surprise! It’s so nice to meet you,” said Katie as she moved forward to shake hands with Betty Jackson and was enveloped in a soft, cinnamon-scented hug instead.
The younger man stepped forward and put his hand out to Katie. “I’m Luke, Blake’s older and much wiser brother. He must have forgotten his manners.” Luke smiled at Katie with a twinkle in his blue eyes as his warm hand held hers.
“It’s so nice to meet you,” said Katie, trying to recover from her shock.
“Honey, Blake told us you were pretty. He didn’t tell us you were gorgeous! Y’all sit down and we’ll get some supper,” insisted Betty as she led the group back to the family’s table.
Katie struggled to regain her composure as she sat at the table with Blake’s family. Meeting the parents was such a big step, something she didn’t realize that they were ready for. Now that it was happening, it felt right. Katie and Blake had known each other such a short time, but they didn’t have a lot of time to waste when it came down to it. In a couple of weeks they would go their separate ways, Katie back home to Orange Blossom, Blake on to the rest of the tour. It seemed a little soon to meet the family, but why not? With such a short time left together, why not indulge the fantasy? Why not suspend reality a bit and forget about the deadline looming ahead?
Blake rubbed Katie’s thigh under the table and leaned close to whisper to her, “Sorry about the ambush, sweetheart. I think they really like you though.” Any irritation she might have felt about the surprise melted away at his touch.
Katie gazed into Blake’s eyes. “This is quite a surprise, but it’s nice.”
“You two must be starving. What do they feed you on this tour? Let’s get some supper.” Betty motioned for a waitress. Katie was charmed by Betty’s motherly concern with the care and feeding of one of the country’s biggest stars.
“Katie, you gotta try the pot roast. They use Betty’s mama’s recipe, and it is delicious. You’re not a vegetarian or anything, are you? Blake told me you were from Texas.” Roy leaned over and smiled at Katie as he spoke, blue eyes dancing. Those Jackson boys and their blue eyes, thought Katie.
“No, sir, I’m not a vegetarian. I’d love to try the pot roast, but how do they have Betty’s mom’s recipe?” Katie asked.
Luke laughed. “They’ve got all of her best recipes, and most of Mom’s, too. This is my parents’ restaurant,” he explained as he gestured to Betty and Roy. “Yes, it’s sad but true. Blake Jackson’s parents still have to work.” A joking smile played on his lips.
“Katie, don’t listen to him. I always wanted to run a restaurant, but of course in the early days we could never afford to open our own place. Blake was kind enough to put up the money for this joint a couple of years ago and we’ve been happily running it ever since.” Betty gave Blake a fond look.
“Oh, you own this place? How cool is that?” Katie loved that Blake had bought his parents a restaurant. They didn’t seem old enough to retire, didn’t really seem the type to want to live off of their famous son, and they were certainly at home in this restaurant of their own.
“It’s pretty cool, Katie. Any time I can get away for lunch, I can come in and get a free meal,” Luke chimed in.
Blake took Katie’s hand and explained, “My folks wanted Luke to wait tables or tend bar here, but he was too busy going to medical school. Now he’s a big-time doctor here in town, and too busy running a charitable foundation and his own practice. They make sure kids in the more rural areas of Tennessee have access to vaccinations and routine health screenings. They go out, set up clinics, and make sure parents know what’s available. Sometimes he gets so busy that he forgets to eat lunch. Mom only feeds him here so he won’t waste away.”
Luke laughed and turned to Katie, “It’s true, I’m a big-time doctor. I’m also
The younger man stepped forward and put his hand out to Katie. “I’m Luke, Blake’s older and much wiser brother. He must have forgotten his manners.” Luke smiled at Katie with a twinkle in his blue eyes as his warm hand held hers.
“It’s so nice to meet you,” said Katie, trying to recover from her shock.
“Honey, Blake told us you were pretty. He didn’t tell us you were gorgeous! Y’all sit down and we’ll get some supper,” insisted Betty as she led the group back to the family’s table.
Katie struggled to regain her composure as she sat at the table with Blake’s family. Meeting the parents was such a big step, something she didn’t realize that they were ready for. Now that it was happening, it felt right. Katie and Blake had known each other such a short time, but they didn’t have a lot of time to waste when it came down to it. In a couple of weeks they would go their separate ways, Katie back home to Orange Blossom, Blake on to the rest of the tour. It seemed a little soon to meet the family, but why not? With such a short time left together, why not indulge the fantasy? Why not suspend reality a bit and forget about the deadline looming ahead?
Blake rubbed Katie’s thigh under the table and leaned close to whisper to her, “Sorry about the ambush, sweetheart. I think they really like you though.” Any irritation she might have felt about the surprise melted away at his touch.
Katie gazed into Blake’s eyes. “This is quite a surprise, but it’s nice.”
“You two must be starving. What do they feed you on this tour? Let’s get some supper.” Betty motioned for a waitress. Katie was charmed by Betty’s motherly concern with the care and feeding of one of the country’s biggest stars.
“Katie, you gotta try the pot roast. They use Betty’s mama’s recipe, and it is delicious. You’re not a vegetarian or anything, are you? Blake told me you were from Texas.” Roy leaned over and smiled at Katie as he spoke, blue eyes dancing. Those Jackson boys and their blue eyes, thought Katie.
“No, sir, I’m not a vegetarian. I’d love to try the pot roast, but how do they have Betty’s mom’s recipe?” Katie asked.
Luke laughed. “They’ve got all of her best recipes, and most of Mom’s, too. This is my parents’ restaurant,” he explained as he gestured to Betty and Roy. “Yes, it’s sad but true. Blake Jackson’s parents still have to work.” A joking smile played on his lips.
“Katie, don’t listen to him. I always wanted to run a restaurant, but of course in the early days we could never afford to open our own place. Blake was kind enough to put up the money for this joint a couple of years ago and we’ve been happily running it ever since.” Betty gave Blake a fond look.
“Oh, you own this place? How cool is that?” Katie loved that Blake had bought his parents a restaurant. They didn’t seem old enough to retire, didn’t really seem the type to want to live off of their famous son, and they were certainly at home in this restaurant of their own.
“It’s pretty cool, Katie. Any time I can get away for lunch, I can come in and get a free meal,” Luke chimed in.
Blake took Katie’s hand and explained, “My folks wanted Luke to wait tables or tend bar here, but he was too busy going to medical school. Now he’s a big-time doctor here in town, and too busy running a charitable foundation and his own practice. They make sure kids in the more rural areas of Tennessee have access to vaccinations and routine health screenings. They go out, set up clinics, and make sure parents know what’s available. Sometimes he gets so busy that he forgets to eat lunch. Mom only feeds him here so he won’t waste away.”
Luke laughed and turned to Katie, “It’s true, I’m a big-time doctor. I’m also
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