Truly Sweet

by Candis Terry

  Judging by the fire snapping in Annie’s eyes, she wasn’t on the same wavelength.

  By the time she came back to their booth, she was all sweetness and sunshine. Carefully, she set the coffee cups in front of his brothers. His, she slammed down on the table. As though she were pouring pure gold, she cautiously poured the steaming liquid into their cups. His, she sloshed over the sides, and he had to jump back to keep from getting burned.

  “Oops.” Her mouth spouted an apology while her narrowed gaze told him, “Yeah, I did that on purpose, buster. What are you going to do about it?”

  His brothers looked up in unison and grinned. Great. Now he’d never hear the end of their guessing game about what was going on and why Annie had singled him out in a seek-and-destroy mission.

  “Are y’all ready to order?” She pulled the order pad and pencil from the pocket of her apron.

  “You okay there, Annie?” Reno asked.

  “Yeah.” Jesse piped in. “You seem a little tense.”

  “Anyone’s ass need kicking that I need to know about?” Jackson added.

  “Everything’s great. I don’t know why you’d even ask.”

  “Max okay?” Reno asked, completely aware that whatever had ticked her off had nothing to do with baby problems.

  “He’s as perfect as always. Your mom is watching him for me today. It wasn’t my usual workday, but Paige went into labor, so I’m covering for her.”

  Reno chuckled. “Aiden must be a wreck.”

  “I think he’s surrounded by lots of friends and family.”

  “The hell with that.” Jackson set his cup down. “He’d better be in there holding his wife’s hand.”

  “I’m sure he is.” Annie laughed. “Or he’d never hear the end of it. So, are you ready to order now or would you like a few more minutes?”

  It was unusual for Jake to remain so tight-lipped during a conversation, but with Annie flashing him a dirty look between responses, he figured silence was golden.

  All his brothers ordered the usual heart attack on a plate. When it came his turn, she walked away.

  “Hey,” he protested. “You didn’t get my order.”

  She stopped and came back to the table. “I’m sorry. Did you want something other than a double Diablo burger with extra peppers, a side of sweet-potato fries—extra crispy, and a chocolate-banana shake?”

  That’s exactly what he wanted, but he absolutely wasn’t going to let her win this time.

  “Yeah.” He opened the menu again because for the life of him he couldn’t remember what else was on it. “Give me a . . . meat-loaf sandwich on wheat, curly fries, and a Diet Coke.”

  Her pencil remained perched over the order pad. “Seriously?”

  “Seriously.” He pushed the menu across the table in her direction. “Can’t afford to have someone thinking they know me so well.”

  “Oh, believe me, Jake Wilder, I would never assume to know how that brain of yours works. It’s too dark, and there are too many cobwebs in there to figure it out.” She snatched up the menu and spun in her little white sneakers off to the window, where she jammed the slip of paper up on the order wheel and barked out the list to Bud in the kitchen.

  “Something we need to know about, little brother?” Jesse asked, one eyebrow quirked halfway up his forehead.

  “No.”

  “You sure?” Reno asked.

  “Damn sure.”

  “Hell, you could have fooled me,” Jackson threw in for good measure. “I figured I was going to have to hide my knife with you two going at it like that.”

  As soon as Annie disappeared into the kitchen, Jake stretched and watched through the order window as she then slipped out the back door. He got up and followed without a word to his brothers. Unfortunately, he didn’t miss their snickers and chuckles as he left the table.

  Outside, he found her leaning against the building, popping a watermelon-flavored Jolly Rancher into her mouth.

  “What the hell was that all about?” He slammed his hands down on his hips. “And do not respond with ‘what was what?’ You know what I’m talking about.”

  She looked up. “Hi, Jake, how’s it going?”

  “You been drinking?”

  “Not hardly.” A fake laugh bubbled through her pretty lips. “I just don’t like dropping my panties for someone, then have the person act like he’d never laid eyes on me before.”

  “Technically, you didn’t drop them, I tore them off.”

  “And that’s suppose to make it better?”

  “So you’re pissed,” he said.

  “Curious.”

  “About what?”

  “About how you can be so wonderful one day and such a total jackass the next.”

  He let go of the breath he’d been holding. He’d never meant to hurt her. Never meant to take advantage. Unfortunately, where Annie was concerned, he was learning fast that his control was miniscule. “I think you’re mistaking the wonderful part. But . . .” He shrugged. “It’s for your own good that you see me as I really am.”

  “Oh really.” She folded her arms across the breasts he’d paid careful attention to just yesterday afternoon. He liked her much better half-naked and happy than fully clothed and ticked off. “How the heck do you know what’s good for me or not?”

  “Look, Annie. I never meant for yesterday to happen.”

  “Doesn’t take a brainiac to figure that out.”

  “I like you but—”

  “Stop.” Her hand went up like she was controlling an unruly bunch of pedestrians. “Dear God, do not give me the ‘I like you but’ speech. I’ve known you far too long for you to puss out like that.”

  “That’s not my intention, Annie. But you have to understand that I’m not the guy you used to know. I’m not the guy you think I’ve been all these years. That guy perished in the desert. You deserve better than what I’ve become.”

  The truth hurt just to think it, let alone verbalize it. But Annie did deserve better than he could ever give her.

  He’d made a mistake yesterday, letting things go so far. But he couldn’t take it back.

  He wouldn’t even want to.

  Yesterday, she’d given him a moment where he didn’t have to think. All he had to do was feel. Lucky for him, she’d been within reach with all her soft, sweet-smelling skin, and her long, silky hair.

  For the first time in months, he’d had a glimpse of the man he used to be. But he didn’t try to fool himself. Moments like that were fleeting. At least for him. Annie? She’d been through enough. She had a great life ahead of her. She deserved that. If she was happy, she’d raise a happy son. And that meant a lot to Jake. Especially with recent circumstances. He might never have a son or a daughter of his own, but he wanted the very best for Annie’s little boy. For his sweet nieces. And for Eli’s child.

  “So you’re saying, when we look at you, we’re seeing two different people,” Annie said.

  He shrugged. “I guess so.”

  She shifted her weight from one hip to the other. His gaze followed. One thing was for sure, Annie looked dynamite in that short skirt and tight little T-shirt. “Huh.”

  “Huh?” His gaze snapped up. “That’s it?”

  The Jolly Rancher rolled on her tongue, and the scent of the watermelon candy tickled his nose. He looked at her glossy lips and thought of the way they tasted. The way they felt against his skin.

  Damn, but he wanted to kiss her again.

  Her hands came up. “I’m not sure what you want me to say here, Jake. I’ve only got a few minutes before I have to go back in there and serve up everyone’s lunch with a heap of happy. But right now?” She pulled a great amount of air into her lungs, which expanded her chest, which drew his gaze right down to the front of that snug little shirt. “Right now you just make me want to cry.�
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  “I’m sorry.”

  “I know. And I guess I should thank you for being honest.” She looked down to the ground and scraped the toe of her tennis shoe in a small arc on the gravel. “Well, at least now I can feel free to accept Bo’s invitation to go out Friday night.”

  What?

  “You’re going out with Jennings?” He didn’t like that idea at all. Hadn’t she heard what he’d said about Bo’s being not the right guy for her?

  “Why shouldn’t I?” She gave a little shrug. “You and I? We had a great time yesterday, but as you said yourself, it can’t be anything more than that. Just friends. Right?”

  “Right.” No. It wasn’t right. But . . . shit. He jammed his fingers through the top of his hair. He’d never be able to sleep again if every time he closed his eyes, he pictured Annie in Bo’s arms.

  “All righty then.” Annie’s face lit up, and she bounced to the toes of her tennis shoes to plant a quick kiss to his cheek. A friendship kiss. Nothing more. “So I guess I’ll see you around.”

  “Yeah.” Fuck.

  He watched her go back inside the diner. Listened to the screen door slam behind her. And felt his heart hit the gravel at his feet. He kicked a rock into the nearby bushes, then followed her inside. Bud gave him a questioning look as he stalked like an angry bear through the kitchen. By the time he got back to his table, Annie had already delivered their orders. He slid into the booth next to Jesse and grabbed his fork.

  Meat loaf.

  What the fuck had he been thinking? He hated meat loaf. And curly fries. He wanted his damned chocolate-banana milk shake.

  “Everything okay, little bro?” Reno asked just before he sank his teeth into the double Diablo burger dripping with melted cheese. Jesse and Jackson grinned, like they knew something was up. Hell, all his brothers probably did. They’d gone through some challenges with the women in their lives. Not that Annie was in his life.

  “No. Everything is not okay. Why the hell did you guys let me order meat loaf?”

  Chapter 9

  A single mom constantly battled the balance of trying to be a good parent while still maintaining a life that made her feel like a desirable woman. Annie knew that struggle only too well as a surge of guilt spread through her chest while she drove to meet Bo at the new restaurant that had opened up just a few weeks ago.

  Word on the street had it that Dolce Italiano Grill offered an intimate and unforgettable dining experience with a bubbling fountain, soft lights, and a menu bursting with handmade pastas and creative dishes. All in all, Annie wasn’t sure she was ready for a romantic evening with Bo Jennings.

  Admittedly, she was more of a barbecued brisket kind of girl, and she wondered now about the choice of leaving her baby in the care of her sister just to go out with a man she didn’t know very well. Then again, maybe she should just cut the BS and admit that she wasn’t really all that hyped up to go to a romantic anything with anyone other than Jake.

  How pathetic was that?

  He’d flat out told her that even though they’d shared a really intimate naked moment, and even though he couldn’t seem to keep his lips off hers, he planned to keep her in the friend zone. So here she was pining away. Again.

  After she parked in the lot behind the restaurant, she got out of her little car and smoothed her hands down the dress she’d chosen to wear. She always felt more comfortable in jeans, and for the most part, jeans would be acceptable in any dining establishment in Sweet. But she wanted to make a good impression. Just in case Bo might be more than she expected. Just in case he was truly sincere about his interest in her—a never-married, single mom who slung hash for a living—while he had the ultimately important job of saving lives. And just in case she could find more than a small spark of attraction to him. Although at this moment, it was a six-foot-four package of nothing but trouble who held the top position with her fascination.

  Taking a “you can do this” breath, she opened the door of the restaurant, and Bo was right there, waiting with a bouquet of pink roses.

  “You look lovely,” he said, handing her the bouquet and giving her a chaste kiss on the cheek.

  “Thank you.” She’d curled her hair, shaved her legs, and spritzed on her best body mist. She’d also taken the extra time to apply her makeup just the way the girl at the department store had shown her. And she’d put on the strappy black stilettos and pretty little black dress Abby had loaned her while promising it was a sure thing.

  Annie wasn’t so sure she wanted to be a sure thing. Heck, she didn’t even know if she wanted to be a maybe thing.

  Bo cupped her elbow in his hand as they followed the hostess to a table for four near the fountain. With any luck, Annie would refrain from saying anything embarrassing and have to throw herself face-first in the fountain to drown her humiliation.

  Once they were seated, Bo ordered a bottle of wine and reached across the table for her hand.

  “You know . . .” He gave her a charming smile. “My mother was a little surprised that I’d asked you out.”

  “Oh?” Ding, ding, ding. Warning bells clanged in her head, and she wondered why the subject of his mother would be his opening conversation. Shouldn’t it be something about the two of them? And what was wrong with his asking her out? It wasn’t like she had cooties or anything. She was just a simple, hardworking waitress in a low-paying job. An unwed mother who’d refused to put her ex’s name on her son’s birth certificate because she believed a man who’d walk away from his child gave up his rights. A woman who was over the moon about a man who’d made it painfully clear that he didn’t return her affections even though he had a keen interest in her body.

  Okay, so maybe Bo’s mother had a reason for concern about who her physician son dated.

  Bo nodded, and the candlelight gleamed against his brown hair. “She thinks I should only see professional women. But I told her that I preferred to see you.”

  “Oh.” She tried to decide whether he’d just given her a backhanded insult or whether he was just being naively honest. Whichever way the bat swung, she refused to apologize for having her beautiful son or how she earned a living. The only part that might be an issue was her loving a man who didn’t love her back.

  “My mother believes that if you’ve worked hard to succeed in your profession, you have the skills to make anything happen.”

  Again with the mother. Annie had a feeling if the matron of the Jennings household continued to be the topic of discussion, the night would crawl by at a snail’s pace.

  She thought about throwing in a “Hey, how about those Houston Stallions beating Green Bay last week?” or “Did you know that I not only make delicious chocolates but I know the best places to smear it on a body?”

  Like an angel of perfect timing to save her from herself, the waiter showed up with their wine. He poured a small amount into their glasses. Annie watched as Bo swirled the burgundy liquid, then stuck his nose in the glass before he took a small sip.

  “Excellent,” he told the waiter, who then filled their glasses half-full.

  Annie lifted her glass, took a drink, and somehow refrained from sticking her tongue out and wiping off the bitter taste with her napkin.

  “Good?” Bo asked.

  “Mmmmm.” She nodded. She’d never been a fan of wine. She was a simple country girl who, depending on the cause of the celebration, preferred Shiner Bock Ale and Hard Lemonade. The rest of the time, she was strictly a coffee, lemonade, and sweet teetotaler. The wine Bo had ordered tasted dry and sour, and it left a residue in her mouth that grossed her out.

  “Anyway, back to what my mother said . . .”

  Again?

  Annie leaned back in her chair and did her best to appear interested in what was clearly a three-way date. She tried not to flinch when he bragged that his mother still did his laundry and changed the sheets on his bed.
Whew. Had she ever had a totally different image of him before she’d arrived at the restaurant.

  “I had no idea you and your mother were so close.”

  “Best buddies.” His grin said it all. Mama’s boy.

  While the Wilder boys loved their mother, they lived their own lives and ran the show their own way. And Annie was pretty sure none of them had asked the woman to do their laundry or change their sheets for at least a decade.

  “I don’t do anything in life until I get my mother’s approval,” he said.

  “Nothing?”

  “Nope.” His grin widened, like having to get his mother’s okey–dokey should gain him extra points.

  Annie cringed to think that might include mommy dearest giving him the go-ahead to have sex. Surreptitiously, she glanced at her watch and discovered they’d been there all of ten minutes. While Bo continued to spout the rewards of having such a close relationship with the woman who’d given him life, Annie lifted her glass and took a long drink of wine that now didn’t taste so bad. Because all the signs said it was going to be a really, really, really long night.

  Parked on Main Street several doors down from the Dolce Italiano Grill, Jake called himself ten kinds of stupid.

  Why, on this perfect, warm evening was he sitting inside the cab of his truck like some kind of stalker? Why had he gone to great lengths and used his supersecret investigative skills to find out where Bo Jennings had invited Annie on a date? And for shit’s sake, why the hell was he actually considering going inside the restaurant to break up that date?

  Insanity had surely seeped into his brain. Or maybe some kind of sandworm from the desert had taken over and was now punching the buttons on the computer inside his head.

  Why did he care if Annie was on a date with Bo? She deserved to go out and have a little fun. She deserved to find a man who’d treat her and little Max well. She deserved to find love, security, and happiness.

  But Jake knew she’d never find that with Bo Jennings.

  He was way too much of a mama’s boy to ever put Annie and her son first in his life. Jake had seen firsthand what a tight grip the mother had on Bo. In high school, she’d hovered over him and never allowed him to compete in any sports in which he might be injured. She’d never allowed him to go out to school functions with the other kids because apparently, in her mind, every single kid in the town of Sweet was a bad influence. Yeah, okay, maybe that would hold true for a few of them, but every single kid?