Pierce My Heart (Women of Willowbrook Book 1) (36 page)

Payton’s face turns pink at her childhood nickname and her eyes start blinking rapidly again.

“’Sides, Sarah, you’ve still got Mia at home.” Gran peeks at Mia “I think you’ll be safe there for a while,” Gran offers, throwing Payton a wink.

Aunt Sarah nods as her eyes clear. “This is true.”

“Mom,” Mia whines, stashing her phone—again.

*              *              *

After all the pies had been assembled and shoved in the oven, the food had been carted out to the table, and the glasses were filled, we all sat down for dinner.

“Ree, if you take another scoop of that casserole I’m gonna have to sleep outside,” Gramps complains, eyeing Gran’s raised spoon.

She looks him dead in the eye and plops a huge spoonful onto her plate with a wicked grin.

“Should’ve said you’d be the one sleeping outside” he mutters.

Gran’s grin turns into a thin line.

“So, Nate,” Gramps drew out. “How are the Bobcats looking this season?”

Nate’s eyes go wide, his gaze flicking back and forth between the two before swallowing. “Uh, good. We’re looking good. We lost a few of our starters last year when they graduated, but some of the freshman that came in are top shit.”

“Nathan,” Mom warns.

My lips tighten to suppress the laugh trying to bubble its way out.

Watching Nate get scolded by Mom for cursing never got old.

“They’re good.
Real
good. Coach is still testing things, but we should have no problems come February.”

“Good to hear. You’ll have to let us know dates so we can make it up for some games.”

Nate nods around a mouthful of food.

“You can see all of Nate’s groupies while you’re there,” Robby chuckles.

Nate throws him a glare.

“Groupies?” Gran asks.

Robby nods, almost somberly. “Groupies. Bat babes. All the girls that follow Nate around and try to catch his eye. They overheard him introducing me as his brother and Maddy had to scare a few away because they started getting too close. Didn’t you, honey?”

Maddy rolls her eyes. “It was pretty sad, actually.”

Nate turns his eyes Maddy’s way. “You’re not helping.”

She just shrugs and shoves a spoonful of sweet potato casserole, deviled egg, and olives in her mouth.

My eyes widen as I try not to gag.

“Nathan Scott, you better not let any of those little girls get you in trouble,” Gran warns with squinted eyes.

Nate blanches as he turns pleading eyes my way.

“Gran, it’s really not all that bad. Some of them want more. A few of them even asked me what his favorite dessert was, how easy it was to make, and if it was sticky,” I say, a grin tilting my lips as Nate throws a glare at me.

“Why would they need to know if it was sticky?” she asks, perplexed.

“Anna,” Nate grinds out.

“Oh, no,” Payton mutters.

“Oh, yes,” Mia says gleefully.

“Sweetheart,” Jake whispers, his lips against my ear.

I turn my head his way and see the amusement, but also his attempt at being serious.

“It’ll be funny,” I reason, low enough for only him to hear.

“Until he decides it’s time for payback.”

My face scrunches up.

Nate was notorious for payback, never missing the chance to give it even if the original infraction wasn’t worth the hassle he went through to dish it out.

I’d told Jake about the time I accidentally knocked Nate down into the mud when we were younger. Nate had waited three months before rigging up a bucket of mud and dumping it over my head, and the new dress I’d just gotten.

I turn my head back to Gran.

“Just to see if they needed to wear an apron while making it.”

Nate blows out a breath, Mia frowns, and Robby spit out his drink while everyone else chuckles.

“For Pete’s sake, Robby,” Mom grouses, wiping the spit drink off her arm while glaring at a laughing Dad.

Robby coughs and wipes his mouth before muttering an apology.

“So, Pay, any thoughts of what you’re gonna major in at Brafton?” Gramps asks, changing the subject.

Payton blushes at the attention shift to her but shrugs her shoulders.

“There are so many things out there, I’m not sure.”

“Whatever it is, our Payday will excel,” Uncle Eric throws in with a big smile aimed Payton’s way.

She returns his smile with one of her own but I’m surprised to see it's a strained one.

Before I can even attempt to catch her eye, a clinking sound draws my attention.

“A toast,” Dad announces, his voice raising to be heard over the chaos while he lifts his glass into the air before everyone quiets it and follows suit. “To our family. Those that we were born with, those that aren’t here with us, those that we chose to have with us, and those we tried to lose in the mall a few times but they somehow always found their way back,” he jokes, pausing to let the chuckles pass. His eyes swing around the room taking everyone in. “I couldn’t have picked a better group of people to have in my life. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.”

“Happy Thanksgiving,” is echoed in return.

I watch the smiles and kisses around the table before Jake’s hand turns my head towards him.

He clinks our glasses together, lays a soft kiss on my lips, and whispers, “Happy Thanksgiving, Anna.”

I smile.

“Happy Thanksgiving, Jake.”

*              *              *

I’m gonna to puke.

We’d just left my parents place and were on our way to celebrate with Jake’s family, and I was going to puke.

My stomach churning with nerves. Though, it could have been that second scoop of ice cream I had with my pie (homemade vanilla is hard to pass up).

“Annie, relax,” Jake says, the laughter in his voice making my eyes go squinty.

“You know just because you tell me to relax, doesn’t mean I’m going to automatically relax. It doesn’t work like that,” I say a little snippy as I look out the window.

I can’t help it.

I’m nervous as shit.

I can’t decide if I need to puke, if I want him to pull over so I can puke, or if I want him to turn back around and leave me at my parents. Or, all of the above, and not necessarily in that order.

“Why are you so worried? Gail loved you. Hell, even Jo loved you and she’s tough as goddamn nails. Scares the shit out of most of the men that walk in SoVin.”

Confusion covers my face. “What? No she’s not.”

Joanna was sweet as pie, caring, and hilarious. What she isn’t is scary.

“Life Jo led, she’s had to be. Don’t know much, just know a few men didn’t do right by her in any sense a man can’t do right by a woman and it’s colored her views. She puts up a front for tips but don’t let it fool you. The second a man steps out of line, Jo doesn’t take it. She handles that shit.”

My stomach twists at his words.

I was all too aware of the way a man could do a woman wrong. It sucked Jo had to go through that, any form of it.

“Her daughter isn’t as jaded as her. At least, she wasn’t the last time I saw her. Jo’s good at hiding that shit from her girl, trying to make the best life possible for her. Bottom line, all the women in my life know when they see another good woman and they all saw that in you. You’ve got nothing to be nervous about, sweetheart,” he finishes, slipping his fingers through mine to bring my hand up for a kiss.

My like and admiration for the woman only grows with the words he has for her.

A woman that holds no blood relation, but is obviously family to him.

“I’m just worried they’ll be upset because I dragged you away from dinner,” I mutter lamely.

It was bad luck that his aunt and my mom had dinner within an hour of each other. I told him I had no problem with him coming over after (though a big part of me would’ve been sad not to spend the holiday with him) but he wouldn’t hear of it. He told me in his bossy way that he was, “spending Thanksgiving with his woman and her family and that we’d hit up his aunts for dessert because she made fucking delicious lemon meringue pie”. I didn’t have the opportunity to argue since he’d kissed me into a stupor, and after that I had
no
issue with his plans.

His snort brought me out of my thoughts.

“What?”

“Gail was over the fucking moon when she heard the news. She’s a worrier, and she was worried I’d never find a girl to take me home,” he says with a smirk and I can't help my eye roll.

I’m just so sure Jake never had a girl ask him home.

More like every girl asked him home, whether it was for Thanksgiving or Pop-tarts.

“Anna,” he calls, waiting for me to turn my attention back to him. “It’s fine. They’ve met you, they liked you, they promised retribution if I fucked things up. It’s gonna be okay.”

I feel the tension in my body start to ease at the sincerity in his voice.

Nodding, I give in.

“Okay.”

While the urge to puke has passed, I’m still nervous. The meeting at the restaurant was quick and both women were busy, but that won’t be the case this time.

When Jake makes the turn for Old-Town—the older district of town that had been revamped to draw in the younger crowd—I cross my fingers. He told me once he’d been able to take over payments with the house, Gail was ecstatic to find a place there. Had I not met Gail before, I would’ve thought this was not the area for Jake’s aunt, but since I had met her, I had no trouble picturing her there. And when he pulls into the parking lot of some renovated warehouses, it only confirms what I was thinking.

He throws the truck into park and we both swing out before he directs me towards the building that’s slightly more isolated than the rest. If it wasn’t for Grace’s place, I would’ve sensed a theme with the Taylor family and space.

We barely make it to the walk before I hear a noise that’s only slightly better than nails on a chalkboard.

My shoulders shoot to my ears as I look towards the sound. Grace’s rolling the door open, barely making it out of the way before Gail comes barreling out.

“Get your hind quarters in here quick. Jo’s getting crabby for pie and she’s threatening bodily harm with a cleaver if you don’t hurry up,” she informs us, her face a mixture of amusement and fear.

I’m guessing somewhere along the line Jo had to prove a threat wasn’t just a threat and Gail was there to witness it.

Duly noted.

Jake just lets out a chuckle and slides his arm along my shoulders.

“I’m sorry we didn’t bring anything,” throwing a look Jake’s way, “but
somebody
said no, and when I didn’t listen he brought my brothers into play,” I semi-tattle, remembering how I’d thrown together a platter of anything I could find in a tizzy, only to be told by Jake that it was unnecessary.

When I disagreed, he pulled it from my hands, set it on the counter, and proceeded to guide me out. Unfortunately for him, I already had my coat on so while he went for his I made the mad dash back to the kitchen. When I walked out Nate quickly slid the dish from my hands while Robby shoved me back into Jake’s arms and out the door. I turned back and both of them were in the doorway eating from the platter with huge grins on their faces. I could do nothing but glare at all three of the men.

Jake for making me look like a bad guest, and my brothers for taking his side.

With a final glare, I turned back and stomped to the car where I proceeded to fret until Jake calmed me down.

Gail gives me a beaming smile, the fear leaving her face.

“Don’t worry about it, honey. We’ve got plenty of food and I told Jake you two didn’t need to bring anything so that may be my fault,” she says, her smile turning a little sheepish and I can’t but help smile back at her look.

Jake’s arm leaves my shoulders as he ushers me up the steps first, only to find a pair of arms thrown around me the second I hit the top. My own fly out to the banister to steady myself, but Jake’s hands are already on my hips.

“Jesus, Cece,” he mutters.

I barely have time to return the hug before I find myself being handed off to Gail. Since I knew what was coming this time I’m able to return the, albeit unexpected, hug.

“Good to see you again,” she murmurs, her words and face telling me she means it, and I feel myself relax further.

“You too, Gail.”

“If you don’t get your asses in here, I’m dumping this lemon meringue on the ground and y’all can lick it up if you want any,” is shouted from inside the warehouse.

Everyone around me lets out a laugh as we all meander inside with Grace shutting the door. Even expecting it, I can’t stop my shoulders from shooting up.

Gail’s laugh has my attention turning to her.

“Sorry about that. I love this place, but that door was God-awful when I first moved here. I tried oiling the hinges, greasing the wheels, even replacing a few parts, but nothing worked. Now I don’t even notice it, and I’m not sure that’s a good thing,” she says on a shrug.