingles with awareness as Jax pulls out my chair before settling into the one next to mine. “How long have you two been running it?”
“Going on thirty years now,” Hollis answers, taking his seat at the head of the table. “Started it with my brother Jack.”
“Jack passed about fifteen years ago,” Meg explains as she sets a steaming bowl of stew in front of me.
The rich aroma of beef, herbs, and vegetables makes my mouth water. I take a bite, letting out a small moan. “So good.”
“Meg’s cooking is legendary,” Jax says, tearing into a piece of cornbread as he waggles his eyebrows at me. “It’s the only reason I keep coming back, really.”
“Oh, hush,” she grins, giving his arm a playful swat.
Jax’s knee brushes against mine. The casual touch sends a little jolt up my spine, and I do my best to ignore it. But his continued subtle touches during the rest of the meal—a brush of an elbow, a flirty wink, his warm hand squeezing my thigh under the table—make it damn near impossible.
Even with all of that, lunch is fun and full of light banter about the ranch and what to expect during the next couple of days.
“So which cabin are we in?” Jax asks, reaching for a cookie as Meg sets the plate on the table after we’re finished with lunch. “I was thinking the Ponderosa would be nice. Sasha would love the view from up there.”
The caretakers exchange a quick glance, and Hollis suddenly finds his clasped hands resting on the tabletop very interesting.
