Page 5 of Lawson & Jill

Chapter 2

The only coffee shop with decent coffee and good pastries that Law knew about nearby was a place that Sophia Gault used to work at. Her husband was a lieutenant of a Navy SEAL team called Midnight Delta. Law drove slowly so that Jill wouldn’t have any trouble following him, and she didn’t. He parked his car near another empty spot so she could park next to him. He was beside her door when she shut off her engine.

“I’ve driven past here a bunch of times, but I’ve never been in. Is it good?”

“Yep. Doesn’t matter what dessert you choose, you can’t go wrong,” Law said as he opened the door for her.

He wasn’t surprised when he saw a couple of guys he knew. He gave a head tilt, and they responded in kind. They caught on quick that he wasn’t up for any other conversation tonight except with the pretty brunette.

The teenage hostess sat them in a booth near the back and had coffee in front of them before they could ask.

“I love it when I immediately get coffee,” Jill said as she poured in a little cream.

“Do you want anything more than coffee and dessert?” Law asked. “They’re still serving dinner.” He nodded to some of the other diners.

“No, I’m good. I had something before the session. Yoga was next on my plans, and if I’d gone like usual, I’d have eaten a protein bar in my car.”

Law grimaced.

“What, you have something against protein bars?” her eyes twinkled.

“I like real food when I can get it. There are plenty of times I’m stuck eating bars and stuff, but whenever I’m in a spot that I can get real food, that’s my go-to, unless I’m in a real pinch.”

“Do you cook?” She took a delicate sip of coffee. She had great lips. He also liked the fact that she asked if he cooked. A lot of women just assumed because he was a Marine he couldn’t or wouldn’t.

“Yep. My mother wouldn’t have it any other way. She’s great in the kitchen. She taught all of her boys how to cook.”

“How many of you are there?”

“There were three of us. Xavier, Asher, and me. I’m the baby of the family.”

“Were?” she asked gently.

“We lost Xavier a year ago.”

“I’m so sorry,” she said sincerely. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Law set down his mug of coffee. He considered how to explain. But she must have seen something in his eyes.

Jill gave a wry grin. “That was stupid. If you’d wanted to talk, you would have about an hour ago.”

“Shit, I don’t know what I was doing there. It was kind of a last-ditch effort. I’m blaming it squarely on Ash’s head, and that asshole is going to hear about it, mark my words.” Law gave a feral grin at the thought of what he’d say to his brother.

Jill put her elbow on the table and propped her chin on her fist. “So, you’re going to tell your brother about going to the Grief Session? I’m impressed. I thought that would go against the macho code or something.”

“Marine code,” he smiled. “Not macho code, Marine code.”

“Isn’t that the same thing?”

“Bite your tongue. Marines are in a class of their own.”

Before Jill could flip him more guff, the middle-aged waitress appeared.

“What can I get you two?” she asked gruffly. Law felt for her, it looked like she’d put in a long day. Before he could say anything, Jill gave her a big grin.

“How are you doing? I love your nails.” Just that little question and compliment put a smile on the woman’s face. Jill had nice instincts when dealing with people. He liked it.

“Thanks. It’s a new color my daughter talked me into. What can I get for you two kids?”