Daisy scowled at him and hid her hand behind her back. J.T. took the flowers from her other hand. “I need to talk to Royal for a minute. Why don't you run downstairs and get that chocolate cake you baked?”
Daisy raised an eyebrow and glanced between J.T. and me. Her eyes settled on J.T. “Are you going to be nice?”
J.T. turned her toward the door and gave her a gentle shove. “Of course, I'm gonna be nice. I just need to have a chat with Mr. Sawyer before he takes you off on your date. Indulge me and go get the cake packed up.”
Daisy followed orders, stopping at the door to look back at me. “Don't believe anything he says. I'll see you downstairs.”
She disappeared, her shoes clicking on the stairs and fading away. I shoved my hand in my pocket and turned back to J.T.
“So?” I asked, wondering if he was going to warn me off.
J.T. shoved his own hands in his pockets and leaned back against the kitchen counter. “I like the suit.”
“I don't usually wear one, but it seemed appropriate tonight.”
“Since you're taking her to a family dinner, I'm assuming this is serious. All the gossip about you and I've never heard of you bringing any woman home for dinner.”
I relaxed. I liked a man who could get straight to the point. And this was J.T.—as Daisy had said, more family than most of her family. Maybe it should have been annoying, but I liked that she had someone looking out for her. Since J.T. was being upfront, I wasn't going to waste time playing games.
“I think it's fair to say this is serious. And you're right, I've never brought a woman home to a family dinner. Hell, we haven't had family dinners since I was a teenager. Daisy isn't like anyone else I've been interested in. I can't make any promises. I don't think we know each other well enough for that. But I want to, and wanting to make promises is a new thing for me.”
J.T. considered my answer and nodded gravely. “Since accepting a date at all is a new thing for Daisy, I'd say you two are on the same page. I'm hoping that this is unnecessary, but I sent her ahead because I wanted to tell you this—I've been in your corner since you sent those flowers. Don't make me regret it. Understand?”
“I do. I won't be careless with her. That's one promise I can make.”
“Good enough. She's strong. A survivor. But her family is a sore spot and something's up right now—I don't know what because she won't talk to me—so I'm asking you to look out for her.”
I nodded. “I already am.”
“I can see that. Daisy is the best, you know. And she deserves the best.” J.T. tilted his head to the side and scanned me from the top of my head to the tips of my shoes. A smile curved his full lips and he winked. “I think you'll do.”
I couldn't help but grin at him. “As long as Daisy thinks so, that's all that matters.”
J.T. straightened and raised his chin at the door. “Yeah, I think you'll do. Let's go down before she comes storming up to rescue you. I need to scavenge dinner out of the kitchen anyway.”
“Not eating over at Grams'?” I asked. I was curious how J.T. fit in with the rest of Daisy's family.
J.T. rolled his eyes and followed me out of the apartment, closing the door behind us. “If it was just Grams? Definitely. That woman can cook. But I'm gonna take a pass until Daisy's parents skip town again.”
“Not their biggest fan?”
J.T.'s eyes went dark and he shook his head as he went through the back door and into the kitchen. In a low voice Daisy wouldn't hear, he said, “It's mutual, but you'll figure them out soon enough if you stick around.”
“Gotcha.” I dropped the subject as we came into the kitchen. Daisy stood there with an oversized Sweetheart Bakery cake box in her hands. “Wow again,” I said. “What's in there?”
“Chocolate cake with a raspberry cream filling. I hope I made enough for everyone.”
J.T. grinned. “Daze, that cake is enough for half the town. Now, you two hit the road. I'll lock up here. And Royal?”
I raised an eyebrow and waited.
“I'll be waiting up, so bring her home before she turns into a pumpkin.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Daisy
What did J.T. say?” I had to ask even though I doubted Royal would tell me.
Men.
J.T. had been insistent that I give him a few minutes with Royal. I hadn't wanted to, obviously, but J.T. had been oddly stubborn and I hadn't had the heart to shut him down. He was the one person who was always, always in my corner. Just like I was always in his. If he wanted a minute with Royal I had to trust him not to do anything that would embarrass me or screw things up.