Forking Around (Hot Cakes Book 2)

by Erin Nicholas

  She gave him a little smile. “But… he’s also in a wheelchair.”

  “You mentioned that,” Dax said. “The other night at the bar when you told me some people had just showed up to build a ramp at the house.” He frowned, thinking about the house last night. “Hey, the ramp wasn’t at the house. Is it in back?”

  Jane swallowed hard. “Cassie had it taken out. She didn’t like how it looked and once Dad moved to the nursing home, she said there was no reason to have it.”

  Dax scowled. Wow, he really disliked Jane’s stepmother. “What about when he wants to come home and visit? Holidays and stuff?”

  Jane shook her head. “Nope. He doesn’t do that. We went out to a restaurant at Thanksgiving, and that was such an ordeal he refused to do anything but have us come to the nursing home for Christmas.”

  “Why was it an ordeal?”

  “The wheelchair is heavy and takes up a lot of trunk space, and then we have to help him in and out of it, which can be hard when he gets tired, and then we have to make room at the table for the wheelchair, and he was really embarrassed by that.”

  Dax didn’t know Jane’s dad. But he had an idea, knowing Jane and having met Kelsey, that he was a good guy. “No offense, but your stepmom is kind of a bitch.”

  Jane snorted at that. “She’s a piece of work.”

  “So we can make this happen,” Dax said. “I can help lift him and the chair and whatever. And the fair is being held in a bunch of buildings in a park outside of Dubuque, right?”

  Jane nodded. “The park has a ‘old town’ area with buildings that look like buildings from the time the city was founded. They have fairs and events there a lot.”

  “So big buildings with good paths. We won’t have to worry about tables crowded together in a restaurant,” Dax reasoned. “And if it sucks or makes him uncomfortable, we’ll leave.”

  Jane took a breath. “I don’t know.”

  Dax watched her face. He knew her dad’s situation broke her heart. He knew she did her damnedest to make things work for her family. He knew she often felt helpless to really make anything better. He could definitely relate to that. He’d been there with his mom more times than he liked to remember. His brother to an extent as well.

  He wanted to help Jane. He wanted to show her she didn’t have to do it alone. He wanted to make things easier, on her and her family.

  In fact, it was becoming a need more than a desire.

  “Let’s just go see him,” Dax said. “We’ll talk to him, and see what he thinks. We don’t have to do it, but it is an option. I’m certain I can help with the wheelchair and everything.”

  “Your car’s trunk can barely fit the spare tire,” she said, her tone lighter.

  “Then we’ll take your car. Or I can rent one. How about a van with a wheelchair lift on it? Maybe we should just buy one?”

  She laughed and put her hand on his face. “And I know you’re not kidding.”

  “I’m totally not,” he assured her. “If you’re trying to shut me down, you’re going to have to come up with something that I can’t throw money at.”

  Her expression was one of wonder and affection. “I’m not trying to shut you down.”

  He pulled her hand from his cheek to his lips. He pressed a kiss on the back of it and then put her hand over his heart. “Good.”

  “Okay, let’s go talk to my dad.”

  “Can’t wait.”

  They walked, hand in hand, to her car. “I’ll just text Kelsey and tell her to meet us over there,” Jane said, digging in her bag once she was behind the wheel.

  “I can text her while you drive,” Dax said, pulling his phone out of his pocket. Their house wasn’t far from the nursing home. Kelsey could easily walk the few blocks.

  “You have Kelsey’s number?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I—” Jane broke off. “Great.”

  He grinned. “Told her she can call me any time. Especially if she needs something during your work hours.”

  Jane frowned slightly. “I don’t mind her calling me.”

  “I know.”

  “Did you say that as my boss, because you don’t want me to take personal calls while I’m at work or as my…” She bit her lower lip.

  “As your…” He trailed off the same way she had. “And Kelsey’s friend.” He paused. “And I’m not your boss.”

  She nodded.

  “I know you work your ass off, and that place would fall apart without you,” he added. “I don’t care if you sit in that break room and color and drink cappuccino all day.”

  She smiled. “Too bad you’re not my boss anymore, then.”

  He leaned over and cupped the back of her head, pulling her in for a kiss. A long, slow, wet kiss. When he let her go, she blinked at him several times.

  “What was that for?”

  “Reminding you that you’re very happy I’m not your boss.”

  A smile teased her lips. “Right. I almost forgot.”

  He growled and said, “Take me to meet your dad before I forget I’m too good of a guy to haul you back to your place and keep you naked all day.”

  She gave a little shiver. “Right. But… later. We can be naked all night.”

  “Deal.”

  She was coming around. He knew he’d blown in and turned her life upside down and that she didn’t want to feel all the things he was making her feel. But she was feeling them anyway. And maybe even starting to like them.

  Jane started the car and pulled out onto the street. He sent Kelsey a quick text: Going to see your dad. Meet us there?

  He got an almost instantaneous reply: There better be a muffin for me.

  Of course. He also added a strawberry.

  See you there.

  They pulled up in front of Sunny Orchard Living and Care Center a few minutes later. Jane took a deep breath.

  Dax just waited for her to speak.

  “Let me go in ahead. At least into his room,” she said. “He’s funny about guests.”

  “I can do that.” Dax really didn’t want to make this harder, but he was eager to meet Jane and Kelsey’s father.

  “Okay, thanks.”

  They had just reached the front doors when Kelsey called to them from the sidewalk. They waited for her to catch up with them.

  “Hi!” She seemed in a good mood.

  “Hey.” Jane gave her a quick hug.

  “I’m so glad you’re coming to meet Dad,” Kelsey said, reaching for the door.

  “Yeah?” Dax asked, glancing at Jane.

  “Definitely. He doesn’t usually let people come visit him but us. I’m glad he said you could come.”

  They followed her through the door.

  “Well, I haven’t told him yet,” Jane told her sister. “Dax is going to wait out here for me to kind of ease Dad into it.

  Kelsey frowned. “Oh. Well, he’ll be okay, right? I mean, he’d want to meet your boyfriend.”

  Dax saw how that made Jane freeze for just a second. He lifted a brow, just waiting to see how she might handle that.

  But she surprised him by turning to Kelsey. “Do you think so?”

  Kelsey nodded. “Of course. I mean, he doesn’t want his old boss coming just out of guilt, and Aunt Amy will totally make a huge deal out of everything and insist on doting on him and make him crazy. And he doesn’t want his friends to see him like this.” She looked a little sad but she shrugged. “But Dax is different. He’s the guy you’re in love with. Dad will totally want to know him.”

  Dax’s grin grew as Jane’s mouth dropped open. But she didn’t deny anything Kelsey had just said.

  His chest got warm and a little tight. He wanted to grab her. But if he did, he’d back her up against the nearest wall, and it would become very inappropriate very quickly. Especially for the lobby of a nursing home. Though, the way he was feeling, it would probably be inappropriate for even the lobby of a sex club at the moment.

  “Okay,” Jane finally said slowly.
She glanced at Dax, and he just gave her a big, cocky grin.

  She rolled her eyes. But the corner of her mouth curled.

  “Let’s go see him first though,” she told Kelsey. “Just to warm him up.”

  “Fine,” Kelsey said. She looked at Dax. “I will talk you up big time.”

  “Thanks, Kels,” Dax said sincerely. “I’ll just hang out.” He looked around. The lobby had two leather-covered couches and a few armchairs gathered around a fireplace. There was a coffee and water station in one corner and a huge fish tank in the other. The reception desk was to his left.

  “Hopefully, it won’t take long,” Jane said.

  “No problem.”

  She hesitated as if she wanted to say something more, but finally she just nodded, and she and Kelsey started down the long hallway.

  Dax tucked his hands in his pockets and sauntered toward the coffee station. But he wasn’t really in the mood for a cup of coffee. He watched the fish for a little bit. He looked at the artwork on the walls—nice, kind of typical scenes of farms and rolling fields and a sunset over a river he imagined was the Mississippi. He checked out the magazines on a couple of the side tables. He put three pieces into the jigsaw puzzle that was laid out on the big, round table near the windows.

  Finally, he took a seat in one of the armchairs and opened a browser on his phone. He had never in his life been in a nursing home. He had a vague idea what he would find here, but he was curious.

  Nursing home layouts was his first search. Then he searched typical day in a nursing home. Then depression in nursing home residents. Then innovative nursing home programs. Innovative was one of his favorite words in all situations.

  He read four articles then sent off a message to Piper and another to Grant. They each said the same thing. What do you know about nursing homes? Do we know anyone in the business? They were the two most connected and knowledgeable about their business network.

  A glance at the clock told him things down the hall with Jane’s dad were not going as smoothly as Kelsey had anticipated. Dax was surprised to find himself disappointed about that. He’d like to meet the man, and he’d like to assure him that Dax had only the best intentions and that he’d be there for Jack’s daughters however he could be. Surely that would be reassuring for the man. Wouldn’t it? Or maybe it would just be a reminder that Jack couldn’t do all the things for them he wanted to. That would suck. Dax was going to have to be careful here.

  He approached the reception desk. “Hi.”

  The young girl—weekend help, he assumed—was busy looking at her phone. She looked up as if surprised to find someone standing there. So security guard she was not.

  “Uh, hi.”

  “I’m Dax.”

  “Taylor.”

  “Have you worked here for a long time?”

  She shrugged. “About a year, but I only work after school two days a week and weekends.”

  “Do you like it?”

  “Sure.”

  “Tell me your favorite part.”

  Just then his phone rang. He looked down to see Grant was calling.

  “Damn, hang on. I have to answer this.”

  “Okay.” Taylor seemed very unconcerned about having their conversation interrupted.

  “Hey,” he answered, starting toward the fish tank.

  “What are you up to?” Grant asked.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Why are you asking about nursing homes?”

  “Because I’m in one right now.”

  That made Grant pause for a moment. “Why?”

  “Jane’s dad lives here,” Dax said.

  “Ah.”

  Dax could picture Grant nodding as if he’d just figured everything out.

  “So that makes sense?” Dax asked.

  “Of course. You’re the most curious guy I know and you just walked into something new. Of course you’re going to try to figure everything out about it.” Grant said it with a very familiar slightly exasperated, slightly amused, slightly proud tone. He used that tone with Dax and Ollie a lot.

  Dax knew he gave his friend heart palpitations, but he also knew Grant could have left Fluke a long time ago and been just fine. He could have made money and had much more important friends who didn’t give him migraines. But he’d stayed. Because, whether he would admit it or not, he liked them.

  “Well, nursing homes are definitely new to me,” he said. “Never gave them much thought, you know? Pretty different than anything else I’ve ever done.”

  “True,” Grant said. “But that isn’t the new thing you just walked into that I was referring to.”

  “What were you referring to?”

  “Being in love.”

  Dax grinned. “Well, yeah, there’s that too.”

  “So you realize you’re in love?” Grant said.

  “Yeah. I was pretty sure I was falling from almost day one. But yeah, I’m there.”

  “And the woman that you gave Hot Cakes up for has a father living in a nursing home, so naturally you’re interested in how those work.”

  Dax nodded. “Exactly. It’s a part of her life, so I want to know more.”

  “Do not buy that nursing home, Dax,” Grant said.

  Dax didn’t answer right away. His mind was spinning too fast.

  Grant interpreted his silence correctly. “Shit. You weren’t thinking about buying it?”

  “I hadn’t gotten quite that far,” Dax said. “But I probably would have at some point.”

  Grant sighed. “Dammit. And now I gave you the idea.”

  Dax laughed. “Don’t beat yourself up. I almost always get to hey, I should buy one of these with most things eventually.”

  Grant groaned. “Dax, you know nothing about nursing homes.”

  “Which is exactly why I texted you and Piper.” He rolled his eyes. “I’m not an idiot.”

  “You’re impulsive.”

  “I’ll give you that.” Then Dax laughed. “But don’t run out for more antacids just yet, G,” he said. “I was actually just thinking I could maybe make a donation so they can implement some new programs for depression. Sounds like most nursing homes need extra funding, and depression is very common among residents.”

  There was a beat of silence on Grant’s end. Then he said, “Jane’s dad’s depressed?”

  “Yeah.”

  “And it’s hurting her?”

  Dax took a breath. “Yeah.”

  “Okay,” Grant said. “Then you should totally make a donation. I can get some resources together to see what kinds of programs are available and reach out to see what kind of funding would help most.”

  Dax smiled. Grant Lorre was a good guy. He wanted to protect his business interests from Dax and Ollie’s reckless and sometimes ridiculous ideas. He wanted to protect his friends too, for that matter, from scams and people out to defraud them because of their fame and money. But the bottom line was Grant cared about them and believed in them. When they had a good idea or a true passion project—and not something that just occurred to them on a whim or when they were on an endorphin high—he was behind them 100 percent.

  “Thanks,” Dax said. “I’d appreciate the help researching. I’m going to do more of my own too.”

  “Oh right, you have more free time now,” Grant said. “What with not being a part of Hot Cakes anymore.”

  Dax grinned. “Tell you what, I’ll do my research in the Hot Cakes break room. I hear they have great cappuccino. Then if you guys need me, you’ll know where to find me.”

  Grant gave a grunt that was supposed to be laughter. “Great. When I need a quick game of Ping-Pong, I’ll be down.”

  Which meant Dax would never see him in the break room. Grant didn’t play Ping-Pong.

  Just then, Jane stepped into the lobby. She found him immediately and motioned with her hand in a come on gesture.

  Yes. He was in. “Gotta go. Talk to you later.”

  “Don’t spend any money before we talk again,”
Grant cautioned.

  “Only on cake and pie today,” Dax agreed.

  “Cake and pie?”

  “Big dessert-tasting thing. Buttered Up is going to be there, so Jane and I are going to take her dad and sister out there.”

  “Buttered Up?” Grant asked sharply. “Zoe’s bakery?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Zoe will be there?”

  Dax frowned. “Yeah.”

  “Anyone else?”

  “Her assistant, Josie,” Dax replied.

  There was no sound on Grant’s end.

  “Hello?” Dax asked.

  “Yeah. Okay. Nothing. Talk to you later.” Grant disconnected before Dax could reply.

  Well, that was weird.

  “Everything okay?” Jane asked as he joined her.

  “Yeah. Probably. That was just Grant.”

  “Okay. So—” She took a deep breath. “You ready for this?”

  “You sure he’s good with it?”

  “He’s… willing.”

  “Took a while.”

  “Yeah. We eased into it. And had to discuss Kelsey’s chemistry grades and her grounding and…” She sighed. “Anyway that’s all done, and he knows Kelsey thinks you’re amazing and that you were nice to Aspen and that you have the coolest car. Which he agrees with.”

  “How’s she know about my car?” he asked with a grin as they started down the hallway.

  “Oh, it’s not plastered all over your social media?” Jane gave him a look.

  “Right. Yes, it is.”

  “Yeah.” She shook her head. “I’m still getting used to the idea that you’re kind of famous.”

  He laughed. “You’re probably not the target demographic for my message.”

  “I don’t know,” she said without looking at him. “I think I’ve received your message about living in the moment and making it as great as you can, pretty clearly.”

  He stopped her, turning her to face him. “That means a lot to me.”

  She met his gaze. “I’m glad.”

  He thought about kissing her, but she turned and started walking again.

  The hallway was wide, stark white, with a white tile floor. It was brightly lit by fluorescent lights overhead.