Chapter 1 ~ Justin
“Damn it pete Get him off the counter before Fallon spots him!” I whisper through gritted teeth. Fallon was in the living room tending to Amanda Jayne and Joe Jr who had just arrived for the weekend. I was supposed to be on potato duty with Pete, but Bum cat got into the kitchen with Goliath and they were making a fuss. “If Fallon spots him on the counter he’s liable to get skinned!”
“I’ve put him down he just keeps getting’ up there! Can’t you handle your own pussy… Cat?”
“Seriously? That cat adopted you the day he met you, hasn’t slept with me in two months! Now put down the peeler and get these two outside!”
Pete drops the potato peeler and picks up Bum cat with a huff, Goliath, Fallon’s German Sheppard following at his heels as he goes out the patio door. Just as he disappears, Fallon comes sailing into the room, a huge smile on her face.
“What’s up darlin’?” I ask looking for evidence of the cat, not seeing any.
“There’s gonna be a baby soon, we’ll have a little one to play with again.” She seems really excited over something that’s still months away.
“Oh, that’s right, how are they?” I just kept peeling potatoes.
“They’re well considering, Amanda’s due in three more months, that means the baby will be here the end of January, beginning of February, it’s good havin’ Joe Jr here, it’s been weird not having him around since they moved… What the hell is that?”
I turned toward her. “What?”
“What is those marks?”
“What marks?” I look over her shoulder, to see flour impressions of big old paw prints. I let out a chuckle. “Seems Goliath was after the butter again.”
“You were both in here, watching and working, you all couldn’t have stopped him?”
“As soon as I spotted him I had Pete put him outside.” I shook my head still laughing. “And you talk about the Bum cat. Least he stays to the foliage counter over away from the food. Anyhow, we’ll just wipe the counter down and be done with it.”
“He what?”
“Sticks to the foliage counter, you know where you keep your plants.”
“That’s it out, out now.”
“You can’t do this all yourself.”
“I do it all the time myself, you go keep the company, company.” She pointed out to the living room with a stomp of her little booted foot. It was adorable. I grabbed her by the waist and planted a kiss on her.
She pushed me back, boy was she ever pissed. “Kisses ain’t workin’ this time, buster! Get out, and take that brother of mine with you!”
She points to Pete as he comes in shaking off the rain that had started, still holding Bum cat followed by Goliath. “Oh and take those hoodlums too!”
***
“Banished huh?” Nick snickered putting up his feet on the ottoman as Goliath came prancing through the living room with a happy tail wag. Pete put Bum cat down and he took his position on the back of the sofa, so he could see out the window. Nick was a usual sight, he still lived nearby so we saw him just about every morning for breakfast and damn near every night for dinner. Joe Jr and Amanda Jayne on the other hand had moved out to Cincinnati, and the commute was just getting to be too much for her and the baby. Boy, did she suddenly pop!
“Does Fal need some help?” She asked pulling herself up from the couch, she looked like she was tryin’ to smuggle a basketball out under her sweater. They were having a boy according to Joe Jr but they hadn’t found out yet from the doc officially. He just says that from the way she’s filling out it’s a givin. I don’t know one way or the other, I just hope she doesn’t blow here in the living room.
“Uh, I guess not. Since she threw me out.” I answer trying to get her to sit back down.
“Oh, stop fussing on me! I can help, got nearly three months to go, this kid ain’t near done cooking.” She laughs brushing by me and Pete who’s just shaking his head.
“Tomorrow is gonna be a disaster isn’t it.” I sigh looking around the place is decorated for fall, but I know the Christmas stuff is literally in the hallway closet and the small garage next to the house. It’s just been a very warm November, so Fallon has been waiting to put anything out yet. According to Pete at least.
“That depends.” Pete smirks.
I raise an eyebrow at him. “On?”
“How Fal’s gonna take to one more for dessert.” He chuckles walking upstairs with another shake of his head.
I look at Joe Jr and Nick pointing toward the kid. “Any idea what he’s talking about?”
“Beats me, I don’t hang here anymore remember?”
“That would be his girlfriend he asked about bringing over for dessert last weekend. Y’all said it was fine.” Nick chuckled. “It was just after he caught y’all screwin’ in the freezer at the shop.”
“Really?” Joe Jr lamented, “You two still at it like rabbits I see.”
I smiled proudly. “And why not we’ve only been dating for like four months, no reason to not christen every and anything we can.” I waggled my eye brows at them and they both stood up.
“Really? Awe c’mon.” They shouted in unison as I full on belly laughed.
Chapter 2 ~ Fallon
Pies are all delivered for Thanksgiving which is tomorrow and I don’t feel as if I’m ready at all. I still have lots to do. I left Justin and Pete in charge of peeling the damn potatoes and basting the ham only to come home to a mess in my kitchen. Before I can even cook I have to clean this mess up. Reaching for the radio I flip it on and Travis Tritt is singing It’s A Great Day To Be Alive.
Going about cleaning I’m mentally going through my list of everything I need to get made. It’s going to be a long night and even longer day tomorrow. UGH! I’m so going to kill those boys for letting the animals in here.
Just as I finish cleaning up the mess I hear the kitchen door swing open. Looking over my shoulder I see that it’s Amanda Jayne waddling through here.
“Fallon you need any help in here?” Amanda Jayne asks.
“Now that I’ve cleaned up the mess those boys left, not really.”
“How about I just keep you company. I can’t listen them talk about sports anymore.” She nods toward the living room.
“I’d be right there with them if I wasn’t stuck in this kitchen. Between meal prep and cooking I will be watching the games on my TV in the corner over there.” I point to the corner beside the stove and fridge.
“Ah, I can help if you want. Really I’d love to.”
“You’re a guest here, hell Joe Jr. is officially a guest now. So, no you two will not help and better yet aren’t you supposed to be sitting and keeping my niece in that bubble just a little longer?”
“Fallon, I’m telling you he’s a boy. There’s no way I’m having a girl with the way I’m carrying.”
“Amanda Jayne, don’t you know any better. Dad told us a story once. Apparently, Pete was supposed to be a girl because that’s how Momma was carrying. However, as you can see Pete is very much a boy. Therefore, you could have a girl and break this vicious cycle of boys and give us another girl for the home team.” I say with a giggle.
“Okay if you say so. Why don’t you tell me what you are making for tomorrow?”
“Well I have the Ham going over there.” I nod to the counter by the back door “With some brown sugar and Coca Cola. I’ve got some salads to put together. Geez, here…” I thrust my list at her “I have it all wrote down so we don’t forget anything”
Breakfast
Quick Pear Tart
Blueberry Muffins
Bacon & Scrambled Egg Biscuits
Cranberry-Apple Oatmeal
Maple Toast Sticks
Bacon and Cheddar Scones
Snacks
Deviled Eggs
Beer Wieners
Pigs in a Blanket
Pepperoni and Cheese with Crackers
Ricotta-Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates
Shrimp Cocktail
Cheese Ball with Crackers
Small Deli Bites
Apple Fritters
Mini Spicy BLT Wraps
Dinner
Deep Fried Turkey with Sage and Thyme
Brown Sugar Glazed Coca Cola Ham
Slow- Cooker Cornbread Dressing
Green Beans with Mushrooms and Bacon
Sweet Potato Casserole
Mashed Potatoes with Gravy
Broccoli Salad
Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Glazed Carrots
Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread
Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
Corn Pudding
Baked Beans
Ginger-Glazed Pearl Onions & Parsnips
Sausage Sage Dressing
Orange Cranberry Compote
Dessert
Fruit Salad
Cranberry Sauce
Pumpkin Pie with Maple Rum Sauce
Southern Red Velvet Cake
Mini Pecan Pumpkin Pies
Old Fashioned Apple Crisp
Cranberry Orange Parfait
Spiced Thanksgiving Sugar Cookies
Thanksgiving Candied Turkeys
Chocolate Moose
Caramel Apple Cheesecake
Drinks
Southern Sweet Iced Tea
Beer
Pop
Whiskey Sour
Hard Apple Cider
Sparkling Cider
Amanda Jayne reads the over the menu while I begin pulling eggs out so I can put them on to boil. Water and eggs on the stove I grab a smaller crock pot from the top of the fridge.
“This list is making me hungry.” Amanda Jayne rubs her distending belly.
“Well what would you like for dinner?”
“Can we have Chinese?”
“Of course! I will place a call in and have one of the boys run and get it. Anything certain you want?”
“Veggie Lo-Mein, Kung-Po Chicken, Egg Rolls and Crab Rangoon?” She questioned.
“You got it. Can ya go tell Justin I need him? Tell the boys I will get a little of everything, I know what they like.” Amanda Jayne nods and takes off toward the living room, well as fast as all of that can possibly go.
Getting my crock pot of Beer Weenies going, Justin pushes through the door and I turn to meet him.
“What’s up darlin’?”
“I need you to make a couple runs for me. Do you mind?”
“Uh, sure? Where am I going?”
“Well, Amanda Jayne wants Chinese so I’ll be calling in an order. I’ll pay with a card so you’ll just need to pick it up. But I also need you to stop at the liquor store I don’t have rum, whiskey or beer and I need all three. Only if you don’t mind.”
“Sure, I’ll take Pete with me. He needs to get out of the house. He’s up there in his room doing only God knows what.”
“I’m sure he’s either on the phone or playing video games. Remind me if you can after dinner he needs to go out and feed the animals I’ve been too damn busy and just forgot.”
“Don’t worry we got that handled, we fed them earlier.”
“Wait, you mean to tell me you two crazy fools could feed the outside animals but you couldn’t keep the two inside ones out of my kitchen? What am I going to do with the two of you? Know what? Just forget it. Anything certain you want from Chinese before I make this call?”
“Other than a decent egg roll? No. I haven’t had a decent egg roll since I left New York.”
“How about this… If you don’t like the egg rolls, we get tonight I will make you some this weekend. Sound good?”
Justin nods “Yea, that’s fine” Then he taps his jaw wanting me to kiss him. He’s pushing his luck but I haven’t kissed him since early this morning. Which could be what’s wrong with me. By now we are usually somewhere getting ready for round one of the night.
Standing in front of him I reach up and put my lips to his, just so I can feel a little less crazy. Even if it’s only for a little while. Our lips touch and my stomach still does somersaults each time. Justin’s hands go straight to my ass and he lets out that growl deep in his throat, which only causes me to let out a little moan. His animal side turns me on quicker than ever.
Justin moves back just a smidge and looks around “There’s too much on the counters.”
I let out a sigh “There’s a wall?”
Justin picks me up and my legs wrap around his waist as he pushes me against the wall. His hand travels up the inside of my shirt and under my bra to cup my breast as he slides his thumb across my nipple.
“Jesus Christ! Come on y’all do you have to do that shit around the food?” We both hear Nick say at the same time. I touch my forehead to Justin’s “We’re hungry could ya hurry up?” Nick finishes then walks back out “It’s gonna be another thirty minutes they are getting it on against the wall. Fucking rabbits.” Nick shouts.
Justin gives me a quick peck then sets me back on my feet. “I’m gonna slip out the back door and grab everything. Call in the order and I’ll see ya soon darlin’.” Justin takes off as I fix my bra and shirt.
Grabbing the phone and menu off the fridge I call in our order.
“Your total will be 120.98”
“Awesome could you hold one second, I’m grabbing my card so I can pay.” I set the phone down and stick my head out the door. “NICK! Come here and with your wallet.”
“What the hell for?” Nick shouts heading toward me.
“You’re paying for dinner, dip shit.”
“Christ this is what I get!” Nick says and hands me the card.
“Pay back’s a bitch.”
Taking Nick’s card, I pick the phone back up giving the number to the guy on the other line. Once I’m finished and hang up Nick opens his mouth once again.
“Yeah, yeah, give me my card back mighty midget.” Nick says taking his card out of my hand.
“This midget is getting more then you are! So, go ahead be jealous all you want.”
“Ya know just because you don’t see me getting any doesn’t mean I’m not getting any on the regular. I just don’t spread it around.”
“If you were getting some on the regular you wouldn’t be so moody all the damn time. My house. My kitchen. If I want to be pushed against the wall and fucked senseless, then so be it.”
“Just… Just wash your damn hands before you touch any of my food.” Nick throws up his hands and storms off.
Opening the kitchen door, I shout after him “I just touched your card dipshit!”
Nick stomps up the stairs, heading to his room “SASSY ASS BITCH” I hear before the door slams.
I can hear cackling coming from the living room which just makes me shake my head and go back to work till dinner and my desert arrive.
Winter Kisses
(A County Fair Romance Bk 2)
Copyright ©2016 Haney/Hayes
All rights reserved
