Page 67 of Big Dill

An overwhelming sense of grief fills me with dread as I look at my brother. After all he’s done for me, is doing for me, how could I have slept with his best friend?

Again…

But this time knowing who he was and what damage it could do. Dammit.

“You okay?” he asks, his voice soft, eyes brimming with concern.

“Yeah, just…” I exhale, my body tired, and not just from my morning class. “Thank you.”

“Hey.” He crosses the room and puts his arms around me. “No need to thank me. It was always you and me against the world and that’s never going to change.”

“It’s more than that for you now, Jaxon.” My heart fills with warmth, happy he’s found his home, a place he truly belongs. Will that ever happen for me? I don’t know, but I sure wish Mom and Dad could see what he’s built here. They’d have to be proud, right? Or not.

He cocks his head. “Meaning?”

“What you built here.” I wave my hand around. “The community. Brody, his family.” God, just saying his name fills me with a kind of warmth I’m not familiar with.

“Yeah,” he says a small smile on his face. “This is all yours too, Jami.”

“I’m not… I’m only. Staying, until...”

“Until you get on your feet. I know.” He lightly nudges my chin. “I actually think you’re already falling in love with this place.”

I snort out a laugh. “A place where Mr. Cheeseman is worried about my toothbrush and monitors my cream intake. I personally like a little more privacy than that, bro.”

He laughs. “Is it that bad?”

“Dude, the entire town is conspiring to get me hitched.”

“Not the entire town,” he clarifies. “Just Brody’s family.”

“What about Brody’s family?”

Jaxon turns and I spot Brody in the doorway. My entire body heats, my limbs going weak as muscles that haven’t been used in a long time—or ever—remind me how amazing it was to be beneath him last night. Honestly, my skin still remembers his hands, his mouth, the way my name sounded on his tongue.

“Oh, just talking about this town,” Jaxon says, then turns back to me, a little more serious. “Brody told me you wanted to turn one of the rooms here into a daycare.”

My gaze meets Brody’s again as Jaxon goes and sits on one of the exercise balls.

“Yeah, we briefly talked about it last night. Do you think it’s a bad idea?” I ask as he bounces.

“No, actually. I think it’s a great idea. I just don’t want you overextending yourself, and…”

“And what?” I ask as he watches me carefully.

“And that it’s something you want to do, not something to…you know…”

Gain my parents’ approval. Yeah, I get it. They want me to put my childcare degree to good use. Think I’m wasting away my life if I don’t.

“It is something I want to do,” I assure him. “There is a need in this town.”

“I love how quickly you identified that,” Brody says, and there’s pride in his voice. It wraps around me, gives me a boost.

“Thank you.” I say and turn back to my brother.

Jaxon nods, content with my explanation. “We have a small budget. Let me know what you need and I’ll order it.” Before I can say anything he jumps to his feet. “Okay, I need a smoothie before I get back to spreadsheets. Anyone else?”

“I’m good,” I tell him.