Read Online JAXON (The Caine Brothers Book 4) by Margaret Madigan - Free Book Online
Authors: Margaret Madigan
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strawberries.
“They’ll make someone some fabulous strawberry shortcake, I’m sure,” Doris said. Glancing behind Lily to Jaxon, she said. “What else have you got for us today?”
Lily turned to Jaxon and pulled a squash and zucchini from the box he carried. “Squashes. I’m drowning in squash and zucchini. I always overplant and end up with more than anyone can eat.”
Doris laughed. “I’m sure we’ll find homes for all of it. Thank you again. We get a lot of canned and processed foods, but sometimes it’s hard to come by fresh produce.”
“Well, I could never eat all this even if I canned or froze it. I’m just glad someone will get to use it.”
While Lily and Doris chatted, Jaxon wandered to the door between the storeroom and the front of the food bank. He’d never been to a food bank, so had no idea what to expect. In the front of the store, he roamed the aisles. The huge space surprised him. Thousands of cans and boxes filled the shelves, and a long row of produce and day-old bread ran down the middle of the store. The number of people shopping there surprised him even more. How could that many people need to shop at a food bank?
Lily caught up with him. “Ready to go?” she asked.
“This place is big. And busy.”
“It is.”
“You donate a lot here?”
“I do. And if I don’t have enough produce to give, I try to spend some time helping out.”
“They’re lucky to have you.” He meant it. If people like Lily didn’t exist—and he assumed most of the food and labor for the place had been donated—where would the people shopping there get their food?
She smiled and slipped her hand into his, surprising him how intimate the gesture felt. “Let’s go.”
After they left the food bank, they drove across town to Houston Fresh. It radiated charm and cheer. Outside, a hand-lettered blackboard sign announced the daily specials, and bright distressed yellow tables and chairs offered outdoor seating set amongst a jungle of potted flowers. Inside, white walls and a high white ceiling, vintage mirrors, and lots of natural light brightened the modest space, causing it to seem bigger. Wood floors, vintage hanging lights, and a variety of mismatched tables and chairs added to the quirky charm of the place. The rich, savory smells coming from the kitchen made Jaxon’s stomach rumble.
“Whatever’s cooking back there smells incredible,” Jaxon said.
Lily grabbed his hand—again—and dragged him through the crowded dining room. He wondered if she held his hand purposely, or if it was a subconscious gesture. Either way, he liked it.
“Let’s go say hi to Summer before we find a seat,” Lily said. “She’ll never forgive me if I don’t.”
He followed along behind, the warmth of her hand in his anchoring them to each other.
In the kitchen—a room more efficient but no less quirky than the dining room—Summer stood behind a big, old industrial cooktop, working like a maestro conducting an orchestra. She barked orders to the sous chef and other kitchen staff who scurried around to do her bidding.
“Hey, Summer,” Lily said.
Jaxon wouldn’t have waded into the middle of that storm as calmly as Lily had. Summer glanced over her shoulder, and when she saw Lily and Jaxon she did a double-take with a giant grin on her face.
“You take my advice, Lil?” she asked, turning to plate a huge, mouthwatering rustic grilled sandwich.
“None of your business,” Lily said, dropping Jaxon’s hand too late for Summer to miss it. Something about Lily being flustered buoyed his spirit.
“If you say so,” Summer said, humor still dancing in her eyes. “Are you here for lunch?”
“Yes,” Lily said.
“Okay, go find a seat and I’ll make something for you. How much time do you have?”
Lily pulled out her phone and checked the time. “Not a ton. I have to be at the community garden for a presentation in a little over an hour.”
“No problem,” Summer said. “Go
“They’ll make someone some fabulous strawberry shortcake, I’m sure,” Doris said. Glancing behind Lily to Jaxon, she said. “What else have you got for us today?”
Lily turned to Jaxon and pulled a squash and zucchini from the box he carried. “Squashes. I’m drowning in squash and zucchini. I always overplant and end up with more than anyone can eat.”
Doris laughed. “I’m sure we’ll find homes for all of it. Thank you again. We get a lot of canned and processed foods, but sometimes it’s hard to come by fresh produce.”
“Well, I could never eat all this even if I canned or froze it. I’m just glad someone will get to use it.”
While Lily and Doris chatted, Jaxon wandered to the door between the storeroom and the front of the food bank. He’d never been to a food bank, so had no idea what to expect. In the front of the store, he roamed the aisles. The huge space surprised him. Thousands of cans and boxes filled the shelves, and a long row of produce and day-old bread ran down the middle of the store. The number of people shopping there surprised him even more. How could that many people need to shop at a food bank?
Lily caught up with him. “Ready to go?” she asked.
“This place is big. And busy.”
“It is.”
“You donate a lot here?”
“I do. And if I don’t have enough produce to give, I try to spend some time helping out.”
“They’re lucky to have you.” He meant it. If people like Lily didn’t exist—and he assumed most of the food and labor for the place had been donated—where would the people shopping there get their food?
She smiled and slipped her hand into his, surprising him how intimate the gesture felt. “Let’s go.”
After they left the food bank, they drove across town to Houston Fresh. It radiated charm and cheer. Outside, a hand-lettered blackboard sign announced the daily specials, and bright distressed yellow tables and chairs offered outdoor seating set amongst a jungle of potted flowers. Inside, white walls and a high white ceiling, vintage mirrors, and lots of natural light brightened the modest space, causing it to seem bigger. Wood floors, vintage hanging lights, and a variety of mismatched tables and chairs added to the quirky charm of the place. The rich, savory smells coming from the kitchen made Jaxon’s stomach rumble.
“Whatever’s cooking back there smells incredible,” Jaxon said.
Lily grabbed his hand—again—and dragged him through the crowded dining room. He wondered if she held his hand purposely, or if it was a subconscious gesture. Either way, he liked it.
“Let’s go say hi to Summer before we find a seat,” Lily said. “She’ll never forgive me if I don’t.”
He followed along behind, the warmth of her hand in his anchoring them to each other.
In the kitchen—a room more efficient but no less quirky than the dining room—Summer stood behind a big, old industrial cooktop, working like a maestro conducting an orchestra. She barked orders to the sous chef and other kitchen staff who scurried around to do her bidding.
“Hey, Summer,” Lily said.
Jaxon wouldn’t have waded into the middle of that storm as calmly as Lily had. Summer glanced over her shoulder, and when she saw Lily and Jaxon she did a double-take with a giant grin on her face.
“You take my advice, Lil?” she asked, turning to plate a huge, mouthwatering rustic grilled sandwich.
“None of your business,” Lily said, dropping Jaxon’s hand too late for Summer to miss it. Something about Lily being flustered buoyed his spirit.
“If you say so,” Summer said, humor still dancing in her eyes. “Are you here for lunch?”
“Yes,” Lily said.
“Okay, go find a seat and I’ll make something for you. How much time do you have?”
Lily pulled out her phone and checked the time. “Not a ton. I have to be at the community garden for a presentation in a little over an hour.”
“No problem,” Summer said. “Go
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