“No, but it’s a good thing you budgeted in replacing the pipes. These things are pretty rusty.”
“I figured they might be. I really appreciate you doing this.”
“No problem.” Jackson smiled. “It’s not like I’m not charging you. Besides, it beats unclogging Ethel Harrison’s garbage disposal again.”
“I’ll bet.” Delaney laughed. “So, what do you have planned tonight?”
Jackson shrugged. “Not much, probably just going to head home and chill out in front of the TV with Gramps and Dad.”
“You should stop by the Come Again and let me buy you a beer to thank you for your help today.”
“Thanks, but you don’t have to do that. We already covered the part about me getting paid to do this.”
Delaney opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by the sound of her cell phone ringing. “Hang on a sec,” she said, fishing the phone from her tool belt. “Hey, hon. Yeah, it’s been another great day.”
While she continued her conversation, Jackson packed up his tools. Though he didn’t intend to eavesdrop, Delaney didn’t seem worried. She stayed where she was to talk to whoever was on the other end.
“I was just trying to talk Jackson in to letting me buy him a beer tonight, and he turned me down. Can you believe that?”
Since she followed the question with a laugh and a wink, Jackson figured she was only teasing him.
“I’ll tell him. See you soon. Love you too.” Tapping the screen, she dropped the phone back into her tool belt. “Tucker says to tell you that if you don’t have a beer with us at the Come Again tonight, he is going to drive to your house and drag your sorry ass off the couch and force you to join us.”
Jackson raised an eyebrow. With the age difference between them, he and Tucker had never been friends.
Though he doubted Tucker was serious about dragging him from the house, Jackson realized he didn’t know him well enough that he wanted to chance it. Besides, what man in his right mind would turn down a free beer?
“Yes! Thank you, Jesus!”
Jillian smiled at her sister’s shouting but didn’t stop playing. After starting the day teaching preschool aged children to play Hot Cross Buns and finishing it with a sullen teenager taking piano lessons because her mother was forcing her to, Jillian needed to reconnect with the music.
It was her mother who’d taught her to play the piano and nurtured her love of music. Her mother had grown up playing and studied music in college. Before settling down in Sapphire Falls, she had even played in the symphony.
As much as Jillian loved playing, she had no desire to take her act on the road. Playing piano was something she did for herself, not to please others, but she did like sharing the joy of it with others. That was why she became a piano teacher, like her mother.
Growing up, Jillian and her sister watched countless students come in and out of their house. Some stuck around longer than others with Jillian being one of those who stuck it out.
Shelby had never played a note in her life and swore she didn’t have an interest in learning. For Jillian, there had never been a choice. Not because their mother forced her to learn but because she’d always been drawn to the piano and fascinated by its beauty and power. Being able to harness both was humbling.
For a while, Jackson had taken piano lessons. He wasn’t the best player, but Jillian could remember how much she loved to sit beside him and watch his long fingers moving over the keys.
Jackson’s piano lessons ended around the same time he and Jillian stopped talking. Even though she knew that wasn’t a coincidence, she always wondered if that was the reason he’d stopped taking lessons or if there was more to it.
Shelby came into the front room. A reverent smile was on her face as she stopped to stand beside the piano where Jillian sat playing Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata from memory.
Jillian didn’t mind the audience. When she was a student, there had been a number of recitals over the years. Somewhere between then and now, she’d stopped being afraid of the audience.
There was a moment of silence between them when she finished, and then her sister sighed.
“No matter how many times I hear you play, you still amaze me.”
Jillian smiled. “Thank you.”
“I mean it, Jill. I think you’re even better than Mom is.”
“I don’t know about that, but thank you.”
“I do, but if you tell Mom I said that, I’ll cut off your hair while you’re sleeping.”
Jillian laughed. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“You know I would,” Shelby said. “So, how were the lessons today?”
“The usual, the little kids are too distracted to focus, and the older kids want to be anywhere else,” Jillian answered. “I take it from your shouting that you sorted out whatever was wrong with your spreadsheet.”
Shelby gave her a triumphant smile. “Yes, I did, and I think we should celebrate.”
“What did you have in mind?”
“Drinks and dancing at the Come Again.”
“On a Monday night?”
“It’s not like I’m suggesting we get drunk. I just want to have a margarita and do a little line dancing with my favorite sister in the whole, wide world.”
“I’m your only sister.”
“Then I guess that means you have to go with me.”
“Fine, I’ll go, but you’re buying.”
“Yes!” Shelby did a fist pump. “Margaritas here we come!”
Jillian shook her head as her sister darted from the room. There was never a dull moment with Shelby around.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Jillian muttered.
She must have done something really bad to piss off Karma. What other explanation could there be for her and Jackson Wilder crossing paths twice in the same day?
At least she looked better than she had at the diner that morning. She’d traded her yoga pants and sweatshirt for a pair of her most fitting jeans and a blue and gray plaid shirt. Instead of tennis shoes, she wore her favorite cowboy boots, which was a must if she was going to line dance with her sister.
“What’s the hold up?” Shelby asked.
“Jackson’s here.”
“Yeah, and? Lots of people are here.”
“You’re right, but that doesn’t mean I have to be happy to see him.”
“Forget about him.” Smiling, Shelby linked arms with her. “We’re not here to see him. We’re here to drink and dance and celebrate the genius that is my mind.”
“You know what? You’re right. I am going to forget about him.”
“That’s the spirit. Now, what’ll it be?”
“I’ll take a strawberry margarita.”
“You get us a table, and I’ll get the drinks.”
As she threaded her way through the bar, everyone she passed said hello and asked how she was doing. When she finally made it to her table, she couldn’t help sneaking a look at Jackson. She told herself not to, but as usual she didn’t listen to herself.
Jackson looked like he was having a good time, smiling and laughing with the Bennett boys and their wives. The Bennett boys weren’t really boys. They were grown men, but being that they were the sons of Thomas and Kathy Bennett, they weren’t likely to lose the moniker.
Shelby joined her at the table she’d chosen, handing Jillian her drink as she took a seat across from her. “I propose a toast.”
“And what are we toasting?”
“My genius, two times over.”
“Two times?”
“Yes, first for solving my problem with the Herman account and second for making the suggestion that brought us here where the Bennett men happen to be in attendance,” Shelby said, holding her glass in Jillian’s direction. “You can’t deny those are some fine looking men.”
“Fine looking, married men,” Jillian said, though she clinked her glass with Shelby’s.
“I’m not going to do them in the middle of the bar,” Shelby
said, laughing when Jillian sputtered on the drink she’d just taken. “I’m just going to sit back and appreciate the artistry of Mr. and Mrs. Bennett.”
Jillian picked up a napkin and wiped away the margarita that had dribbled down her chin. By now, she should have been used to the outrageous way her sister sometimes spoke.
A new song began to blare from the jukebox along the wall.
Shelby let out a squeal as she shot to her feet. “Oh my God, this is so perfect. We have to dance to this.”
Not giving her a chance to argue, Shelby grabbed her hand and dragged Jillian to her feet. Jillian and her sister weren’t the only women heading for the dance floor. Nearly every woman had the same idea as if pulled there by some invisible thread.
Even though she hadn’t been thrilled about going out, Jillian couldn’t help getting caught up in the beat as she and her sister danced with everyone else. Most of the women surrounding her were being watched by the intent eyes of the men they’d come with.
Before she could think about what she was doing, she cut her eyes toward Jackson and drew in a sharp breath. Jackson was watching her, his gaze hot on her. If she didn’t know better, she would have thought he liked what he saw.
Jillian told herself to look away, not to give him the satisfaction of thinking he was getting to her, but she couldn’t. His eyes held her in place, making her want to forgive and forget the way he’d hurt her all those years ago.
Knowing what his broad shoulders and chiseled chest looked like beneath the shirt he wore didn’t help. If anything, it inflamed her desire to peel it off.
‘It gets bigger’ he’d muttered in the locker room the other day. Damned if she didn’t want to find out for herself, to take his soft cock in her hand and tease it to its full glory.
Jackson got to his feet, setting his beer aside. Jillian watched with wide eyes as he made his way toward the dance floor. His long, almost predatory stride ate up the distance between them.
No longer moving, she stared up at him. The calculated look in his blue eyes made her breath catch.
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you dance,” Jackson said. “Looks like you could use a little help.”
Her attraction went up in smoke, replaced with anger. Of course Jackson thought he could dance better than her. Jackson thought he was better than everyone at everything. That was who he was now, who he’d been since they were fifteen.
Jillian opened her mouth, ready to tell him to go to hell.
“Excuse me, Miss. Would you do me the honor of the next dance?”
Jillian spun around, beaming at the man who stood behind her. “Garrett!” she cried, throwing her arms around his neck.
Four years had passed since she’d seen Garrett Nash. The last time they were face to face he’d been on bended knee in the gazebo of the square, holding a diamond ring in her direction and asking her to be his wife.
As she’d looked at that ring, and his hopeful expression, she’d come to the horrifying realization that she couldn’t accept his proposal. Not when her heart already belonged to someone else.
With tears in her eyes, she’d turned him down and then fled, leaving him still on his knee in the gazebo. Not long after that, Garrett had joined the Marines and she hadn’t seen him since.
Time had definitely been kind to the man. Looking at him now, it was hard to imagine he was the same geeky cello player from their high school orchestra days. Garrett’s once lanky frame was now bulky muscle, his jaw chiseled, his posture filled with confidence. Even his eyes were different, their brown depths still lively but with a hint of something sad beneath.
Garrett grinned. “I guess you’re surprised to see me.”
“That’s the understatement of the century,” Jillian said.
A throat cleared beside her, and Jillian turned toward Jackson. The scowl she’d grown accustomed to the last ten years once again marred his handsome face.
“Jackson, good to see you,” Garrett said, holding a hand in his direction.
Jackson gave Garrett a long look before taking his hand. “You too.”
“When did you get here? What are you doing here? How long are you in town?” Jillian fired questions at him.
Garrett laughed. “Damn, darlin’, take a breath.”
“Sorry, I just can’t believe you’re here.”
“I couldn’t miss the festival.”
“So, you’re here through the weekend?” Jackson asked.
“Yep, and I can’t wait to see what everyone’s got planned for this year’s festival,” Garrett answered.
Jillian beamed at him. “This is so great.”
Garrett’s expression sobered. “Is it?”
“Of course it is,” Jillian said. “I care about you. I always will.”
“In that case, how about you let me buy you a drink and we can catch up?”
“How about if I buy you a drink?”
“If you insist,” Garrett said, his grin back in place. “Are you going to join us, Wilder?”
“Not this time. I’m sure you two have a lot to catch up on,” Jackson said.
“Yeah, we do,” Garrett agreed. “See you around then.”
Accepting the arm Garrett held in her direction, Jillian allowed him to usher them toward the bar, leaving a still scowling Jackson standing alone on the dance floor.
Let him give someone else pointers on her dancing!
Jackson ground his teeth together as Jillian strolled off arm in arm with Garrett Nash.
Until about two minutes ago, he’d been having a good time watching Jillian dance and enjoying the fluid way her body moved. In fact, he was having such a good time he’d been ready to dance with her. That all went to hell when she threw her arms around some guy built like a brick shithouse.
It took a second for him to recognize Jillian’s former boyfriend. Rumor around town was Garrett had asked her to marry him and she’d turned him down, which was the reason he’d joined the military. Jackson probably would have done the same thing in Garrett’s position.
Natalie Blake sidled up to his side. “Hey, Jackson, wanna dance?”
Jackson forced himself to smile at her. “Maybe later, I think I’m gonna grab another beer right now.”
“I’m gonna hold you to that, handsome,” Natalie said before moving on.
Jackson nodded, but he planned on cutting out of there before she could make good on what sounded an awful lot like a threat.
At the bar, Jackson ordered a beer. As he waited for Derek to uncap the bottle, he did his best to avoid looking at Jillian and Garrett who were sitting at one of the tables. Jillian was laughing at whatever stupid thing Garrett was saying.
“Here you go,” Derek said, and Jackson tore his eyes from the happy couple.
Rather than return to the table he’d been sharing with the Bennett brothers, Jackson sat at one of the barstools. With his back to the bar, it would be easy to ignore Jillian and Garrett having a grand time strolling down memory lane.
As the music pounded around him, accompanied by the sound of laughter and happy chatter, Jackson took his own trip down memory lane.
‘Hey, Mama, do you think you could teach me how to dance?’
Sonia gave him a knowing smile. ‘Dance, huh?’
‘Yeah, I figure it’s time I learned.’
Sonia laughed. ‘More like you figure it’s time you learned so you can dance with Jillian at the festival.’
Heat rose in Jackson’s neck. ‘There’s that too, I guess. So, can you teach me?’
‘Of course I can,’ Sonia said. ‘Now, the first thing we need is some good music. You can’t two-step to any old country song you know.’
Jackson frowned. “The two-step? I thought we were gonna line dance.”
Sonia waved a dismissive hand. “Anyone can line dance. Two-stepping takes talent.”
‘Um, okay, so what’s good for the two-step then?’
‘I’m thinking George Strait would be perfect.’
&nb
sp; ‘George Strait?’ Jackson grimaced, and Sonia cuffed the back of his head. ‘Hey, what’d you do that for?’
‘Thou shalt not take the name of George Strait in vain,’ Sonia teased. ‘The man is a country legend, deserving of only our praise.’
Jackson shook his head. His mama was crazy sometimes.
‘Fine, we’ll listen to George Strait,’ Jackson said.
‘Damn straight.’
Jackson groaned while his mother cackled at her bad pun.
‘Push the coffee table out of the way while I fire up the CD player,’ Sonia instructed, and Jackson did as he was told.
Within a few moments, the twang of some old time George Strait song pouring from the speakers made Jackson doubt his bright idea of asking Mama to teach him to dance.
Sonia turned to face him. ‘What are you waiting for? Get over here and I’ll show you how to get in hold.’
Jackson stepped up to his mother. As she placed his right hand beneath her left arm, he was grateful he didn’t have to touch her waist.
‘All right, I’m gonna go left and you go right,’ Sonia said.
‘Huh?’ Jackson said, and his mom grinned.
‘Okay, back to the basics. You step forward on your right foot and walk me back in a quick-quick, slow-slow pattern.’
‘Say what?’
‘Two steps quick-quick and two steps slow-slow. Hence the name two-step.’
‘Oh, okay, I think I got it.’
Jackson didn’t have it. It took more than a few tries before he stopped stepping on his mom’s feet. It didn’t help that she laughed every time he did it, making him laugh too.
‘There you go,’ Sonia said. ‘That’s better. Thank goodness too. The way a man moves on the dance floor tells a woman a lot about the way he handles himself between the sheets.’
‘Mama!’ Jackson wailed, and Sonia laughed.
‘You’re old enough to know that your father and I didn’t pluck you from some cabbage patch.’
‘It’s still gross,’ Jackson muttered.
He did not want to imagine his parents between the sheets, and he especially did not want his mom thinking he was going to have sex with Jill. They weren’t there yet, and when they did get there, he damn sure wasn’t going to tell his mama about it.
Sapphire Falls: Going for Wilder (Kindle Worlds Novella) Page 3