Done (Harmony Haven #1)

Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

EASTON

Ok.

That was all she had sent back, and that was all I needed.

When I had written the question, I knew she wouldn’t want to leave Max so I had already planned something I thought he would like. In fact, I didn’t want to leave Max either. He and I had bonded the other night and it didn’t feel right for him to not be with Jesse and me.

Through a few short texts, I told her I’d be at her house Friday around five. She insisted we take her car with the car seat, which was fine, but I planned on driving. She didn’t know where we were going, and I wanted to keep it a surprise.

As I pulled up to the curb outside her house, Ms. Ellison waved from across the street as she got in her own car to leave. She had been a saint, helping me with the binder, and even though I knew she was having fun with it, I still owed her big time.

With a quick wave back, I turned my attention to the house that was looking more and more like a home. Jesse had added some flowers on the porch, and I could see toys spread out under the big oak tree where she and Max probably played.

The main door was closed so they hadn’t realized I was there and it gave me a minute to wipe my hands down my jeans and shake off that spineless feeling I got when I was near Jesse.

Not that the feeling was as terrible as it sounded. It made me bend, though. Bend in a way I never had, nor thought I would. So enamored by a woman I had barely touched. Never tasted.

No matter what became of the feelings I seemed to have for her, though, I knew I could no longer be scared of them. I could no longer allow myself to be so submissive. If Jesse was what I wanted, I had to stop worrying about how long and how deep we were going to be.

With that resolve, I walked up to her front door and knocked lightly. She answered quickly, as if she had been peeking through the peephole, witnessing my final moments as a man unsure of himself.

“Hey,” I smiled at her, as she looked at me quietly through the screen door. “You two about ready?”

Her eyes skimmed down my body as she nodded, taking in my jeans that held tight to my thighs and the button up shirt I had chosen instead of my normal t-shirt. The sleeves had been rolled up, because it was a pretty warm evening, but it was still as dressed up as she had seen me.

“Let me in,” I whispered, with a demanding tone.

She backed up and I opened the door myself, stepping into her small space. It was still minimal as far as decoration went, but I noticed a few boxes against the wall and a picture that had been hung above the couch.

“I feel underdressed,” Jesse finally confessed, smoothing her short summer dress down her waist.

“You’re perfect,” I practically growled. It didn’t matter what she wore, she was perfect, but the dress really was a good choice for the night. “I must have been looking really grubby if you think this,” I motioned to my clothes, “Is making you look overdressed. It's just jeans, baby.”

“I…I…know,” she sighed. “But you look really good.”

My chest puffed out and I stepped closer, grabbing her waist and pulling her against me. “You know how to flatter a guy.”

“I think I’m just done being as spineless as you claim to have been.”

“Weak? Worrisome?”

“Exactly.” Our foreheads were together, and the breath from between her lips cooled mine as she blew a heavy sigh.

Leaning in closer, I licked my lips, knowing I was going to kiss her and readying myself for how much more I could possibly feel for her once we connected. She was moving toward me, as well, her body trembling beneath my touch.

“Are you going to kiss me?”

I smirked because she was asking a question that she already knew the answer to. Had I intended to come in and kiss her first? No. But the decision was made for me when she looked at me the way she had. “I have?—”

“Fire truck!”

Before I could tell her that I had no choice, Max’s voice forced us apart. Jesse looked around the room as if she had been looking for something, and I looked up at the stairs toward the little voice.

“Hey buddy!” I clapped excitedly. “Are you ready to do some dancing?”

He carefully held onto the bars of the stairs and made his way down. I stood at the bottom, waiting for him, and with three steps left, he jumped into my arms.

We spun around, checking on Jesse, who had picked up a bag and held it tightly against her chest. She seemed to be back to her usual self, smiling and watching Max and me. There were no signs of her heavy breathing or indecision about the dress she wore. There was no desire in her eyes, but her gorgeous green gaze held so much love for the little boy in my arms.

We made quick work of getting into her car—she buckled Max into his seat while I grabbed a blanket from my truck and threw it into her trunk. Then we headed onto the main highway, our conversation taking on a casual and familiar tone. We shared more of ourselves. Some deep stuff about our parents, but mostly it was light, and I learned a few more things that I hadn’t even thought to ask in my binder.

She loved the rain and Chinese food. She’d never had fried okra, which, I warned her, was illegal since she was born and raised south of Tennessee. I told her Grams grew her own and made the best I had ever tasted, which led to me telling her about our Sunday dinners.

Max sat in his chair quietly listening to every word we said. He was too young to realize his mom and I were in the middle of creating a foundation for the passion that simmered between us. At the time, I hadn’t realized it either. But I knew I would always hold those innocent conversations close to my heart. It was unlike any other moment in my life, where I yearned to know every detail of a woman.

Jesse did that to me.

Not far past where my grandparents lived, there was an old dirt road with nothing but peach tree orchards on either side. I slowed the car and turned, making Jesse look at me suspiciously from the corner of her eye.

“This isn’t scary at all,” she joked.

“I know a back way.”

“To where?”

Without answering, I bit my lip and suppressed a smile. There was no telling if she would like what I had in store, but it was exactly where I’d have spent the evening even if she hadn’t agreed to come.

Another quiet mile down the old dirt road and we turned into a field that was being used as a parking lot. Rolling down my window, I flashed a parking pass to the attendant while Jesse eyed the top of the rides and booths that peeked over a tall fence.

“A carnival?”

“Harmony Haven’s yearly festival,” I smiled. “Everyone comes to listen to the music and dance.”

She looked worried, as I expected, but she nodded and reached for the handle to her door. “Okay.”

When we got out of the car, I picked Max up into my arms and led Jesse through the back entrance. Miles was working the event and managed to slide me a pass so we could avoid the crowded parking area off the main road. It was all part of my plan to make Jesse feel comfortable and welcome around a sea of people she didn’t know.

“There you are,” Miles hollered as we made it to the middle of the field. He was in his uniform, clearly on duty as part of security. Standing next to him was his friend, Linc, who was also in his police uniform.

“We made it,” I smiled, squeezing Jesse’s hand gently. But when we got closer, I wrapped my arm around her instead and whispered into her ear. “I want you to meet my brother.”

“No hanky-panky,” Miles yelled, making me laugh and turn my attention back to him. “This is a family event.”

“Just warning her that she was about to meet my obnoxious and extremely less attractive younger brother. Miles, this is Jesse, the girl I’ve been telling you about. Jesse, this is the unfortunate reason I’m not the youngest in our family.”

“Oh,” Miles drawled, reaching out to shake Jesse’s hand. “He’s always so sweet to me. It makes me blush a little.”

Jesse was immediately at ease, smiling and placing her hand in Miles’. “Nice meeting you.”

“And this,” I tickled Max, making him giggle, “is Max. He’s the next best firefighter this town ever saw.”

“Max,” Miles clapped with excitement. “Nice meeting you too, buddy.”

“Nice meet you,” Max spoke quickly, then turned to hide his face into my neck. Jesse rubbed his back, telling him how well he was doing while a look of pride stretched across her face.

We moved on with introductions to Linc, who had been standing behind Miles. Max still had his head in my neck and wasn’t much interested in Linc, but I couldn’t blame the little man. Linc drove a Honda Civic, for crying out loud. Which was fine if you weren’t a truck man, like Max and me, but it was hard to relate to people like Linc.

At least that was what I told Jesse as she insisted Max be polite and say hi.

“Easton!” My name spoken loudly and excitedly from behind me made us all turn around to see who it was. Not that I needed to look. There was only one woman who had ever been that excited to see me.

“Grams!”

Hand in hand, Grams and Gramps approached us. Jesse shuffled closer to me, almost using me as a shield, like Gramps was wielding a semiautomatic and I was bulletproof. I knew it was a lot for her to be meeting my family before our lips had ever even touched, but that was what Harmony Haven was all about. We all ended up at the same places at the same time.

While Grams hugged Miles and said hello to Linc, Gramps eyed how close Jesse and I were. There was something in his eye, something close to the look he gave me the night he gave me his latest riddle. I had almost forgotten about his recent battle with lunacy, but with one quick gaze, I was back there sitting at the dining table. “You have no idea what it means to be done.”

“Gramps is a little nutty,” I whispered to Jesse quickly as Grams turned her attention to us. “If he gives you a riddle, you have my permission to punch the old man in the throat.”

“Easton,” Jesse laughed, stepping out from behind me. “Are you nutty?”

“Yes,” I assured her, then pointed at Gramps. “I got it from him.”