The way Knox sighed made Jordan think he was actually considering giving Fiona his real name just to keep her from being intrigued.
But in the end, he just shook his head. “Email me a copy of the licensing paperwork for whatever you brought to town this time,” he said.
“You just like getting emails from me because of the hugs and kisses at the end right?” Fiona asked.
“Just email the paperwork.” He suddenly sounded tired.
Jordan took a drink of water to hide her smile behind her glass. Watching someone not only not be intimidated by Knox, but also wear him down, was something. She wasn’t exactly intimidated by the guy. She’d hung out with and partied with him in high school. He was a good guy, and even had a sense of humor under the gruff exterior. But he was definitely not the easy-going, playboy, party guy that most of the Landry boys were.
Knox turned, without a formal goodbye, and stalked out of the bar.
“Bye, Ferdinand!” Fiona called after him.
Charlie shook her head and laughed. “You really like messing with him, don’t you?”
“Oh yeah, he’s hot when he gets all grumpy and bossy.”
“Did Owen actually ask you for cussing parrots?” Charlie asked. “How did he even know you had them?”
“Owen asked for parrots,” Fiona said. “But I picked the cussing ones for Knox.”
Jordan finished her eggs and her second glass of water that Naomi had kept filled and had to admit she felt much better. Plus she was ready to see this petting zoo and meet the animals she was going to be interacting with.
She pushed back from the table and stood. “Okay, sloth time.”
Charlie nodded. “Finally.” She looked at Fiona. “We can take the new animals over and show Jordan around.”
“I want to come,” Naomi said. “I have a little time before I need to get back.”
Jordan took in the three women as they stood and gathered their things. She already adored and had great memories with Naomi and Charlie and was thrilled with the promise of future girls’ nights. Now it seemed that Fiona fit right in and she couldn’t wait to get to know her better.
She glanced around the bar. It was one of the most important places in her life. It was full, even now, of people she loved, and she knew that she could stop in here at any time on any day and find people who would support her, love her, and make her laugh.
And then there was her hot, charming, sweet, mixed-up husband.
“What’s that smile about?” Naomi asked her as she pushed her chair in and pulled the strap of her purse up onto her shoulder.
Jordan sighed. “I’m just so glad that Jason dumped me.”
Naomi laughed and gave her a side hug. “Me too, honey, me too.”
12
He couldn’t believe he’d fucked Jordan against the wall in his bedroom.
It was the thirty-seventh time he’d thought that since leaving his house that morning.
It was still true.
Their first time, their first time as husband and wife, had been a quickie against the wall? Really?
His phone dinged with a text and he reached for it, hoping it wasn’t Jordan.
Please don’t let her be sending me some sexy text or a naked picture or…
Zander: I hate you.
Fletcher grinned at the message. What’s wrong, little brother?
Zander: I got your new wife drunk for you so you didn’t have to work through your performance anxiety last night, and you didn’t even stop in to buy me breakfast? Dick move.
Fletcher frowned. But then blew out a breath. He wouldn’t have called it “performance anxiety”, but yeah, he’d had a little general anxiety about his first time with Jordan. He’d wanted it to be perfect. And yeah, Zeke had gotten into his head about all the stupid shit he and Jordan had done and been through and knew about one another and it had reminded him that he knew everything about her…except how to rock her world in the bedroom.
And he definitely wanted to rock her world in the bedroom. Needed to, even.
He always knew exactly what Jordan needed. He always made things perfect for her.
Sex could be no different.
And for that, he needed a little fucking time.
They’d gone from having a fight in April and not speaking much for four months to married in the span of a few hours. He’d seen her naked breasts for the first time ever the morning after their wedding.
They were going fast and rather than being a big-romantic-swoop-in-to-save-the-day gesture, his grandmother had pointed out that the wedding was just the start to everything he was going to need to give Jordan as her husband.
Then his asshole brother had gotten in his head about that night being their first together as well as their wedding night and his usual need to make everything perfect for Jordan had reared its head and…
He’d panicked.
Then that morning his sexy, sweet wife, who he’d wanted for three fucking years, had been all in. In spite of thinking about one of the gross things he knew about her to temper his desire, he hadn’t been able to walk out of that bedroom after all.
So he’d fucked her against the wall.
For their first time.
No, he hadn’t been able to handle stopping by his grandmother’s for breakfast and coffee. Because he’d known his brothers and cousins would be there. And they’d all be giving him knowing grins. And he would have been unable to hide the fact that he was still panicking about his ability to pull off being the perfect husband to Jordan.
Fletcher took a deep breath.
Normally the smell of markers, books, and glue filled him with contentment and made him smile.
Not today.
He was sitting in his classroom waiting for his kids to file into the room to start the day, thinking that being surrounded by colorful flags from around the world and multi-colored supply bins and the guinea pigs his class had adopted would cheer him up.
Instead, he was brooding about how the one thing Jordan needed now was an amazing husband. And how he wasn’t so sure he had what it took. And how he was pretty much stuck with the gig anyway. And how there was no way in hell he would ever give the job up to anyone else anyway.
Zander: Nothing to say for yourself? Well, you owe me.
Fletcher: I do. Have Ellie put your breakfast and lunch on my tab.
That was a joke because none of them had actual tabs. Though Ellie did keep track of who owed her what and when the toilets at the bar backed up, the person who had the highest “bill” was the one she called to show up with a plunger.
Zander: Already did.
“Hi, Mr. Landry.”
Fletcher focused on the little boy who was standing on the opposite side of Fletcher’s desk. He pocketed his phone and leaned forward in his squeaky wooden swivel chair.
Okay, Landry, pull it together.
“Mornin’, Samuel,” he greeted. He even managed a smile. “How’s it going so far?”
“What is ‘disown’?”
“Use it in a sentence.”
“My grandma said she’ll disown me if I get married in Las Vegas the way you did.”
Ah. Fletcher shouldn’t have been surprised. He was sure Samuel’s grandma wasn’t the only one talking about it. “I see. Well, it’s when you don’t let somebody be in your family anymore.”