Page 79 of Jameson’s Salvation

“I should’ve handled it better. Been gentle.”

“I wouldn’t have listened to gentle. You saved my life that night and let’s leave it at that. You did what I needed you do to—you were the no-bullshit man your father taught you to be. And thank God for that or I wouldn’t be standing here right now.”

Nixon nodded and deep lines formed on his forehead. “I’m proud of you, Kennedy. You’re a damn good woman, and don’t you ever forget it.”

“I am,” I agreed. “But it’s because of my dad and yours and you. Strong men, who taught me to value myself. And don’t you ever forget that.”

“I may’ve forgotten to include bossy.” He smiled.

“You ain’t seen bossy yet, friend. Now get your ass in gear and help me grease the PTO so I can get to work.”

Nixon smiled, shook his head at my ridiculousness, and laughed so hard it filled the barn.

“Jameson is one lucky bastard,” Nix said through his hilarity.

Nixon’s approval meant the world to me, though I knew I was the one who was lucky to find a man like Jameson.

25

Jameson

Jameson had found that Holden and Weston had been correct, he needed to double-up on his workouts if Lola and Janice were going to be around. The women pushed food like a dealer on a street corner.

“A good Southern woman never allows her guests to leave hungry,” Lola announced when Nixon had declined a third helping of potato salad.

Which incidentally was the best thing Jameson had ever eaten and he would be begging Kennedy to make it again for him in the near future.

“Ma! For the five hundredth time, you were not born in the South.”

“So? You don’t have to be born in the South to be Southern,” Lola bristled.

“Yeah, ya do. That’s what being Southern means.”

“Being Southern is not a location, it’s a mindset.”

Everyone in the room except Kennedy chuckled at Lola’s declaration.

“Jesus,” Kennedy muttered.

“Don’t use the Lord’s name in vain.”

“I wasn’t. I was looking for deliverance.”

“Such a dramatic child,” Lola returned.

Jameson was enjoying the banter between mother and daughter. He’d never experienced a close bond between child and parent. His relationship with his mother had been very different. They were more of a team, working together to get through life. Never really stopping to enjoy it. And there was no funny back-and-forth. His mother had always been too tired.

A familiar hatred filled him as he thought about what his father had taken from him. Could this have been his life? A loving and fun relationship with his mom? How different would she have been if she wasn’t working herself half to death? Would she have smiled and teased him? Would she have tucked him in and told him stories? Goddamn, he hated his father.

Kennedy’s hand on his thigh pulled his attention to her and she smiled.

Immediately the knot in his gut unraveled. That was all it’d taken—one smile from Kennedy and she could ease the pain and fill him with her shine.

Unbelievable.

Nixon pulled his buzzing phone from his pocket and frowned. “Excuse me, this is Jonny. I have to take it.”

Nix got up from the table and walked out the back door. Jameson watched as his friend’s body went stiff and one hand went to the back of his neck. Something was wrong.