All That Jazz (Butler Cove #1)(69)

Overthink us? I’d never dare. He’s still on the fence. Half acknowledging his feelings. Half not getting too close. It makes old anger and resentment surface, but I shove it down. What would it accomplish right now? I’m leaving soon anyway.

He laughs lightly. “Come on. Steak and salad?”

“Sure,” I say breezily, getting out of the car.





“IT’S A ZUCCHINI,” I say emphatically as we stand in the vegetable aisle at the Pig.

“It’s a squash,” Joseph argues.

I grab the offending vegetable out of his hand and brandish it in his face. “It may be squash family, but people don’t call them squash, they call them …” I look down at the phallic object in my left hand and the two tomatoes I’ve just grabbed in my right and suddenly get an attack of the giggles. “Ok, never mind.” I set everything back.

Joseph rolls his eyes, but he’s smiling. “You’re such a child.”

“Tell me you didn’t think Nature’s Dildo right then.”

“Jazz,” he lowers his voice, his eyes darting around. But apparently we are the only one’s buying vegetables at the moment.

I roll my eyes. “You’re so easy to shock.” I lean close to him. “Dildo,” I whisper. “Can you say it without going into spastic shock?”

“I’m not saying it. Now grab the salad. I want to get home, I’m starving.”

“Dildo,” I say.

“Stop it.”

“I’ll stop when you say it.”

“No.”

“Go on,” I urge. “You’re so restrained. It’ll loosen you up. C’mon.”

“No. Stop it. And I’m not restrained.”

“Yes, you are. It’s driving you crazy that Jack Eversea’s probably schtupping your sister. Right. This. Moment.”

“Jazz,” he warns.

I purse my lips. “Can’t bear for her to be having fun.”

“It’s not that. It’s him. It’s—”

“Joseph,” I whine. “Say it.”

“Dildo.” He huffs the word out, spitting it off his tongue he’s so exasperated with me. Then his eyes go wide, and damn but I’ve never seen Joseph blush. His face goes beet red. I turn around and see Pastor McDaniel paused with a head of lettuce in his hands.

“Pastor,” I murmur in greeting.

Holy shit.

Whoops.

“Miss Fraser,” he returns, then looks at Joseph. “Mr. Butler.”

“Hi.” Joey sounds hoarse.

“Seeing you in Church this Sunday?” The pastor looks back and forth between Joseph and me.

How does he do that? We’re not even sinning. We’re standing in the middle of the vegetable section at the Piggly Wiggly.

“We haven’t sinned yet,” I say, earning a choked sound from Joseph. “But we plan to. Tonight actually. So all going well, I guess we will see you Sunday. To repent and all.” I wink.

Pastor McDaniel’s eyes bug, and he clears his throat, putting the head of lettuce back. “You’re just like your mother,” he says. His words drip with disgust.

I bristle, my stomach flooding with acid.

Joey tenses at my side.

“What the hell does that mean?” I ask.

Pastor McDaniel stands tall, his chest puffing out like a caricature. “There was no hope for her either.”

Well, that was uncalled for. I swallow down my offense. “Still making it to your AA meetings?” I ask, watching with interest as Pastor McDaniel’s face seems to swell. Maybe his collar is too tight. Having been friends with his son, Jasper, all through school, we’d all had a front row seat to the town pastor’s fall off the wagon.

“Jazz,” Joey hisses at me and takes my arm. I shrug him off, smiling through my inner discomfort. “No, it’s fine. I need to go pick up some steaks anyway.” I bite my lip. “Good to see you, Pastor. Tell Jasper we said hi.” I walk off, stuffing my temper under a tight wrap. I expect Joey to follow but he doesn’t.

I dart into the next aisle to gather myself.

Hearing Joey’s voice, I strain my ears to eavesdrop.

He’s talking quietly but firmly. “Don’t you dare insult Jessica Fraser.”

“Look, son, you’re a bright young man, but you have to know how it reflects—”

“She’s one of the bravest and most soul deep beautiful girls I’ve ever known.”

I put my fist to my mouth, biting on my knuckles.

“And keep your filthy hands off my family home,” Joey adds.

I wish I could see McDaniel’s face right now. Actually, I’d like to see what Joey looks like when he’s mad at someone other than me.

Realizing Joey is about to walk around the corner, I tiptoe quickly down the aisle and around the other end cap, beelining for the meat section. My mind is reeling. I blink rapidly as my eyes sting. It’s one of the most beautiful things Joey has ever said about me, and I wasn’t supposed to hear it.

And it sounds like Joey and Keri Ann are still having problems with the town council about their house. The Butlers of Butler Cove are supposed to be a legacy, and their house is supposed to be a monument to the town’s founding, not an eyesore. But leave a dwindled family fortune and two orphaned kids trying to get an education and there isn’t a lot left to fix up houses with. Hence why Joey is so focused on getting through school and into a solid career as fast as possible before they lose the house. The responsibility he feels must be overwhelming. My chest tightens.