in front of the coffee shop in one of the few spaces on the square of January Cove. Looking around his car one more time to make sure that it was tidy enough for guests, he locked the door with the remote and approached the glass door to the coffee shop. As he walked inside, his brother, Kyle, greeted him with a big grin from behind the counter.
“ Welcome to Jolt, ” he said with a beaming smile. Jackson just shook his head and laughed at his brother.
“ I guess if that whole real estate investment business doesn't work out, you can always pour coffee for a living, ” Jackson said.
“ You laugh, but I've poured several cups this morning without spilling a drop. ”
“ So, where's Rebecca? ”
“ She's upstairs finishing up her makeup, from what I understand. I haven't seen Leo this morning, but I assume he's going with you? ”
“ I hope so. I guess she talked to him about it last night, but I don't know what his reaction was. ”
Just then, Jackson could hear someone walking down the steps from their apartment. He saw her legs before he saw her. She was wearing a long beige colored flowing skirt and a pair of cowboy boots. And she looked good. Very good, in fact. He thought for a moment how the women back in the big-city didn't look like Rebecca Evans. They looked over-made, but she had a kind of rare, natural beauty that he'd never seen before.
“ Good morning, ” she said, and he was pretty sure she was blushing already. Redheads tended to do that.
“ Good morning, ” Jackson said hoping he wasn't blushing too. “ Where's Leo? ”
Before she could answer, he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. “ Relax. I'm coming. I've been informed that I can't make decisions until I'm eighteen. ” Jackson wanted to laugh at that remark when he saw Rebecca trying to keep from smiling herself. Apparently she had laid down the law with her son before he had the chance to.
“ Well, good. I'm glad you're joining us, Leo. I brought the football …”
“ Look, dude, I'm not ten years old. I don't need you to throw the football with me or teach me how to fish or show me how to be a man. If you're thinking I'm some kind of charity case that you need to fix, don't bother. ”
“ Leo! ” Rebecca said pointing her finger at him.
“ No, it's okay Rebecca. I understand where he's coming from. I lost my dad young, and I would've reacted the same to any man who came around me then too. But, Leo, I was only bringing the football because your mom said you might want to try out for the team at the high school next year. I thought maybe we could throw it a bit and see if you have any skills. ” Again, Rebecca tried not to giggle.
“ Who made you the football king? ” Leo said crossing his arms and jutting his chin out like he was challenging Jackson.
“ No one, I guess. It's just I was an All-Star all four years in high school, and I know the coaches personally. In fact, I played with all of them in high school. ” With that, Jackson waived at Rebecca and started toward the door.
“ Well maybe we can throw it around a little bit, ” Leo said moving a little more quickly than Jackson would have imagined. Maybe he had a chance with this boy after all.
***
Rebecca had to admit that she was impressed with the way Jackson had nonchalantly handled her son. She had never seen Leo change his tune so quickly, but she was happy to see that Jackson wasn't scared to stand up to him. If she was honest with herself, it was kind of nice to have a strong man standing behind her for once, even if it was just for the day.
She had no illusions that this was anything but a nice guy trying to help a woman who was obviously in distress with her son. But she needed some time away from the coffee shop, and she needed some new people to support her in January Cove. Now that her secret was out, there was really no need to keep hiding out in her tiny
“ Welcome to Jolt, ” he said with a beaming smile. Jackson just shook his head and laughed at his brother.
“ I guess if that whole real estate investment business doesn't work out, you can always pour coffee for a living, ” Jackson said.
“ You laugh, but I've poured several cups this morning without spilling a drop. ”
“ So, where's Rebecca? ”
“ She's upstairs finishing up her makeup, from what I understand. I haven't seen Leo this morning, but I assume he's going with you? ”
“ I hope so. I guess she talked to him about it last night, but I don't know what his reaction was. ”
Just then, Jackson could hear someone walking down the steps from their apartment. He saw her legs before he saw her. She was wearing a long beige colored flowing skirt and a pair of cowboy boots. And she looked good. Very good, in fact. He thought for a moment how the women back in the big-city didn't look like Rebecca Evans. They looked over-made, but she had a kind of rare, natural beauty that he'd never seen before.
“ Good morning, ” she said, and he was pretty sure she was blushing already. Redheads tended to do that.
“ Good morning, ” Jackson said hoping he wasn't blushing too. “ Where's Leo? ”
Before she could answer, he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. “ Relax. I'm coming. I've been informed that I can't make decisions until I'm eighteen. ” Jackson wanted to laugh at that remark when he saw Rebecca trying to keep from smiling herself. Apparently she had laid down the law with her son before he had the chance to.
“ Well, good. I'm glad you're joining us, Leo. I brought the football …”
“ Look, dude, I'm not ten years old. I don't need you to throw the football with me or teach me how to fish or show me how to be a man. If you're thinking I'm some kind of charity case that you need to fix, don't bother. ”
“ Leo! ” Rebecca said pointing her finger at him.
“ No, it's okay Rebecca. I understand where he's coming from. I lost my dad young, and I would've reacted the same to any man who came around me then too. But, Leo, I was only bringing the football because your mom said you might want to try out for the team at the high school next year. I thought maybe we could throw it a bit and see if you have any skills. ” Again, Rebecca tried not to giggle.
“ Who made you the football king? ” Leo said crossing his arms and jutting his chin out like he was challenging Jackson.
“ No one, I guess. It's just I was an All-Star all four years in high school, and I know the coaches personally. In fact, I played with all of them in high school. ” With that, Jackson waived at Rebecca and started toward the door.
“ Well maybe we can throw it around a little bit, ” Leo said moving a little more quickly than Jackson would have imagined. Maybe he had a chance with this boy after all.
***
Rebecca had to admit that she was impressed with the way Jackson had nonchalantly handled her son. She had never seen Leo change his tune so quickly, but she was happy to see that Jackson wasn't scared to stand up to him. If she was honest with herself, it was kind of nice to have a strong man standing behind her for once, even if it was just for the day.
She had no illusions that this was anything but a nice guy trying to help a woman who was obviously in distress with her son. But she needed some time away from the coffee shop, and she needed some new people to support her in January Cove. Now that her secret was out, there was really no need to keep hiding out in her tiny
Similar Books
