Ask For It (21 page)

And luckily, this go round, since their Realtor had already had a client in mind she hadn’t even had to unpack her staging goodies. The modern vases and subdued artwork were housed in boxes in her parents’ basement and they’d stay there until the loft was finished.

“And I feed you,” JJ said with a grin. “Which reminds me…” She reached for her cell phone and strode over the deck overlooking the parking lot.

The men were enthralled in an intense conversation. So many alpha males in one spot…that should be interesting. Greg and Thomas were gesturing to the furniture and to the truck and back to furniture.

Trevor and Ronny stood to the side, talking and watching.

“What do you guys want on your pizza?” she called. They all looked up at her, their conversation halting.

“Everything,” Trevor called and she felt the heat of his smile all the way to her toes.

Her cousin Beau stepped out of the truck and yelled up to her. “Meat.”

“Typical,” she shouted back.

After placing their pizza order, she returned to the kitchen and helped Cindy pack up the measly contents of her pantry.

“Even your pantry lives light,” Cindy teased.

“You know I’m not much of a cook.”

“Correction,” Baby said as she breezed in. “You can cook. You just don’t cook.”

“Same difference.” Although…she’d made Trevor’s mom’s roast recipe on Wednesday and it’d been a big hit. There wasn’t any left.

“We’ve got the bathroom done. Closet next?”

It was about this point during every move that JJ started getting a little nostalgic. Not only had she made the condo her home, she’d picked out the lovely dark wood cabinets and creamy-with-just-a-hint-of-sparkle counter tops. Solid surface to stand up to whatever the new owners wanted to throw at it.

Absently, she trailed a finger along the smooth surface.

The fact that she had such great friends and family made the moment even more bittersweet.

“That’d be great.”

She’d already packed a few outfits for the next few days, along with a toiletry bag. And though she’d hauled the wardrobe box out of storage, she hadn’t had the time or energy to pack it yet. Between getting the new place cleaned up enough to move in, work, and Trevor, she’d barely had time to sleep.

“I’ll pack the laundry room,” Gretchen said, grabbing two more boxes from the pile in the center of the living room.

While they went to work on that, JJ attacked the cabinets with a damp sponge. She liked to leave the place as clean as possible for the new owners. She wouldn’t meet them until day after tomorrow, but she understood it was a young couple, a few years out of college.

She smiled as she scrubbed out the drawers. That must be fun, starting your life together at an early age. Looking forward to the future and babies and vacations and a new home.

“What are you smiling about?” Cindy asked, elbow deep in cleaning the fridge.

“Just thinking what it must be like to be young, married, in love. Buying your first place.” JJ sighed and knew she sounded wistful.

“Not you too. Gretchen’s our resident hopeless romantic.”

JJ threw her sponge at her friend. “Like you’re one to talk Miss I’ve-used-up-all-my-minutes-talking-to-Adam.”

The truth was, she absolutely was feeling romantic and wistful. After Trevor had told her about Stephanie and given her a pair of the most gorgeous shoes ever, they’d made slow, sweet love. Everything about that night had been different. More tender.

Cindy handed the sponge back, glowing a little. She did that whenever they started talking about Adam.

“Think he’d ever move out here?” JJ dared to ask.

Cindy’s lips twisted. “I don’t know. I don’t even know if we’re at that point yet. All I know is long distance sucks and phone sex is not all it’s cracked up to be.”

“Then you’re not doin’ it right,” Beau drawled from the doorway.

She and Cindy gasped and threw their sponges at him. Chuckling, he ducked the onslaught of cleaning supplies. “These boxes ready to go down?” he asked, nodding to the stack in the doorway.

“Yep.”

“Hey honey, we’re not moving the washer and dryer, right?” Trevor called, coming through the front door.

“Nope. Sold them with the condo.”

He nodded and helped Beau load the boxes onto the dolly. She smiled at the two men, thinking they could have been brothers. Both tall, bronzed, and golden blond…if they went out in public she was pretty sure women all over the south would swoon. Whereas her brothers had dark hair and blue eyes, Beau took after JJ’s aunt, right down to his light brown eyes.

He was cocky and laid-back at the same time, which explained why he and Trevor had hit it off like long time buddies.

“Fridge is done,” Cindy declared and JJ breathed a sigh of relief.

“I did the oven the other day,” she said. Mostly because she’d made a frozen pizza that decided to melt all over the place.

“So that just leaves mopping. Let’s wait until after we eat to do that.”

“Sounds good.”

The living room was empty, save for the pile of boxes and there was a cooler of drinks in the adjoining dining area. She’d vacuum last.

There was a knock at the door and she peeked her head into the hall. The pizza delivery guy hovered on her doorstep, arms laden.

“Thank you so much. How much do I owe you?” she asked, reaching for her purse.

“The guy downstairs already paid.”

Trevor
… Somehow she knew he was the one who’d paid for the pizzas. He was so good to her.

“Great.” She took the steaming pile of boxes. “Thanks again.”

No sooner had the delivery man left than the five men strode through the doors. Yep. Typical males.

Thankfully she’d remembered to keep the paper plates and napkins out. Pizza in hand, they sat down on the living room floor and used the boxes as impromptu tables. The boys told jokes and everyone laughed. They all shared war stories from past moves. Except for Trevor. The lucky duck had movers the two times he’d ever moved. Baby recalled the time JJ had called, freaking out over the dead rat.

“You guys like that story too much,” JJ said.

“It’s pretty funny,” Trevor chimed in, grinning over at her.

“You four need to remember that I grew up with you and know all your secrets,” she warned her brothers and cousin. “And you three…I’ve known you since college.”

Cindy stuck out her tongue. “I have no secrets left,” she said in a seductive I-could-have-been-a-Victoria’s-Secret-model sort of way.

Everyone laughed because though she wrote steamy sex and looked like a bombshell, she wasn’t exactly promiscuous. No. That was Baby’s department.

JJ looked over at Greg and saw him staring at Baby.

Ah hah! Feeling sneaky she pulled out her cell phone and typed in a text message.

YOU’RE STARING.

His pocket buzzed and he retrieved his phone. She knew the instant he read her message. His gaze shot to hers and she gave him a warm smile.

Frowning, he typed something back.

WHAT OF IT?

She raised an eyebrow as she typed back.

NOT A THING, DEAR BROTHER. YOU TWO WOULD MAKE A CUTE COUPLE. BUT BE CAREFUL, BABY’S NOT READY FOR TILL-DEATH-DO-YOU-PART.

He smirked.

LIKE I AM?

JJ was starting to think she was ready. Heck, just because she loved sports didn’t mean she hadn’t been daydreaming about her wedding for…well, ever. One of her earliest memories was playing wedding with Barbie and Ken after her mother and Ron Fairchild had walked down the aisle. She’d been a little obsessed with weddings after that.

Not because her parents’ big day had been elaborate, but because her mom had looked like an angel in her white silk dress. They’d gone small but traditional. Her brothers had stood with their father and she with her mother. And before God and a little group of friends and family they’d vowed to love each other and make a family together.

“Why are you crying?” Trevor whispered in her ear.

“Am I?” She wiped a hand under her eyes and felt the moisture. “Just thinking about my mom.”

He squeezed her shoulder.

“How about a toast,” Greg called, lifting his can of Coke Zero. “To JJ. My partner in crime. Talented author, designer and kick ass home stager.”

She liked how he stressed the
kick ass
part.

“Here, here,” everyone called, saluted and clinked their cans together.

“To new friends, old friends, and the best family a girl could have ever asked for,” JJ said, lifting her own can.

“And to quick sales and easy moves,” Cindy added.

“I second that,” she said. Easy moves indeed.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

It was the last Thursday in November and JJ couldn’t figure out where the last three months had gone. Autumn had positively flown by. She was semi settled in her new loft, as much as one could be with half a bathroom and a nonworking kitchen. Thanks to online shopping she already had several items knocked off her Christmas list, but she was still searching for the perfect thing for Trevor.

She was hunched over, basting the turkey, when the doorbell rang.

“I’ve got it,” her dad called.

“That should be Trevor and his family,” she called back. Her brother’s had already arrived which just left the Wyatts.

Ever since her mother had died, JJ had taken it upon herself to ‘do’ Thanksgiving. But following in her mother’s footsteps meant a heck of a lot of work.

She usually lost count of all the side dishes she made. In fact, she started cooking on Tuesday. Since she was still brushing her teeth in the kitchen at the loft, she’d been spending more and more time at her parents’ house. Even though the appliances were a little dated, they were installed and actually worked. Which was more than she could say for the empty spaces waiting for a refrigerator and dishwasher in her new place.

Voices echoed through the entry way and she recognized two in particular. Trevor and his mom.

She smiled and shut the oven. A football went sailing by the window over the kitchen sink and she saw a flurry of bodies diving after it.

“Julia, you’ve out done yourself,” Patricia Wyatt said as JJ started for the front door. “This place smells fabulous.”

Her father hung Patricia’s coat in the entry closet, beaming as she oohed and ahhed at being back in the south. She went on about the accents, the chivalry and how welcoming the gas station attendant had been.

“Our JJ takes after her momma. My Leigh Ann was a great cook.” Her dad patted his belly which was far too trim since her mother died.

JJ brushed off the compliments and gave everyone a hug. “I’m so glad you guys could make it.”

Trevor was the last in line. “Got a hug for me?” he murmured, his eyes alight with mischief.

“You betcha, handsome.” She pecked him on the lips for good measure.

“What can I help with?”

“Not a thing, Mrs. Wyatt. Come on out back. We’ve got an early football game going. And Trevor,” her father said over everyone’s head. “I took your advice about that outdoor TV.”

JJ heard Trevor’s mom ask them to call her Patricia as they headed toward the back of the house.

“They had a ball putting that thing up,” JJ whispered to Trevor. “Who knew there were so many kinds of drill bits at Home Depot. Go fawn over it and act impressed,” she added, just loud enough for her dad to hear.

Chuckling, her father led them through the French doors and onto the back patio.

“I’m amazed you can still enjoy the outdoors,” JJ heard Patricia say. “It’s such a toss-up in New York. Either cold or rainy. Sometimes both.”

JJ was mashing potatoes when she felt Trevor’s hands slide over her shoulders.

“I’ve missed you,” he whispered.

She sighed and leaned back against him. Everything in her softened. “I’ve missed you too.”

They hadn’t seen each other since he’d helped her move earlier in the month. He’d been busy with appearances and endorsement deals and John had kept her busy with work. Any day now she expected her first round of edits to arrive from Scott Spangler.

Cindy was right. The long distance thing was getting old. She’d never thought of herself as a particularly physical person, but there was no denying that she craved being near Trevor. Most days she felt restless, almost unhinged. Hearing his voice on the phone soothed her. Seeing him on video chat was nice too.

But there was something about being in the same room with him. Feeling his energy. Just knowing he was so close. Being able to reach out and touch him whenever she wanted. It went beyond the sexual.

“Let me help with that…”

“You know how to mash potatoes?”

He laughed and took the masher from her. With a quirked up eyebrow, he bumped her out of the way gently with his hip. “How hard could it be? Besides, I’ve gotta make myself useful somehow.”

As he mashed, very well by the look of it, she popped the rolls into the oven to warm up.

“You’re very useful,” she murmured, hugging him from behind and placing a kiss in the center of his back. “And have I mentioned how sexy you look in a sweater?” she asked softly.

“Stop that woman or I’m gonna make a mess.”

Laughing softly to herself she turned and glanced around the room. After retrieving her notebook, she marked off mashed potatoes and rolls.

“You can go out back and play, you know. You won’t hurt my feelings.” She cut chunks of butter and tossed them into the potatoes.

“Knee’s a little stiff today,” he muttered, as if it pained him to admit it. She supposed it was. Men, especially tough alpha men, didn’t like admitting to pain or injury.

Her first instinct was to offer him an aspirin or order him off the bum leg. But she bit the words back. Her mother had hovered…often too much. She’d made a concentrated effort to be caring without suffocating.

“Besides,” he added, “I want to be with you.”

And just like that, she lost the last piece of her heart to the sinfully handsome wide receiver.

Ron Fairchild loved having all his kids under his roof and he used any excuse to get them together. He and Leigh Ann had always wanted a big loud family, full of love and laughter. Today, there were three extra men at his table, cutting up and eating like food was going extinct. She would have loved it.