Read Online JAXON (The Caine Brothers Book 4) by Margaret Madigan - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Margaret Madigan
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sit.”
Jaxon followed Lily out to the dining room, where she selected a table near a window that looked out onto an alley patio full of tables and potted flowers.
She fidgeted in her seat, rearranged the silverware and napkins, straightened the salt and pepper shakers, fluffed the flowers in the little vase.
“You’re nervous,” Jaxon said. He tried not to sound sarcastic in his understatement, but it was hard.
“You might find this surprising, but I’m not fond of public speaking.”
“You mean your presentation this afternoon? What’s it about again?”
“Organic pest control,” she said.
“And you know what you’re talking about, right?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“I’m sure you’re an expert,” he said. “So, just talk to them like you’d talk to one person. Pretend someone asked you about the subject, and just chat about it. The trick to public anything is to own it. You know your stuff so just go in there, turn on the charm, make it about helping them. That’s what you do. What you’re good at.”
Her cheeks flushed with pleasure, and it gave him a warm feeling of satisfaction to encourage her.
Summer showed up at their table with two big plates, placing one in front of each of them.
“Simple and fast,” she said. “And one of my specialties. Bon appetit.”
Each plate contained a grilled cheese sandwich with thick slices of tomato and onion, and crispy lettuce on hearty homemade bread, and a pile of homemade fries. He squished the sandwich down a bit, then took a big bite. He groaned as he ate it.
“Good, isn’t it?” Lily asked.
“Oh my God. I’ve never eaten anything this good.”
Summer nodded her satisfaction, then said, “I have to get back to work, but you kids have fun, now.”
“Thanks, Summer,” Lily said. Summer winked at her, then turned and headed back to the kitchen.
“How does she grill it and keep the lettuce crisp?” Jaxon asked.
“Magic.”
“I’m in love. Seriously. I don’t want this sandwich to ever end.”
Lily giggled, a sweet funny sound he wanted to hear more of. “If you keep helping out, I can guarantee continued payment in food,” she said.
“Count me in,” he said. “I’ll do anything you ask as long as Summer keeps feeding me.”
A little bit of sexy seeped into her smile before she turned her attention back to her plate. “I’ll remember that,” she said.
He wondered what she was thinking. Did it involve more time in bed? He liked the idea, but he wanted to get through at least one night celibate on this retreat. It didn’t sound like much of an accomplishment, but at the rate Lily captivated him, it might turn out to be.
“So how did you and Summer meet?” Jaxon asked.
“We’ve been friends since high school. We had big plans to join the Peace Corps and go off to save the world.” Lily smiled. The memory obviously made her happy.
“But you didn’t, I take it? Join Peace Corps, not save the world.”
“We didn’t. We did some traveling together after high school—took that year off—then I went to college and she went to culinary school.”
“Now you just save your own corner of the world?” he asked.
She shrugged. “We do our best. If you’re interested, tomorrow is meal delivery day. Summer donates meals to people who are shut in and can’t get out for food. I volunteer a couple of days a week to deliver.”
“How can she afford to do that? The restaurant business isn’t that profitable, is it?”
Lily said, “Houston Fresh is doing really well. She takes tax deductions for the food as charitable donation, but even if she couldn’t do that she’d probably still give the meals away. She and her mom were homeless for a couple of years when she was young and depended on people to help them out. It’s important to her to return the favor however she can.”
“Makes sense.” Jaxon tried to remember any time as a kid that his dad had helped anyone other than himself. He couldn’t think of
Jaxon followed Lily out to the dining room, where she selected a table near a window that looked out onto an alley patio full of tables and potted flowers.
She fidgeted in her seat, rearranged the silverware and napkins, straightened the salt and pepper shakers, fluffed the flowers in the little vase.
“You’re nervous,” Jaxon said. He tried not to sound sarcastic in his understatement, but it was hard.
“You might find this surprising, but I’m not fond of public speaking.”
“You mean your presentation this afternoon? What’s it about again?”
“Organic pest control,” she said.
“And you know what you’re talking about, right?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“I’m sure you’re an expert,” he said. “So, just talk to them like you’d talk to one person. Pretend someone asked you about the subject, and just chat about it. The trick to public anything is to own it. You know your stuff so just go in there, turn on the charm, make it about helping them. That’s what you do. What you’re good at.”
Her cheeks flushed with pleasure, and it gave him a warm feeling of satisfaction to encourage her.
Summer showed up at their table with two big plates, placing one in front of each of them.
“Simple and fast,” she said. “And one of my specialties. Bon appetit.”
Each plate contained a grilled cheese sandwich with thick slices of tomato and onion, and crispy lettuce on hearty homemade bread, and a pile of homemade fries. He squished the sandwich down a bit, then took a big bite. He groaned as he ate it.
“Good, isn’t it?” Lily asked.
“Oh my God. I’ve never eaten anything this good.”
Summer nodded her satisfaction, then said, “I have to get back to work, but you kids have fun, now.”
“Thanks, Summer,” Lily said. Summer winked at her, then turned and headed back to the kitchen.
“How does she grill it and keep the lettuce crisp?” Jaxon asked.
“Magic.”
“I’m in love. Seriously. I don’t want this sandwich to ever end.”
Lily giggled, a sweet funny sound he wanted to hear more of. “If you keep helping out, I can guarantee continued payment in food,” she said.
“Count me in,” he said. “I’ll do anything you ask as long as Summer keeps feeding me.”
A little bit of sexy seeped into her smile before she turned her attention back to her plate. “I’ll remember that,” she said.
He wondered what she was thinking. Did it involve more time in bed? He liked the idea, but he wanted to get through at least one night celibate on this retreat. It didn’t sound like much of an accomplishment, but at the rate Lily captivated him, it might turn out to be.
“So how did you and Summer meet?” Jaxon asked.
“We’ve been friends since high school. We had big plans to join the Peace Corps and go off to save the world.” Lily smiled. The memory obviously made her happy.
“But you didn’t, I take it? Join Peace Corps, not save the world.”
“We didn’t. We did some traveling together after high school—took that year off—then I went to college and she went to culinary school.”
“Now you just save your own corner of the world?” he asked.
She shrugged. “We do our best. If you’re interested, tomorrow is meal delivery day. Summer donates meals to people who are shut in and can’t get out for food. I volunteer a couple of days a week to deliver.”
“How can she afford to do that? The restaurant business isn’t that profitable, is it?”
Lily said, “Houston Fresh is doing really well. She takes tax deductions for the food as charitable donation, but even if she couldn’t do that she’d probably still give the meals away. She and her mom were homeless for a couple of years when she was young and depended on people to help them out. It’s important to her to return the favor however she can.”
“Makes sense.” Jaxon tried to remember any time as a kid that his dad had helped anyone other than himself. He couldn’t think of
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