“Back at you, darlin’. How’s my son treating you? He’s not giving you any trouble, is he?” He winks at Jamison, who’s just walked in the kitchen with Reed.
“Nope,” I say. Was it just me or did the single word come out a squeak? “No trouble at all. He and Reed’ve been helping me pack.”
“I saw Leanne at the bank this morning. She said they aren’t putting the house on the market for another two weeks.” Mom starts pulling cartons of food out of the bags. “Yesterday you told me you were going to go ahead and move in with Jamison and Reed. Why the rush?”
I lift a shoulder in a shrug. “I figured it would be easier to pack and clean the house if I wasn’t staying here.”
The scent of fresh fried chicken fills the kitchen. Granny Mae’s Chicken is the best chicken around.
Mom nods. “Makes sense.” She takes paper plates from the cabinet and starts loading them with chicken and biscuits. Jamison grabs the plates from her to carry to the table. She pats his cheek before he walks away. “Thanks, honey. Can you grab some glasses for me, Reed?”
“Sure thing.”
Reed winks at me as he walks by, and I drop my eyes from him. I try my best to not think about what he, Jamison, and I were doing only moments ago in my bedroom, but it’s hard when I can still feel their hands on me.
“Once you’re finished packing the things you’re taking with you to the guys’ house, you and I can tackle the rest,” Mom says. “Between Baxter and Jamison’s trucks and Reed’s Jeep, you should be able to get away with not renting a box truck. While the men are loading and unloading, we can clean.”
“Sounds good, Mom. Thanks for offering to help. You too, Baxter.”
The five of us cram around my small kitchen table and eat fried chicken, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, and biscuits. This is a normal family dinner for us. While Mom, Baxter, Jamison, and I are family by either blood or marriage, it’s common for Reed to be here as well. It’s been that way since high school, even before Mom and Baxter married.
I lift my eyes and meet Jamison’s across the table. The heat from earlier is still there, but it’s slightly muted because of our family. I look over at Reed and find his eyes on me too. One corner of his mouth twitches, and I know what he’s thinking.
I have no idea where we go from here or what they expect from me. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t dying to find out, but I’m also scared.
Is this the beginning of something new and exciting? Something that could possibly last longer than Jamison’s and Reed’s usual one-night stands?
Or am I just a passing fantasy that will end once they’ve had me?