I break from the kiss, laughing. "Nash started it."
"You ever fall in love, you'll be the same way," Nash says to Jake.
Jake plops down on the couch. "So who was on the phone?"
"Someone from work." Nash is purposely being vague to drive Jake crazy.
"And does this someone have a name?" Jake puts his feet up on the coffee table.
Nash chuckles. "It wasn't Ivy, if that's what you're asking. She's never going out with you, dude. You might as well give up."
Ivy is the carpenter that Jake's had the hots for ever since she worked for him on the Victorian. The project ended a couple weeks ago, and on her last day there, he asked her out but she turned him down. He asked her out last summer too and she turned him down. Now he's trying again. Nash hired her to work on the library renovation and Jake keeps showing up there, pretending to be checking on the project, but he's really checking up on Ivy.
"Jake Wheeler never gives up," he says. "She'll come around eventually."
"You talking about Ivy?" Austin walks in, eating a bag of chips. He sits next to Jake. "How much longer you gonna keep stalking that girl?"
Jake grabs Austin's chips. "I'm not stalking her." He stuffs some chips in his mouth.
Bryce appears next to Nash and me. "Get a clue, man. She doesn't want to go out with you."
Jake tosses the chip bag back to Austin. "You guys can shut up any time now."
Austin laughs. "Face it, Jake. You're no longer the ladies' man you used to be."
"I still get plenty of girls. This one's just proving to be more difficult than the others. And you're one to talk. I don't see you dating anyone."
"I've had plenty of dates. I just don't have a girlfriend."
Austin doesn't have time for a girlfriend. When he's not working construction, he's playing with his band. They've had a lot of gigs around town lately.
Bryce doesn't have a girlfriend either. He's been on some dates, but like Nash said, Bryce can't get serious with a girl until he gets over his feelings for Jen.
Just as I'm thinking that, she walks into the living room. "Could someone help me get a platter down? I can't reach it."
"I'll do it," Bryce offers before anyone else can. He'll do anything to have an excuse to be around her. He's had his eyes on her since she arrived. She looks really pretty today. She's wearing a dark green wrap dress that pairs well with her dark blond hair, flawless fair skin, and light green eyes.
I met Jen right after I moved here. At first, she seemed kind of shy, but she invited me out for lunch, so we went and really hit it off. Since then, we've become good friends. She's had a rough childhood but she doesn't let that get her down. She works three jobs and goes to school full-time. She's determined to reach her goals, but told me she wouldn't be where she's at if it weren't for Nash's family helping her out all these years. They treat her like family.
They treat me like family too. Nash's brothers act like I'm their sister. They're very protective of me. If I have to go into the city at night and Nash can't go with me, one of his brothers will go because they don't want me going there by myself after dark.
"Callie, could you keep an eye on the pies?" Lou asks. "I need to help Mitch with the turkeys."
"Sure." I go to the kitchen as Lou heads outside to where Mitch is frying not one, but two turkeys.
Lou drove up for Thanksgiving and he and I are making the side dishes and desserts. Jen doesn't know how to cook, but she offered to help so Lou put her to work. But when I get to the kitchen, Jen isn't there. Neither is Bryce. Wonder where those two went.
I check the oven where the four pies are baking; pumpkin, apple, cherry, and pecan. The pumpkin looks done so I take it out and set it on the baking rack to cool.
Nash comes up behind me, wrapping me in his arms. "You need any help?"
"Nope. I got it under control."
"Everything smells delicious," he kisses the side of my neck, "including you."
I smile. "You better get out of here before Lou and Jen come back."
"One kiss, and then I'll go."
I turn around and kiss him. "That's it. Until later."
He looks at me and smiles. "Love you."
"Love you too."
He leaves and Lou returns, along with Jen. They both stare at me.
"Nash must've just left," Lou says to Jen.
"Yeah," Jen agrees. "She's got that smile."
"I wasn't smiling," I insist, as I check the pies that are still in the oven.
"You were smiling," they both say at once, then Jen laughs.
"And not just any smile," Lou says as he washes his hands at the sink. "That's your Nash smile. Only shows up when he's around."