by Lucy Score
“I’ll see what we’ve got left over from last winter and then I can make a run into town for supplies,” Jax volunteered.
“Great. I’ve got a shopping list, too, if you’re going into town.”
“No problem. So snow removal, I’m thinking we should keep the Jeep over here to dig out here and at the brewery. We should be able to clear at the farmhouse with one or two of the ATVs. Colby and I can hook up the plows to them today.”
“How about the generators?” Joey asked.
“Gas tanks were filled last week for the brewery. I’ll check yours and the farmhouse while we still have some daylight,” Jax told her. “We’ve got a portable one in the garage we can roll out for emergencies.”
“If we work our asses off today, we just might earn ourselves a nice little vacation,” Colby said.
“I wouldn’t say no to a little R and R,” Jax said, giving Joey a wink.
* * *
Before the first flakes fell, Jax gave Joey a hand turning out the horses. Six students showed up to help lunge and ride in an effort to get everyone’s energy out while they still could. If the forecast was even close to accurate, it would be days before the horses saw the pasture again.
While Joey saddled up one of the spunkier mounts, Jax, Colby, and Waffles made sure the furnaces in the barn and stables were up to the challenge of a winter storm of epic proportions.
In the barn, he gave the pigs, Dixie and Hamlet, some extra bedding and threw a ball in their box stall for entertainment purposes. Dixie’s curly tail wiggled with pleasure when he gave her a quick pat. One stall down, Clementine, the evil goat monster, was safely secured. But that didn’t stop her from charging the gate when she saw Jax.
Her demonic little hooves scrambled at the wood and her ears twitched. Clementine’s creepy yellow eyes glowed under the barn’s fluorescent lights.
“Clearly not enjoying your captivity, are you?” Jax asked smugly. “You’re not so tough when you’re behind bars, are you?” He took a step closer.
He wasn’t sure if it was possible, but it looked like the goat narrowed her eyes at him. Pressing his luck, Jax waved his left hand at her and when the goat followed the movement with her satanic gaze, he swooped in with his right and patted her on the head.
It wasn’t anything his brothers hadn’t done before. Joey and the girls regularly gave the four-legged beast ear scratches. Hell Evan and Aurora could hug her around the neck. But one pat on the head from Jax and the goat lost her shit. She sprang at the door, hooves clamoring. Something close to a scream erupted from her goat throat.
Jax jumped back in case the enraged goat managed to levitate over the door.
Waffles, fearless defender that he was, jumped at the door and barked three short yips.
Clementine stared down the furry bodyguard and Jax could almost hear her calculating the odds that she could take Waffles in a fight. After a tense few seconds, Clementine must have decided the odds were not in her favor and she slowly retreated, sliding down the inside of the door and sauntering over to her feed bucket.
“You’re getting an entire plate of bacon tonight,” Jax told the dog. Waffles blinked at him in understanding. The dog returned to Jax’s side, tail wagging happily. They wandered down to another large box stall where Carter’s latest charity cases were happily munching on hay. The two neglected Jersey cows that Dr. Ames had guilted his brother into taking in were already putting weight back on.
“You ladies have everything you need?” he asked, glancing at their bedding and feed and water buckets.
One of them swung her wet nose in his direction and lowed.
“I’ll take that as a yes. I’ll bring you some bread as a special snowed in treat tomorrow.”
The Jersey’s glossy brown eyes remained interested in him and she approached the gate. She stuck her nose between the slats and sniffed at Waffles. Accommodating as always, Waffles tolerated the sniffing.
Jax moved on to double-check that the flashlights at the barn entrance had working batteries and then loaded the gas cans and Waffles into the Jeep and fired off a text to Joey before heading into town.
Taking Waffles with me to town.
Joey responded immediately and Jax chuckled.
Sure. Leave me the horse-sized one and the walking fart cloud. What does Carter feed this thing?
How about I pick you up something special at the liquor store to make it up to you?
I will accept your apology with nothing less than a good bottle of tequila.
See you in an hour with apology tequila.
Ninety minutes later he considered just opening the bottle of tequila and drinking it while he stood in the checkout line. If the grocery store had been a nightmare—with a fistfight almost breaking out over the last bottle of kombucha—the liquor store was the third circle of hell.
Everyone in town was stocking up in anticipation of the storm. The line snaked around the register and up and down the last three aisles of the store. Bill Fitzsimmons was currently holding up the line trying to decide which pineapple-flavored vodka was superior. He’d been having a heated discussion with Mildred, the clerk, for the last ten minutes and the townsfolk were ready to revolt.
Jax caught Taneisha Duval’s eye. Blue Moon’s long distance running star rolled her eyes at him. “I will pay for your tequila if you get him the hell out of here,” she said, jerking her chin in Fitz’s direction.
“Deal.” Jax handed over the bottle and stormed the front of the line. “Is there a problem here, Fitz?” he asked.
Fitz, looked over his reading glasses at Jax. “Oh good, weigh in here, would you Jax? I was leaning toward the Highland Pineapple, but saw this one was on sale. Now Mildred tells me—”
Jax yanked the bottles out of Fitz’s hands and placed them on the counter with a little more force than necessary. “You should do a taste test. At home. My treat.” Jax fished his credit card out of his wallet and handed it over.
“Well, that’s very generous of you,” Fitz said. “But I still need to pick out my mini liquors. I always like to treat myself to a little something special. Now, let’s see…” He leaned in to examine the register’s display of little plastic bottles.
The line behind him groaned and Jax swore under his breath.
“And now it’s snowing,” someone called from the back of the line.
“We’re gonna get snowed in here and there’s no TV.”
The grumbling got louder.
Desperate times called for desperate measures. Jax swept the entire mini display off of the shelf and dumped it into a plastic bag. “Now you don’t have to choose.”
Fitz looked like he’d just hit the lottery. “Well, if you insist—”
Mildred swiped Jax’s credit card so fast he thought he saw sparks. The crowd cheered as Fitz staggered out of the store under the weight of his haul. He waved cheerfully.
“My hero,” Taneisha called from the middle of the line.
* * *
Joey rode Apollo hard, setting a grueling pace around the upper meadow trying to burn off the energy that she knew would turn stubborn sassy mounts into destructive dicks when locked up for a few days. She was thankful the indoor riding ring would give them some room to exercise in the coming days.
The air was thick with the onset of snow.
She thundered back into the yard at the stables, Apollo’s sides steaming from a good run. The flakes were already coating the grass and drive. She’d lived through enough New York winters to know that this storm was going to be the doozy that was predicted.
But they were as prepared as they were going to get. Animals secure, food supply stocked, and every precaution for a deep freeze and a mountainous dig out had been taken.
She dismounted and, flipping the reins over Apollo’s head, led him toward the stable. Joey was almost looking forward to the storm. A cozy night in with man and dogs, fire and food.
The Jeep eased up the lane, windshield wipers flying to clear the fat fla
kes from the glass. Waffles stood with his front paws on the dashboard playing four-legged navigator. She caught Jax’s smoldering look at her through the driver’s side window.
It would seem she wasn’t the only one planning for an interesting evening.
She detacked Apollo and returned him to his stall before heading up to the house. The Jeep was parked out front and foot and paw prints led up the steps onto the front porch. She grabbed the last few bags out of the back and followed the trail.
She found him unloading groceries in the kitchen in a cozy scene. Jax, with snow in his hair, was putting vegetables in the refrigerator while Waffles inhaled the remains of his breakfast.
It felt…good, comfortable.
And that worried her. Was she already getting too attached? Or was she just appreciating the fine male form taking care of a domestic task? She’d probably feel the same way if she found Jax folding laundry, which was a task that she didn’t bother wasting time on.
She tabled her concern for the moment and dumped her bags on the island.
“Colby took the dogs back to the farmhouse for now,” she told him. “They got tired running around the stables.”
“I’ll check in on them when I head back out.”
“How was town?”
“I forgot how stupid snow makes everyone,” Jax said, filling a glass with water from the tap and downing it.
“Fistfights over bread and milk?”
“No, but there was almost a civil war over pineapple vodka.”
“Yay! You got the tequila,” Joey said, picking up the bottle. “I should have warned you that the liquor store before a snow storm is busier than Mrs. McCafferty’s mouth.”
“Actually, you can thank Taneisha for the tequila. It’s a long story that involves Fitz so don’t ask. But I did get you these.” He pulled out a bag of salt and vinegar chips.
“Gimmie!”
Jax handed them over and watched her rip into the bag with enthusiasm. “Oh, my God. I haven’t had these in forever.” Joey peered into the bag and frowned. “Why can’t they put more chips and less air in the bags?”
“Because then you’d just have a big pile of chip dust.”
“I’ll eat all of these before dinner,” she sighed mournfully.
“Then it’s a good thing I got you a second bag and hid it already.”
“You sure know the way to a girl’s…” Joey shut herself up before she said anything stupid. She shoved another handful of chips into her face for added measure.
“So have you thought of the living arrangements for the storm?” Jax asked.
“You’re staying here, right?” Joey mumbled through a mouthful of salt and vinegar. “I mean, it just makes sense logistics wise. That way we can tag team snow removal in the morning.”
“I’d have two extra dogs with me,” he reminded her.
Joey shrugged. “That’s what the guest room is for.”
“Okay then. I’m going to finish up some things on the farm and I’ll swing by the house and get the dog beds and food.”
“Bring pants with an elastic waistband,” Joey said. “You’ll need them after dinner. I’m planning a blizzard feast.”
“Beds, food, and a pair of Summer’s maternity pants. Got it,” Jax said, leaning against the island.
Joey smirked at the thought. She grabbed a fistful of his shirt and pulled him toward her placing a smacking kiss on his mouth.
“That better be an appetizer of what’s to come,” he said, moving in for another kiss.
She let him take the lead, deepening the kiss on a sigh. The kiss chased away the chill of the storm and brought Joey’s blood up to a simmer. It was just their lips that touched, but she could feel the effects throughout her entire body. Like an engine revving, ready to throw caution to the wind.
He pulled back with a growl and ran his thumb over her lower lip. “I need to get back out there and finish up a few things before dark. Hold that thought?”
Breathless, Joey settled for a wide-eyed nod as an acceptable response.
He reached down to adjust himself. “I need to buy roomier jeans if we’re gonna keep this up,” he muttered.
Joey bit her kiss-swollen lip and watched him toss a chip in Waffles’ bowl before striding out the front door.
“Get it together, Greer. You’re not eighteen anymore,” she mumbled to herself and set about unpacking the rest of the groceries.
As the snow fell faster outside her windows, Joey worked her way around the house, making sure she was domestically prepared for a good snow in. The generator was good to go, her propane tanks full, and the fridge was stocked. There was a snow shovel at the front and back doors and a pair of snowshoes on the back porch. Pet friendly salt for the steps and walkways was in a heavy bucket topped with a scoop.
She hustled upstairs and put fresh sheets on the bed and pulled some extra blankets out of the linen closet. She spread out an old picnic blanket, one she’d stolen from her parents years ago, over the bed in the guest room to minimize the dog hair her overnight guests were sure to leave behind.
With Jax taking care of the last check-in for the horses, Joey jumped in the shower before changing into plaid pajama pants and a tank top. She pulled her hair back into an unruly ponytail as she took the stairs back to the first floor.
The kitchen was the place outside the stables that she felt most at home. Recipes made sense to her. She put the right ingredients in the right amounts together, followed the directions, and she was rewarded with exactly what she set out to make. It was the predictability that she found appealing. The predictability and deliciousness.
She’d baked because her mother and grandmother had baked. Her father was always a willing guinea pig and sampled every recipe from her triumphant Boston cream cupcakes to her failed first attempt at flan. Jax and his teenage appetite had become her second biggest fan. She sometimes wondered if it wasn’t her baking that lured him to her in the first place. Maybe he couldn’t stand the thought of Bannon Bullock having her cookies to himself?
In college, baking had bled into cooking by necessity. Nowadays, in her well-stocked kitchen, Joey could whip up just about anything. Tonight it was her favorite chili, a hearty recipe she reserved for the dead of winter and snowstorms. She diced onions and peppers with the efficiency of a network food show star and while they sautéed, she unwrapped the cubed chuck and gathered her spices.
She took a minute to sync up a playlist from her laptop and shifted her cooking rhythm to match Chris Stapleton’s smoky vocals.
Waffles came to investigate when Joey put the chuck in the pan, his nose sniffing with heightened interest.
“Nice try, buddy. You can settle for some tasty chicken and rice stuff.”
Waffles looked disappointed. She was amazed at how quickly she’d gotten used to sharing her life with a dog. Granted, Waffles was probably an anomaly. Gia was full of stories of Diesel the puppy doing his best to destroy their house and Carter and Summer had their hands full with the medicated Meatball.
But Waffles was the dog that always came when called and sat by the back door when he had to go outside. He’d taken to life on the farm as if he’d been born there, befriending horses and barn cats and entertaining her riding students before class. And at night, he curled into a tight ball at her feet as if he was grateful for it all. But Joey was the grateful one. Whatever happened between her and Jax, Joey knew she’d always owe him for Waffles.
She helped herself to a bottle of porter from the fridge and opened it with the bottle opener mounted on the wall next to her back door. The beer was thick and flavorful. Perfect for drinking and seasoning. She poured a half-cup into the chili and stirred. The smells were making her mouth water and she realized she’d forgotten to grab lunch. Fueled by coffee and a need to set things in order before white, flakey chaos fell from the sky, she’d blown right past any thoughts of food.
With the chili nicely taking shape in the big pot on the range, Joey turned her attention
to starting the cornbread in a cast iron skillet.
The flakes were falling fat and fast outside her cozy home. She kept an eye out the window as day turned to dusk and the snow continued to accumulate. She caught a glimpse of headlights coming up the drive and pushed the second garage door opener button signaling Jax to pull into the bay she’d emptied for him that afternoon. It would save them both time if they didn’t have to dig the Jeep out from under three feet of snow.
Waffles gave a welcoming woof when Jax bustled through the front door a minute later. Valentina and Meatball were attached to leashes looped over his wrist.
Valentina headed straight for the couch while Meatball tried to scramble up the stairs, resulting in a tangle of dogs, leashes, and man. Jax extricated himself and unsnapped the leashes.
“They’re not too wet. Just from the snow between here and the garage,” he said apologetically as damp footprints splattered over Joey’s clean floors.
“Don’t worry about it. The floors will be a mess tomorrow anyway. Consider this the pregame,” she said.
Meatball hurtled up the stairs with Waffles on his heels. Valentina couldn’t be bothered to be interested in her new surroundings. She ambled over to the fireplace and flopped down on a floor cushion.
“I’m gonna grab their stuff. Be back in a second.”
“Do you need help?” she offered.
“If I can get those beasts in here myself I think I can handle anything.”
Meatball howled on the second floor.
Joey narrowed her eyes. “You’re not going to just get in the Jeep and drive back to an empty house leaving me with this motley crew, are you?”
“The thought had occurred to me, but I’d be awfully lonely in that bed by myself,” he winked.
When he returned he was loaded down with a duffle bag, two bags of dog food, and two dog beds.
“Are you moving in?”