Just as she got close enough to make out some of the words on his spine, he turned and grinned. “You’re awake.”
Pretending she hadn’t been trying to read his tattoo again, she casually moved to his side to examine the ingredients he had spread on the counter. “And you’re…baking?”
“Just another of my skills. It’s a long and varied list.”
“Which is why you’re using canned apple filling and a refrigerated crust, I’m sure.”
“Hey now. I’m working with what I have. It wasn’t easy to put this much together on short notice. I now owe Camden’s cop buddy a favor, which, between you and me, freaks me the hell out.”
She laughed and dipped her finger into the pre-made apple filling. Not bad. “Seriously, though, what are you doing?”
His smile faded, and he focused on pressing the crust into a pie plate. “You were so upset yesterday. I figured you couldn’t be at your family’s Fourth of July, so I’d make one for you here. I even got you sparklers.”
Libby stared at him. It wasn’t until he lifted a hand and pressed her jaw closed that she realized her mouth had been hanging open. She scanned the counter again. All of the fixings for a barbeque sat there in a line.
“Jude…” Flustered, she didn’t know what else to say.
“Is it okay?” he asked. “My brothers and I don’t do holidays, so I wasn’t entirely sure—I mean, I know it’s not home, but I just thought—”
Libby stood on her toes, cutting off his rambles with a kiss. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”
His grin returned, and he dabbed flour on her chin. “Wanna help?”
“You bet your ass I do. I have been so incredibly bored this week.”
“Oh good. I thought I was the only one.”
…
They ate dinner a little before five, and it was actually quite good for a last-minute, cobbled-together meal. The fact that Jude had even thought to do this for her made everything taste that much better.
She shoved away her half-eaten second slice of pie and sat back. Jude smiled across the table at her. “Eyes bigger than your stomach?”
“Waaay bigger.”
He pulled the plate toward him and cut off a piece. “Mind?”
“No.” She scowled as he made short work of the rest of the pie. “I can’t believe you’re still eating. Where do you put it all?”
“Mm. I could tell you…” He pointed his fork at her. “But then I’d have to eat you, too. Actually, that might not be a bad idea. Like dessert. I love the way you squeak when I go down on—”
“Be good, Jude. We’re at the dinner table.” She laughed when he grinned unapologetically and waggled his brows.
“You know, we haven’t done it on a table yet.”
“The pool table counts.”
“No, it doesn’t.”
“You’re nuts.”
“Yeah, I am. Thanks for noticing.” Finishing off the final bite of pie, he licked his fork clean, and then began gathering their plates. “Dining table. I’ll have to keep it in mind for another time, but right now I’m so full the only thing I want to do with you is nap.”
“I’m so on board with that idea.” But, wow, moving anywhere seemed like a chore. “Except you’ll have to carry me to the bedroom.”
From the kitchen behind her, he gave a yeah right snort.
“So is that a no?”
Jude didn’t answer. In fact, she didn’t hear anything from him, no shuffling, no water running over their dishes in the sink. She started to turn to see what he was up to now and found him standing beside her, a cell phone shoved toward her face. She blinked when he dropped it into her hand. It appeared to be midcall, the timer on the screen ticking off seconds as she frowned at it, then up at him.
“What’s this?”
He simply nodded and motioned for her to lift it to her ear.
Confused, she did so and—
At the sound of her mother’s voice on the other end of the line, instant tears blurred her vision. “Mom?”
Oh God. Her parents. He’d called her parents!
Eyes wide, she stared at him in shock. The nerve of the man, standing there grinning like a maniac, all proud of himself for breaking his own rules. She wanted to throw herself into his arms and hug him. The nerve.
And also the heart.
God, he had so much heart it was a wonder it all fit inside his chest.
Libby turned her focus to her mother’s excited chattering. After a few minutes, her father came on the line, less excited but definitely happy to talk to her. Although, as usual, he tried to hide it under a gruff facade. In deference to her safety, it was a short conversation and saying good-bye to them was the hardest thing she’d ever done, but when she hung up the phone, all of the sadness that had been weighing her down this past week had vanished.