him a warning twist of pain. He took a chair at the end of the table, next to Oliver and across from Erica.
“What’s wrong, Jake? You look sick.” Erica poured him a glass of iced water from the pitcher. “You feeling okay?”
He gulped the water and poured another, feeling better as he hydrated more. He debated telling them what happened, then decided against it. Hopefully Shea was busy doing whatever he had to do on the ranch, and Jake wouldn’t see him much.
“Yeah. I’m fine. Just had a rough plane ride and a late night. I’ll be okay.”
The swinging doors opened, and Patty, along with two other men, came in, holding platters of pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage, and bacon. Baskets of rolls and butter crocks already sat on the table, along with a tray of delicious-looking pastries. They started at his end.
“We have turkey bacon, pork, as well as chicken sausages.” Her eyes twinkled. “Last time we had a group from New York, we learned some things. If you need anything, please ask me, or Craig or Johnny here. Oh, and we have coffee brewing. Just getting it poured into carafes for y’all.”
“Thank you,” Jake murmured to her when she handed him the platter of breakfast meats. He handed it right over to Oliver. “Is it possible to get any fruit?”
Her sharp eyes gave him the once-over. “Of course. I’ll get a plate made up for you special.” She directed the two men. “Boys, set them platters down and see what’s takin’ so long with the coffee while I make this gentleman up some fruit.”
“I appreciate it. I hope it isn’t too much trouble.”
“Aren’t you the darlin’ to worry. Of course it isn’t. No trouble at all.”
“Excuse me, do you have any oat milk?” Lucy McBride’s husky voice rose above the others. “I’m lactose intolerant. Is there milk in the pancakes or the eggs?”
“Oh, for God’s sake,” Erica muttered, and Jake rolled his eyes.
“Always one in every bunch.”
He glanced over his shoulder into the laughing eyes of one of the waiters. He hoped they didn’t paint them all with the same brush and think the whole group was going to be a pain in the ass like Lucy always was.
Then Jake suddenly had bigger problems than Obnoxious Lucy—the carafes of coffee arrived, carried by none other than the very gorgeous cowboy, Shea. Jake quickly glanced away and gulped another glass of water. Of course he swallowed it too fast, sending it down the wrong way, and he started to choke and cough, drawing the attention of the entire room.
“Damn, you okay?” Oliver patted him on the back, and he wheezed and kept coughing, unable to answer, but he nodded.
“Jake, take it easy. Don’t fight it,” Shea’s deep, warm voice rumbled from behind him, and he took over, patting Jake between the shoulder blades until he could draw in one breath, then another.
“I’m fine, I’m fine.” He cleared his throat and mustered a smile, but he was slipping in the faking-it department because he could see the doubt in Shea’s impossibly blue eyes.
“Are you? Even after last night? You didn’t wake up with a headache or a hangover? Nothin’?” His generous mouth curved up in a smile, and Jake found himself breathless again, for an entirely different reason. And maybe Shea didn’t realize his hand rested on Jake, but Jake sure as hell did.
Openmouthed, Erica stared at him from across the table, but it was Oliver who spoke first. “Wait, I know you from somewhere, don’t I? You look so familiar.”
“You might. I do some modelin’ aside from working here.” Shea rattled off the designers he’d modeled for, and the list was even more extensive than Jake had known.
“Of course, now I see it. That’s awesome.” Oliver stuck out his hand. “I own some of the stuff you’ve modeled.” He and Shea shook.
“TMI, Ollie,” Jake growled. “No one needs to think about you in your underwear.”
“I’m Erica, by the way.” She waved across the table to Shea. “Another friend of Jake’s. How do you two know each other?” She quirked a finely shaped brow.
“I checked him in last night when he arrived.” Shea removed his hand, and Jake breathed a sigh of relief.
“Why would you have a hangover? I don’t understand.” Erica was always good at ferreting out information.
Patty returned with a plate filled with watermelon, grapes, blackberries, and cantaloupe. “Here you go. I hope you enjoy. Shea, can I talk to you a sec?”