“Can I pack my new sleeping bag, Daddy? Oh, and my pony pajamas?”
Livie groaned and it was all he could do not to burst out laughing. “Pack whatever you want,” he told Piper.
“I’ll be home by nine,” Livie promised. “But she’s more than welcome to stay all night.”
Jax leaned over to whisper in Livie’s ear. “Nine in the morning, maybe . . . if I let you go that soon.”
Her sharp elbow hit him in the side. Oh, this was going to be a fun evening.
“Come on, squirt.” Jax leaned down and hoisted Piper up into his arms. “Daddy has some things to do before his dinner guest arrives.”
“Can I help you cook?” she asked, her wide brown eyes searching his.
“Of course, but first you have to help me grocery shop.”
She clapped her hands. “I push the cart.”
“I’ll bring her back around five,” he told Jade and Melanie, who hadn’t stopped smiling since they’d ambushed their friend. “And pick Livie up then, too.”
“I can drive.”
“What kind of gentleman would I be if I let you drive to our date?” He ignored her growl and headed to the door. “See you later, ladies.”
What he wouldn’t give to hear those three women chattering once he was gone. But he had plans to make and he was pulling out all the stops.
As he put Piper in her booster, he recalled he was due at the hangar at nine in the morning to meet with Brock. Nothing he couldn’t push back for an hour or so, because Jax had a feeling he would be preoccupied come morning.
Chapter Sixteen
“You’re playing with fire.”
Jax snorted and put the casserole in the oven before turning back to Cash. “I sure as hell hope so. It’s been too long since I wanted a woman and I’m damn sure going to enjoy this.”
“You better make sure this doesn’t blow up in your face and affect the airport renovations.”
Jax stared out the kitchen window
over the sink and watched Piper as she swung on the old tire swing. With a fenced yard, he wasn’t worried about her outside alone, but he always kept an eye on her. She’d made the dough and now it was in a bowl with a towel over it waiting to rise.
“I won’t let anything stop those renovations from going through,” Jax vowed. He turned around and rested against the counter. “They’ve come up with some great ideas, so I really think it’s on the right track. With those three women and all their business sense added with my determination, we’ll be fine.”
“I hear you’re getting ready to teach Brock Monroe.”
Jax nodded and crossed his arms. “He’s an impressive kid.”
“He and Zach were in the gym the other night talking about it.” Cash reached for his bottle of water and toyed with the label. “The women’s resort they have is really booming. You may want to consider working on a plan with them as well when the renovations are done. Maybe some package for travelers coming into the area.”
That was actually brilliant. “I’m impressed,” Jax stated.
His cousin flipped him the finger. “Just because I run a gym, doesn’t mean I don’t understand business in general. You always have to be thinking of ways to expand and grow.”
Jax and Tanner often teased Cash that swinging kettle-bells and flipping tires wasn’t a job, but Cash always threw everything back in their faces with some snarky remark. If they didn’t tease and crack on one another, there would be something wrong. They’d been through it all together and this next chapter in Jax’s life was just another step he’d take with his favorite guys backing him.
“I’ll discuss it with Livie,” he promised.
“Could you discuss before you two hit the dessert course?”
Piper burst in through the back door crying. Jax instantly crossed the room and crouched down to her. “What is it?”