right now?” I tapped the seat next to me and gritted my teeth as he took one infuriating step after another. “No? Okay, so when you’re done being a jerk and can forgive my inarticulate way of being agreeable, give me a call!”
I heard laughter beside me and jerked my head in the direction of the farmers who were sitting at the field’s edge eating their breakfast. Humiliated again, I narrowed my eyes at Jack as he remained steadfast and ignored me. Furious at this point, I floored the cart and sped up to him as he neared the halfway mark to the center. No longer willing to be cast aside, and with my dignity hanging by a thread, I ran him off the sidewalk and knocked him sideways on his ass. Completely unconcerned with his wellbeing, I jumped off the cart and stood in front of him as he looked up at me, amused and chuckling.
“I’m trying here, Jack! What do you want me to say?!”
Jack grabbed a hand off my hip and jerked me down into his lap, much the same way he did the day I met him. His lips claimed my parted ones, and he kissed me hard and thoroughly. I gripped him tight to me and kissed him back with everything in me. He pulled away with my favorite smile, and I returned it.
“Honestly, baby, I just want you to shut the hell up at this point. I think you’ve said enough.” He shoved me off of his lap, and I landed on my ass with a thud. Indignant and still itching for a fight, I stood to watch him approach my cart and climb into the driver’s side. Fully expecting to join him, I stood open mouthed when he began to drive away in the direction of the clinic.
“Hey,” I protested.
“Time out, Rose.”
“You ass!”
“Get some new material!” I could hear his smile as I all but growled behind him, coming up with plenty of fresh material.
I looked to the sky as more hysterical laughter bellowed out behind me. I raised my hand and gave the one finger salute as I watched Jack drive off. Shoulders slumped, I turned to face my audience and glared in their direction, daring them to say a word. When nothing came, I stomped my way back home then broke down in a ball of laughter in the shower.
That night after my shift, I was disheartened to see Jack’s bike gone. I was a twenty-eight-year-old woman in a time out.
The next day, I decided to test out the waters with Jack by bringing catered lunch to the crew. Jack had a right to be pissed off, but at some point, we had to make peace. I’d done nothing but battle guilt and fantasize about him. I owed him an apology, but more than that, I’d screwed up the first real chance I’d had at making progress in a new relationship.
I brought the sandwiches through the double doors, unable to keep from scanning the lobby for any sign of him. My eyes found him on a ladder in the midst of mounting one of two huge healing poles he’d crafted by hand by mimicking a design he’d seen in Africa. I admired his stunning work as I spread out the food on a long plastic table and waited for any one of the workers to acknowledge me. After several minutes, and my nerves fraying at the ends, I put my finger and thumb to my mouth and with a loud whistle made damn sure everyone heard it. Seeing a few of the workers make their way over, I made a beeline for the break room to grab the cooler full of drinks.
With a deep breath, I reemerged to a table full of the hungry crew, who thanked me through mouthfuls of food and eager sips of cold beverages. Jack stayed planted on his ladder, his ear buds in and his attention far from reach. I admired his immaculate body as he worked diligently on his task. He was in his usual jeans and black work boots but had decided to forgo his t-shirt for a black wife beater. He was pure strength and masculinity, and I had to bite my lip hard to stifle the moan trying to escape my throat.
His arms flexed with every strike of his hammer. I took in the broad shoulders I’d had my hands on just days before that led down to a perfectly trim waist.