The Will(182)

His voice was still filled with his amusement when he replied, “It’s still the answer I’m givin’ when you’re this pissed and this cute.”

“Angry is not cute, Jake,” I educated him.

“It is the way you do it, Slick,” he returned.

I shot him a look but rearranged my face when I looked to Conner. “I woke your sister and possibly frightened her. Perhaps you could tell her all is well and she can go back to sleep.”

“You got it, Josie,” Conner murmured, grinned at his dad and took off.

“And put on a sweatshirt!” I yelled at his back. “You’ll catch a chill!”

That was when Jake burst out laughing.

I again cut my eyes to him and asked an exasperated, “What’s amusing now?”

He didn’t answer me.

Instead he declared, “If it wasn’t sick, I’d totally make out with you right now in front of your shit for brains uncle.”

Alas, that was sick and perhaps one of only a handful of times I could conjure in my head where making out with Jake would be unwelcome.

“We’ll make out later,” I told him.

“You bet your ass we will,” he muttered.

“Someone get me a bucket,” Uncle Davis begged.

“That’s enough out of you,” I snapped.

Jake burst out laughing again.

I rolled my eyes and went to the cupboard to get mugs for I needed to prepare. I had a feeling it was going to be a long morning

*

The cruiser with Uncle Davis in the backseat had pulled away and I was standing in the foyer with Jake, Conner and Sheriff Coert.

“Thank you, Sheriff Coert,” I said, extending my hand.

He took it, gave it a light squeeze and replied, “Just Coert.”

“All right. Just Coert.” I grinned, and gave him a squeeze back.

He let my hand go and looked to Jake.

“Bring Josie to the department in a couple of hours. The old coot can get used to his bunk and Josie can press charges at a decent hour.”

“Got it,” Jake said.

The sheriff looked back to me. “Sorry this happened, Josie.”

“I’m not. I sincerely doubt if he should possibly be able to talk anyone into representing him in contesting Gran’s will that a judge would smile upon him breaking and entering. I would say he hammered the final nail in his coffin so I’m quite all right with it.”

“Good to look on the bright side,” Coert noted.

“Indeed,” I agreed.

“Love to shoot the shit for the rest of the morning, man, but need to get my woman and son to bed,” Jake said at this point, sliding his arm around my shoulders.

“Right,” Coert murmured then looked to Conner. “Con.”

“Later, Coert,” Con said.

Coert looked to me. “Josie. Next time I see you, let’s make it for a good reason.”

“I’ll look forward to that.”

He jerked up his chin, clapped Jake on the shoulder and Jake let me go to follow him to the door.

Jake closed and locked the door behind him then turned to Conner and me.

“Go on up,” he said to Conner and his eyes came to me. “I’ll be up in a bit.”

A bit? Why in a bit?

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“Got a window to board up,” he answered.

Of course.

Jake was going to board the window to the greenhouse in the wee hours of the morning.

My man was so wonderful.

“I’ll help, Dad,” Conner offered.

And Conner was such a lovely young man.

“I got it, Con. Hit the sack. It’s barely five. You gotta work today and you need your sleep,” Jake said to his son.

“I’ll help, Dad,” Conner repeated and didn’t wait for his father again to refuse.

He turned to the steps and took them two at a time, likely going up so he could put some shoes on in order to help his father.

I looked up at Jake. “Your son is lovely.”

Jake’s eyes got warm and he agreed, “Yeah, babe.” Then his warm eyes moved to the stairs in a way that made mine move to the stairs and I saw Amber halfway down them looking like she was sleepwalking.

“Eath’s barfing, Dad,” she announced.

Oh dear.

I looked up at Jake and said, “I’ll get Eath. You get the window.”

“Right, babe,” he answered, bent into me and touched his mouth to mine.

Jake headed toward the kitchen and I headed to the steps and up them, following an Amber who was meandering so much, I lifted my hands to her hips and guided her back to her bed where she collapsed.

I threw the covers over her, quickly tucked her in then I went to the bathroom where Ethan was indeed barfing.

Five minutes into this unpleasant experience, Bryant wandered in and then he and Ethan took turns barfing.

It was then I made a mental note that perhaps next time I would not purchase so much snack food and allow them to consume it at will while staying up to all hours and watching DVDs.

*

Some time later, I felt the bed move as Jake joined me in it.

I turned to him, cuddling closer, murmuring, “Is all well with the window?”

“Yeah, babe. Eath good?”