And, sure, I fell a bit more in love with him right there on my front porch.
For all the world to see.Jackson“How does third place feel?” It wasn’t a first or even a second-place finish today, but somehow a third-place finish in the cook-off had Reese smiling like she’d won the whole damn thing.
“Third feels like… third. But it also feels like I’ve consistently placed in the top three, which has to mean something.” She shrugged off the sting of defeat, but her smile was genuine. “And maybe Texas beef just isn’t my thing.”
“Your Texas beef tastes damn good to me.”
Reese choked on a laugh and shook her head. “I think your flirting skills need an upgrade.”
“Does that mean it’s not working?” I added a pout to the question for good measure.
“I didn’t say that, I just said you need an upgrade. What works on one woman won’t work on them all.” She smiled, totally oblivious to the frown on my face as she buried her face in an oversized mug of beer.
“I’m hoping it only works on one particular woman,” I whispered, hoping the stubborn woman wouldn’t make me spell it out in the sky for her—knowing I damn well would, if that was what she needed.
“Me?”
I nodded. “Duh.”
Reese folded her arms, a cheeky smile on her face. “I see. Now that I’m winning all these cooking competitions, you want in on the action. What’s your cost, free meals? Professional guinea pig?” Her smile stretched playfully across her face, irresistible when she was light and carefree like this.
I shrugged and leaned in too close not to have a few tongues wagging in the morning. “I’d say let’s start with me licking barbecue sauce off your body. Your entire body.”
Her eyes went wide, round in surprise and plenty of lust. “Well,” she said and cleared her throat. “That sounds like a wonderful idea.”
“I think so, too,” I told her and nipped her ear.
“But first, we have to mingle.” Her smile was wide and full of amusement because she knew what she did to me. “An hour. These people showed up to support me, Jackson.”
“Sorry to tell you, sweetheart, but they’re here for the barbecue sauce.”
“Music to my ears,” she said in a sing-song voice. “One hour,” she repeated and then Reese was gone, shuffling off to a corner where Mikki and Ginger stood chatting. When she joined them, she was all smiles and I couldn’t look away, not from the sight of her with flushed cheeks and bright eyes. Happy.
Really, truly happy.
And I had to think that part of that, at least, had to do with me. Well, with us, because there was definitely an us. I hoped.
“Man, you have got it bad!” Rafe stopped beside me and clasped me on the shoulder, a smile on his face. “Have you figured it out yet?”
I frowned at him. “What?”
“That you’re it. You and Reese were the matchmakers’ goal and, judging by the look on your face, neither of you have any clue.”
I let Rafe’s words sink in, wondering if this was some reverse psychology attempt to warn me off, but that didn’t make sense. He’d given us space and, even now, seemed more happy and amused than put out about whatever was happening between us.
“We’ve been spending time together,” I admitted.
“A lot. At night. Overnight.”
“Jealous?”
“That you’re getting the food that used to go to me, her closest friend? Hell, yeah. But Reese seems happy, which means I’m happy. She deserves it,” he said, and I heard the warning in his voice. Appreciated it.
“But do I?”
Rafe smiled. “That has yet to be determined. But if it makes you feel any better, I’m rooting for you guys.”
“Why?”
He shrugged and took a long pull of his beer. “She likes you, and you seem like a cool enough dude. Plus, all the teasing I’ll get in because she went and fell in love? Priceless.”
If that one statement didn’t clear up the nature of their relationship, I didn’t know what could. “Gee, thanks.”
“Don’t worry about it, man. It’s all in good fun.” His gaze slipped past my shoulder and I turned just as Janey walked in, looking like a different version of the woman I was used to seeing around town, a camera always in her hands or hanging from her neck. “Gotta get going. Tell Reese I’ll stop by the shop for a proper congrats, yeah?”
I nodded and looked over my shoulder one more time with a grin. “Maybe she’ll have her own teasing to do sooner rather than later.”
“Don’t make me regret rooting for you.” Rafe pointed as he backed away, eyes going wide when he realized he was heading further away from the door. “Later!”
I shook my head with a laugh, eager to share with Reese the little bit of gossip I was pretty sure I’d just stumbled upon, but the buzzing in my back pocket distracted me. “This is Slater.”