Something in Josie’s heart lifted. All her worries about why this couldn’t work, why she should take it slow. They floated away on the wings of a thousand butterflies, in a single heartbeat.
“Chance, I don’t need to wait until Monday. I’m in for the long haul. I love you both, and I love what we have together. I believe in what we have together. I don’t ever want to leave,” she said, looking between both men.
Both Chance and Sam’s arms flew around her, making it so she couldn’t breathe. Josie didn’t care, she was exactly where she wanted to be, surrounded by the two men she loved. She just prayed that in four days’ time, Sam would be as equally committed. Chance felt her stiffen at the thought, and whispered in her ear, loud enough for Sam to hear. “Zee, Sam’s with us. The moment he told Dr. Richardson this stuff, he was on board. Tell her, Sam.”
“You’re never getting rid of me, Baby.” Sam’s voice was muffled by her hair. Then he looked up at the both of them. “This stuff isn’t over,” he warned. “The PTSD and shit. Apparently, it’s a process.” Josie ached at Sam’s vulnerable expression.
“Yeah, well, you signed on knowing I was an on-again, off-again workaholic asshole, and that’s not a process! That’s a forever thing, so I think Josie and I can manage to cope with you.”
Josie watched as that slow Sam-smile spread across his face, and once again blessed having the three of them in this relationship.
“Now, can we go build a fire and have cocoa? And cinnamon toast! I’m hungry.” Josie scurried out of the bed, and her men followed her.
Chapter 34
Chance had to go to Boston on Wednesday afternoon for AHC. So, Thursday morning at two in the morning, Sam insisted on driving Josie to Sweet Dreams Desserts. She expected him to drop her off, but he said he was staying to help. She, Bill, and Sam got a good start on the orders for the upcoming Saturday festival, but Josie soon realized she was probably going to need even more help. She felt bad, but after Elise arrived to open the shop, she went upstairs to wake Becca and Sarah, asking if they would be willing to help.
“Of course, we will!” Sarah exclaimed. Josie looked over at Becca.
“Well, duh! Josie, you should just expect us to help. You shouldn’t even have to ask. Let me guess, you didn’t have to ask Sam, did you?” Becca came over and hugged her.
Josie laughed. “Well no.”
“And Chance would have been downstairs too, if he weren’t in Boston,” Sarah said.
“You’re right.” Josie smiled.
“I love these guys,” Becca said. “It’s like having two big brothers.”
“It didn’t hurt that Chance let you drive his car,” Sarah teased.
“Nope, that didn’t hurt, but the best part is knowing they love the hell out of you, Josie. They’d cut off their arms before they’d allow anything to hurt you.”
Josie cupped Becca’s cheek. “You’re right, Honey.”
Sarah peeked out from the bedroom. “Hey, are the cinnamon rolls done yet? Do we get one before we have to start work, or should I grab a smoothie here?”
“A cinnamon roll is not a good breakfast,” Josie admonished. “Have a smoothie, then you can have your roll.”
“Okay. We’ll bring you and Sam one down, too, when we come.”
“You guys are the best,” Josie said with a big smile. “When you’re ready, come downstairs, and I’ll put you to work.”
When Becca and Sarah descended to the bakery, they found the shop brimming with customers, and they all seemed to be laughing. As the girls looked around, they observed Elise and Rob manning the front. They investigated further, trying to identify the source of the entertainment, when they heard an argument coming from the back.
“You’re too big!” Josie said.
“No, let me try again. I won’t hurt it,” some man said. They didn’t recognize his voice.
“It’s too fragile!” Josie sounded frantic.
“I’m trying my best to be gentle this time,” he said placatingly.
“Damn, it, Eric, you’re bruising it,” Josie said heatedly. The man next to Sarah and Becca burst into laughter and blew his coffee onto the coat of the man in front of him.
“I can be delicate, just give me another chance!”
“Your hands are too big,” Josie said loudly, and now half of the people in Sweet Dreams were laughing.
“No, they’re not, they’re the perfect size,” he bellowed.
“It needs a woman’s touch. Where in the hell are my sisters?” Sarah and Becca looked at one another as the entire bakery roared with laughter. Josie stormed out of the kitchen with a silver-blond giant following her.
“Josie, I didn’t ruin your cake. That icing flower is just fine.”
Josie turned back to the giant and pointed her finger at him. “Eric, I told you to knead the dough. You’re too ham-handed to decorate cakes. I appreciate you coming over to help, but you’re not allowed to touch my cakes.”
“I agree,” Sam said as he strolled out of the kitchen to pour himself a cup of coffee. “Don’t touch Josie’s cakes.” There was more laughter from the customers. Sarah and Becca gave up and started laughing as well. Obviously, the whole town was nuts, and Josie had gone a little crazy as well. She spotted them when they started laughing.
“Thank God, you’re here! Please save me from Dane and Eric. They aren’t allowed to do anything that involves icing, okay?”
“Come on, girls, I’ll introduce you to the Nordic giants,” Sam said, as he motioned them to the back. Sarah and Becca grinned. This was going to be a lot more interesting than they had anticipated.
At closing time, everyone but Elise and Bill trooped over to Hart’s Diner for dinner. Walter had been promoted from busboy to waiter, so Lola was only working half-shifts. This made her husbands happier, and her crazier. They compromised by allowing her to work as a hostess during the other half of her shift.
Lola was hostessing when they arrived and she ended up sitting with the Sweet Dreams Desserts’ team for dinner, because, as she explained, Hart’s Diner really didn’t need a hostess so she could damn well sit down with her friends for dinner.
“Eat well tonight, my friends, for tomorrow, we close,” Lola intoned.
“Getting ready for the feeding frenzy on Saturday?” Josie asked.
“You betcha. Aren’t you closing tomorrow?”
“A nice friend would have suggested that much sooner, Lola,” Josie said.
“Oh, my God, you’re right. I’m so sorry. I’ve been in my own little world. I should have thought to tell you that…” Lola trailed off, clearly distraught.
“Hey, Honey, I was just teasing. I should have thought of that all by myself. It’s no big deal. I’ll remember to do that next year. I would close early, but too many people are coming to collect their orders tomorrow.”
Lola looked again at Josie, ensuring that she wasn’t mad, and Josie smiled at her.
“What are the specials?” Eric asked. “I want two.”
Becca giggled. Josie had noticed that both Sarah and Becca had been doing a lot of giggling around the Johansen brothers all day. She’d be glad tomorrow, when it was Ian and Joshua’s turn to help out.
“So, Rob, did you expect all of this when you studied restaurant management?” Sam asked.
“There are definitely aspects of what I learned at school that I’m using here at Sweet Dreams,” he said. “It’s truly daunting how much hard work goes into managing small operations like the bakery and the diner. When I left school, I thought I could manage a restaurant three times this size, no problem. Now, I’m thinking I’d be lucky to be ready to run Hart’s in three years’ time.”
“Yeah, life is funny like that,” Sam said. “But, actually, Rob, the fact that you recognize that, puts you head and shoulders above most of your peers. You’ll do great.”
Josie watched as Rob preened, and realized how Sam was doing exactly what Becca had noticed, building a young man’s self-confidence. He would ma
ke an outstanding social worker. She squeezed his thigh under the table, and he raised his eyebrow in question. When he leaned over, she gave him a kiss on the cheek, and he smiled.
“So, what was that about in the restaurant tonight?” Sam asked, as they were settling comfortably into bed.
“Oh, when I was giving this manly thigh a squeeze?” Josie squeezed his thigh again.
“Yep, that’s it.”
“You did a nice job with Rob tonight. I’ve told him how much I appreciate him, and I think it means something to him. But your praise really made a difference to him, I could tell. I bet the men in your platoon loved you.” She looked up at him as she said that.
“Sometimes I think it was a bad thing, you know?” He looked down at her, blinking fast.
“No, Honey, I don’t know. Can you explain it to me?” She stroked his chest.
“Like Dan. He’s the one who was running to get the crowbar for Nathan. I know that some of them wouldn’t have run so fast for other lieutenants. Maybe he’d still be alive, maybe he wouldn’t have gotten shot.”
Josie’s eyes darkened in confusion and she said, “Oh, Sam, couldn’t he have been running fast because he liked Nathan?” She watched as hope and recognition blossomed in his eyes.
“My God, Chance is right. I really do look at things through the filter of my childhood. If there’s a way to make myself wrong or bad, I’m going to do it, no matter what.”
“And I’m going to tell you what you told Rob. That with that realization, you are now head and shoulders above your peers with fucked-up childhoods.” Then she gave him a wide smile. “Except for me, of course. I’m still more put together than you.”
“I love you, Ms. Decker.”
“I love you, Mr. Booth.”
Saturday morning was one of those perfect Fate Harbor days, with crystalline air that turned the sky into a canvas of blue, splashed with the white of Mt. Rainer and the emerald eruptions of steepling evergreens and tender ferns. Josie was curled on an Adirondack chair on the back deck sipping coffee and allowing the reflections on the lake to hypnotize her. It was seven in the morning, and it felt odd not to be at Sweet Dreams.
“Morning, Zee! Are you ready for the festival?”
Josie turned to smile at Chance. She’d been expecting him to try and surprise her. She’d heard the sliding glass door and knew it was him. She carefully set her mug down on the arm of the chair and launched herself into his arms.
“I’ve missed you!” His lips devoured hers, his tongue minty, hers the flavor of coffee, both flavors bursting with passion and hunger. She gripped his curls and his hands fisted into the mass of her midnight silk.
“Hmmm, mmm, Becca and Sarah, let me see if I can find your sister,” Sam said loudly from the kitchen. Chance and Josie reluctantly broke apart.
“Hey, girls, I’m out here!” Josie yelled. Sam, Becca, and Sarah came out onto the deck. “What are you doing here so early? I thought you’d take advantage and sleep in?”
“Elise told us that the dance tonight is a formal. Did you know that?” Sarah asked.
“Damn it! I’m sorry, I didn’t. I would have told you, if I had. I just assumed we could wear something nice.” Josie looked at her sisters with a forlorn expression. She’d really messed up.
“We thought we’d talk you into taking the ferry over to Snoqualt and head to the mall. Elise said she could take the early shift for the carnival and picnic, and we could probably be back by eleven,” Becca suggested.
Josie saw the pleading looks on her sisters’ faces. She really shouldn’t go. It was important to be at the festival for setup, since she had just been hired.
“Actually, I have you all covered. Literally covered, that is.” Chance piped up.
“Oh, I’m going to head in for coffee. This is definitely going to require caffeine.” Sam opened the sliding glass door and let himself back into the kitchen.
“Coward!” Chance called after him, laughing as his friend flipped him the bird.
“Becca, Sarah, how about I give you my credit card and—” Josie started.
“Stop right there, Zee. Allow me to speak.” Chance held up his hands in the form of a T, like a referee calling a time out, reducing the twins to snickers.
“Okay, by all means, speak.” Josie smiled, wondering what the devil he had up his sleeve.
“Being a resident of Fate Harbor, I knew the dance was a formal. Being a connoisseur of women’s fashion, and someone who can’t resist the opportunity to buy clothes for Josie—”
“That’s true, he can’t. He’s insane,” Josie concurred.
Chance shot her a dirty look and continued. “Please, allow me to continue. I decided to shop for the two of you, as well. And it is just possible that I might have brought home two additional suitcases from Boston with clothing and shoe options for tonight’s event.”
“You’re the bomb!” Becca shouted.
“Oh. My. God,” Sarah yelled.
Both girls simultaneously launched themselves at Chance, nearly shoving him into the side of the house, as they were giggling and kissing on him.
“You’re the best!” Josie said, echoing her sisters.
“Where are they? Can we go look?”
“You brought stuff for Josie, too, right?” The last came from Becca.
“Becca, if Sam would let me dress him, I would. Of course I have things for Josie. Let’s go have a fashion show, shall we?” He wrapped an arm around each girl and herded them back through the kitchen door, giving Josie a wink over his shoulder. She saluted him with her mug of coffee.
As soon as the coast was clear, Sam emerged from his hiding place with his coffee and gave her a kiss.
“So, you’re giving me a fashion show, huh?”
“Clothes, not underwear.” Josie had to disappoint him.
“Eventually, those clothes will be coming off. Better finish that coffee. It’s going to be a long day, and Chance and I have plans for you tonight.” They heard Sarah calling for her, so Josie handed Sam her cup and went to join the fun.
Elise and Rob were already at Sweet Dreams when Josie arrived with the others. Sarah and Becca gingerly carried their formals upstairs. Sam and Chance had already stocked their two trucks with equipment and supplies they needed to take to Founders Park. Elise and Josie had one last cake to finish. It was a large stork cake that Jace and Dale had commissioned, for a surprise presentation to Lola tonight at the dance. Since Jace and Dale were rigidly enforcing Lola’s reduced hours, she had taken to dropping by Sweet Dreams Desserts, frequently and unannounced. Josie was also obliged to put in an appearance at the festival, so she had to step away from helping Elise to take a turn around the park a while ago. That left this short period between the festival’s end and the dance’s beginning for Josie and Elise to assemble and decorate Lola’s cake. They worked together like practiced surgeons, for about twenty minutes.
Finally, Elise looked up from the cake to Josie. “Honey, Bill and I have this covered. Why don’t you go home and get changed?” Elise offered. Pausing to survey their confection, Josie was surprised at how much they had accomplished already.
“But I already feel bad that you worked on this while I was at the festival,” Josie said, biting her thumb.
“Yes, it’s truly horrific that we had to miss a bunch of face painting and bouncy houses,” Bill teased her with a twinkle in his eye. “Instead, Elise and I were able to get away from the madness for a little peace and quiet, doing what we love to do, anyway. We’ll have our fun at the adult event tonight. Sherri has been talking my ear off for the last week about the dance. It will be great to see all our friends. She’s loading me up with coffee when I get home so I can stay up late.”
“Josie, seriously, this will take less than an hour and we will still have three hours before the dance starts. Go home and get ready, and we’ll see you at the community center tonight. Go rest. You’ve been running around for hours,” Elise insisted.
“Well, I’l
l be back to bring the cake over.”
“Rob and I have that covered, Josie. He’s got his van, and we’ll take it over. So just relax and enjoy the rest of tonight. You are officially off duty,” Bill said firmly. He took her arm and escorted her from the kitchen to the front of the store. Josie chuckled as she found herself outside of the bakery, with Bill waving at her enthusiastically, as he locked the door. She went to her car with a spring in her step.
Josie had a plan. She knew the guys were still at Founders Park, and even though Chance had overseen her attire, he wasn’t going to be in charge of everything. When she got to the house, she grabbed everything she needed to get ready as fast as she could, so she wouldn’t be there when Chance and Sam got back, then high-tailed it to the apartment. That is where magic would happen.
Chapter 35
“Where the hell is she?” Chance said for the forty-third time.
Sam smiled calmly. He knew their Josie. When they’d called her, she said she would meet them there by six. It wasn’t even five thirty.
“She’ll be here,” Sam said soothingly.
“Don’t try to handle me,” Chance groused.
“Don’t behave like a truculent child, then I won’t have to handle you.”
“Practicing at being a social worker already, are you?” Chance asked.
Sam couldn’t believe how nervous his brother was. “I see Butch and Betty coming in. Let’s go stake out a table.”
Chance nodded.
“You look so handsome,” Betty greeted Chance.
Sam shook hands with Butch and they watched as Betty and Chance started talking. Hopefully she would be able to talk some sense into his friend. Then Sam looked up and his jaw almost hit the floor. There she was.
“Chance.”
He ignored him, continuing to talk to their foster mother. Oh well, his loss.
Sam went to the entrance of the community center where Josie’s two sisters flanked her. They were stunning, but Becca and Sarah didn’t hold a candle to Josie. He hadn’t seen the fashion show, so he hadn’t known there was a red dress in the running. It was floor length, off-the-shoulder chiffon that hugged every curve. With her corset, it made her look like an old-fashioned movie star. Then there was the wavy hairstyle that rippled over her naked shoulder and hid part of her dramatically shadowed eye. And her ruby red lips. Sam didn’t think he was ever going to be able to breathe again.
Theirs To Treasure: Happily Ever After (Fate Harbor Book 1) Page 26
