“How about... Ella’s Mac and Cheese!” she pronounces, giggling.
“Done!” Calla shouts, triumphantly. “Now let's get you a bowl, and one of Trey’s amazing BLT’s so you can finish that homework for Dad.”
Ella runs over to me, and I squat down to put myself on her level. “Thanks for letting me be here today, Daddy. I love coming to work with you.” She kisses my cheek and heads out of the kitchen, Calla following behind her with the bowl of mac and cheese and the sandwich.
“Dude. I think I speak for all of us when I say, I love that little girl,” Wes announces from across the kitchen.
“Agreed,” Trey adds.
Damn. She is one special little girl, and fuck if she’s not going to have all of us wrapped around her little finger.
Chapter 15
Ella
Finishing my three mac and cheese brunch, and Trey’s yummy BLT, I pull out my homework for the week. Now I understand why Mom hated it so much when I missed school. Trying to catch up is for the birds. But I don’t think I could’ve handled being at school last week. Spending the time with Daddy and learning some of the ins and outs of Belladonna kept me from being so sad about Mom too much. I haven’t told Daddy yet, but I’m not sure I want to go to Mom’s grave ever again. Especially not after having that dream this morning.
“Hey kiddo! I’ve got you something,” Uncle Adam announces as he steps up to the booth where I’m sitting in the bar area.
Everyone keeps sitting me at this table as it’s the easiest one to watch me. He eyes my books and papers spread all over the table.
“You have a shit-ton of homework.” He pushes a book over as he sits next to me on the bench seat.
“Yep. Oh, and Aunt Calla said she’s going to get a swear jar for y’all for cussing in front of me. I didn’t have the nerve to tell her I’ve heard worse at the football games with Mom.”
Uncle Adam laughs. “Well, she has a point. We should watch our language in front of you. With that said, Uncle Wes alone will put enough money in the jar for you to go to college before you hit high school.” He winks.
“You think so? Okay, maybe I like this idea!” I grin. Not that I really want to take Uncle Wes’s money.
“That’s my girl.” Uncle Adam ruffles my hair.
I smack at his hand. “So what is this present you got for me?” I ask as one of the waitresses refills my cup with water. “Thank you,” I tell her, and my attention goes back to Uncle Adam.
“This,” he places a wrapped present in front of me. “I know it gets loud in here, and I can’t imagine it's easy to do your homework with all the racket. Don’t let your Aunt Piper know, though. She’ll get even more pissed if her attitude about you being here is any indication.”
I giggle. He’s not lying. Aunt Piper is being a royal pain in the butt about me being at the restaurant so much. What she doesn’t realize is that it’s the best way for me to get to know my new family. Or maybe she does realize it, and she just isn’t happy I’m not living with her anymore. After the conversations I’ve heard since she’s been here, I’m surprised she even told me about Daddy as I was growing up. I’m not the least bit shocked she didn’t tell the family about me, or push Mom to tell them. I think she would’ve been happy if they’d never known about me.
Ripping into the wrapping paper, I find a new phone. My face scrunches up. “Uncle Adam, I don’t think anyone’s going to be happy with me having this.” I hold the box out toward him.
“Actually, we all will. However, we will monitor what goes on the damn thing. I talked to Forest about it before I ordered it.” He grins, and it makes his eye sparkle as if he’s doing something he shouldn’t. “We’ll program everyone’s number in it then add some music so you can put the earbuds in and ignore all of us when you’re here doing your homework. Tonight, have Forest order a case and earbuds that you like. You may want to talk to Aunt Calla before he orders them, though. She has small ears and wears earbuds all the time when she runs so she can tell your dad the best ones to get for you.”
I lean in and give him a huge hug. He hugs me back before kissing my head and scooting out of the booth, getting back to work.
I can’t wait to set the new phone up. I’d had one before, but I don’t know what happened to it. It’s been missing since we moved here. Sticking the phone in my backpack, I pull the book Uncle Adam had moved back into place and try to get back to work. That is, until I hear Aunt Piper’s voice.
Really??? Not today! I was hoping I’d get to have a break from her.
“Ben, are you sure we should be meeting here?” I hear her ask someone.
Ben? Is this the same Ben she’s been talking to for months? He’s here?
“Piper, I haven’t seen my sister all that much between Hallie’s passing, and her running this place. So yes, I wanted to come here. Why don’t you want any of your family to know we talk?” Ben replies. His voice is deep, and I know I’ve heard it before.
Even though I don’t want the griping Aunt Piper is going to give me, I want to see what Ben looks like. Sliding out of the booth, I see Aunt Nessa heading this direction. She makes a gesture for me to get back to the table.
“Ben, it’s nice to see you again. Should I let Calla know you’re here?” Aunt Nessa asks.
“Yes, please, Nessa. How are you?”
“Good, actually. Piper, how about you don’t make a scene today while you’re here?” There’s a pause. Then Aunt Nessa tells them, “Why don’t you look over the menu while I let Calla know you’re here? Your server will be with you shortly. And in case you want something that’s not on the menu, you should ask about today’s mac and cheese special.”
“Why would we want mac and cheese?” Aunt Piper demands with the attitude I’ve heard many times.
“Because Ella helped get Calla in a cooking mood. She even helped Calla, Wes, and Trey as they each created a special mac and cheese dish for her today,” Aunt Nessa says smuggly. I lean over, peering under the table to see her wink at me before walking off.
I have a strange family.
Jax
Today has gone by so fucking slowly, even though we’ve been swamped since churches let out. I keep staring at the clock to see if Belladonna is closed yet. When Calla and Ella came in this morning, my excitement was through the roof. I love seeing that little girl, and her dad isn’t too shabby to look at either. I can’t remember the last time I was tied in knots over a guy, and I’ve never wanted to spend time with a kid until Ella. Every time I see her, I can’t believe her mom just passed. I was a wreck for months after my mom died. And while I see the shadows under her eyes from her grief, she’s doing fucking awesome for her age.
“Stop pacing. You’re going to wear out the floor,” CJ mutters as he walks in the kitchen. “You know, I’ve never seen you this twitchy. You really like him don’t you?”
“Yes,” I sigh. “I barely know the man, but anytime I know I might see him I get butterflies in my belly, and my heart races. I’m fucked if he’s not interested in me in any other way except to help Ella.” I glance down at my watch then back at the batch of dough in front of me.
“You’re going to break poor Bradley’s heart, you know,” CJ chuckles, coming to stand next to me and patting my shoulder.
I grin. “As if you care. Besides, he’s like my baby brother,” I remind him, picking up the roller.
“Yeah, well... my brother’s a little thick when it comes to you.” He shakes his head and leans against the counter. “You sure you’re ready for this? I know I’ve asked before, but helping with Ella might be harder than you think, considering your past.”
I think about it for a minute as I roll out the dough. “I have to face my demons at some point. Maybe if I can help Ella, I’ll be able to help myself, too.”
“That’s a healthy way to look at it. I hope it works. They seem nice, so I’d hate to have to kick Forest’s ass.”
I bust out laughing. CJ waves me off, rolling his eyes at me as
he walks away. Focusing on the task at hand, I begin cutting the Cock-N-Balls so they’ll be finished by the time Forest and Ella come in. Earlier, Ella seemed really interested in making the Voodoo Dolls since Calla wanted two of them.
“Jax, there’s someone here that wants to talk to you,” a female voice calls back. I need to figure out the new girls’ voices. They sound so similar.
I look up to see who else is in the kitchen. There are a few of our staff back here. “Can one of y’all finish these for me?”
“Sure thing, Jax,” one of the staff replies as I leave the kitchen.
As soon as I step into the main room, Ella is waving at me from the other side of the glass cases. She’s so fucking cute it’s not even funny. I point to an open table for Forest and Ella to sit at then I pull three different doughnuts from the case. Before I can step out from behind the displays, CJ comes back out.
“I’ll bring over some drinks. After you talk with them are you leaving for the day?” He’s grabbing three cups from their spot by the register as he asks the question.
“Thanks. Yeah, probably. I want to try and chill for the rest of the afternoon. Maybe finish the book I started the other night. Oh hey! Remember I won’t be here tomorrow,” I say over my shoulder.
“You need a break. Now that we’ve hired the new people, we’ll both be able to have a few more days off.” He smiles and shoos me off as he starts on the drinks.
I have to stop once as one of the other young patrons runs in front of me, and I almost drop the doughnuts I’m carrying.
“Sorry,” the female following the little boy says. “I don’t think I should’ve let him have the whole doughnut. His mom’s going to kill me for this sugar high.” She chuckles as she passes me.
I snort. Not sure what she expected, bringing the boy to a doughnut shop, but whatever. I don’t have to watch the kid.
Chapter 16
Forest
I cringe when the little boy runs right in front of Jax. Honestly, I’m not sure how she stopped in time. I thought for sure she was going to fall on top of the kid. My attention falls back on Ella. Her jaw has dropped, and if mom was here, she’d tell her to close her mouth so flies don’t get in.
“Young lady,” I begin, making sure I have her full attention. “Please never do that in a restaurant. Not only could you hurt yourself, but you could also hurt the person carrying the food. Not to mention then the kitchen staff has to fix everything, and the customers get pissy when they don’t get their meal in a timely fashion.” She nods.
“Don’t worry, Daddy. I won’t. Besides, I think Aunt Nessa would make me clean up the mess if I did.” Her body is almost vibrating with nervous energy.
What is going on in that head of hers to make her this fidgety? “You’re probably right on that,” I agree. “So... you said you finished your homework, finally, but you didn’t tell me if you got the list for what you’d like for us to have in our new place finished.”
Before Ella can answer me, Jax is at the table placing the donuts down and taking a seat next to Ella. My little girl beams at Jax.
“Drinks will be right out. CJ is bringing them over.” Jax glances between Ella and me then rips off a piece of the apple fritter she brought over. “So, how was your day Ella?”
Holy shit! This woman just asked my daughter how her day was before asking me.
That one simple question settles Ella. She looks up at me then back at the donut with sprinkles. Yep, she’s definitely my daughter when it comes to sweets. I always went for the sprinkles when I was a kid, too. I bump her with my elbow, and she glances back up at me. I nod, and she picks up the donut and takes a huge bite. I can’t hold back my laugh. The bite is way too big for her little mouth, and I’m praying she doesn’t choke on it.
“I see I picked the right doughnut for Ella. What about you?” Jax wants to know as she tears another piece from the fritter.
“Is it cream filled?” I ask as CJ walks up to the table.
His right eyebrow raises as he places the drinks on the table then he moves each drink in front of us. How the hell does he know what Ella and I drink? I don’t think Jax could guess that one.
“Really? Cream filled in front of this little beauty?” he jokes, smirking.
I bust out laughing again.
“CJ! He was asking about the doughnut.” Jax chuckles. “What did you bring this Sweetheart to drink?” she inquires, touching Ella’s silky hair to move it out of her face.
“What you used to drink with doughnuts... chocolate milk. You get a chai today, and Forest has coffee. It’s black. I wasn’t sure what you take in it.”
“Oh I think she’s going to love you even more than she already does, Jax, for the chocolate milk. Thankfully she’s already finished her homework, otherwise I might be in trouble with all this sugar going in her.” I grin as Ella scrunches up her face at me. “Black is great,” I tell CJ. “Thanks, man.” I pick up the cup and nod before taking a sip.
CJ eyes Jax for a minute then walks off.
“He’s protective,” I observe as Jax takes a sip of her own drink.
“He is. He’s like the brother I never had. Anyway... you guys wanted to discuss maybe making doughnuts as a way to connect, or helpful ideas to get Ella through the tough times?”
Does that mean she doesn’t want to help? Shit… and I was hoping to ask her out on a date, too. One day.
“Learning to make donuts would be cool. Maybe we could do a cook-off like we did with the mac and cheese at Belladonna. That was fun,” Ella pipes in, shifting in her seat to look between Jax and me then taking another bite of the donut.
“A mac and cheese cook-off?” Jax questions, finishing her apple fritter.
I shake my head, smiling at my daughter before answering Jax. “Yes. It seems that, after leaving you this morning, Calla and Ella decided they wanted mac and cheese. So when they returned to Belladonna, that’s what Calla was fixing. Needless to say, both Trey and Wes wanted in on this action, so they decided to have a cook-off, and Ella was the judge.” I take my first bite of the cream-filled donut Jax picked for me.
A grin forms on Jax’s face, and she covers her mouth with her hand. She has a beautiful smile, and her eyes light up whenever one crosses those luscious lips of hers. Her pale green eyes also sparkle when she looks at Ella. A jab to my side has me blinking and pulling my attention from Jax to Ella.
“Yes baby girl?” I ask, rubbing my side.
“Are you okay Daddy?” Ella’s voice is soft, and there’s a quiver in it that hasn’t been there all day.
“I’m okay. Did you say something, and I didn’t answer?” There are tears filling her eyes, and I pull her into my lap before wiping the two that sit at the corners away.
“You went still and weren’t talking. It worried me.” She’s holding on to me as tightly as she can.
“I’m so sorry Sweetheart. I didn’t mean to scare you. I’ll let you in on a secret... I was mesmerized by Jax’s green eyes. They’re like your baby blue ones. Sometimes I just can’t stop staring into them, and I get lost.”
“She does have pretty eyes,” Ella agrees. “Do you really think mine are as pretty as hers?” She lifts her head up so we’re making eye contact.
“I do.” I kiss her nose. “How about we finish this snack, and maybe Jax will sit with us as we talk about a new place to live?” I peer over at Jax, and she nods.
Ella scoots off my lap and sits back in her chair. She picks up a napkin and wipes her face one more time before eating a little more of her donut and drinking her milk.
“You’re thinking of moving?” Jax inquires, but Ella puts her hand up in a stopping gesture.
“Can we please talk about the donut cook-off?” Ella whines shoving her hands together in a praying motion.
Jax and I both laugh. I really fucking love this kid.
“If you and your dad find someone else that can bake, I will gladly have a doughnut cook-off with you.” Jax smiles down at Ella.
Once again she has me shaking my head. My phone buzzes with an incoming text, and I pull it out of my back pocket.
Wes: I know you’re down at Voodoo, but we’re thinking about heading out to Brewtorium in a bit and wanted to see if you want to join?
Me: Sure, Ella and I can make it. We can’t hang out long since she has to be at school early tomorrow morning.
Wes: That’s cool. My brothers and Ben just informed Calla and I that they head out tomorrow. They have to get back to camp.
Me: Well damn. I guess Piper will be heading down to Houston, as well. I’ll make sure we’re there. I’d like to say bye to everyone, and I’m sure Ella will want to see Piper if she’s there.
Wes: Good deal. I think we’ll head over about 4.
Me: See you there.
“Everything okay?” Jax asks as she turns her attention on me.
“Yes. Wes was letting me know everyone's getting together later to send off his brothers and Calla’s tonight.” I set my phone on the table.
“Daddy, is Aunt Calla’s brother Aunt Piper’s boyfriend?” Ella glances up at me.
I do a double take, not sure what would make Ella ask that question. “I don’t know, Sweetheart. Why do you ask?”
“They were at Belladonna together today. I’ve heard his voice before, but I can’t remember from where,” she answers then pulls her backpack off the floor and opens it. She takes out the box with the phone Adam said he was getting for her, along with a spiral notebook and pencil.
“Whatcha doing Ella?” I grab her bag and place it back on the ground for her.
“Writing down things I want our new place to have. And Uncle Adam said we need to get me a cover for the new phone and earbuds. But he said I should talk to Aunt Calla about those.” She flips open the notebook and her little tongue sticks out slightly.
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