Chapter 14
"Good morning, Jake," Maxine greeted him when he came inside.
"Hey Jake," Nate looked up from breakfast. Vanessa smiled at Jake and Jake smiled back.
"Are you coming out with us today?" Bryan asked.
"Yeah," Jake flicked his gaze to Bryan's. "Sam's coming over too."
He became uncomfortable under everyone's scrutiny. Jake excused himself to head to his room to change.
"The boy is totally hooked," Quinn grinned.
"Well I hope so since he's engaged to her," Maxine rolled her eyes at the younger of the twins.
"Do you want to ride out with us, Debs?" Quinn asked.
"No, Vanis and I are going baby shopping," Debi answered.
"You can buy babies?" Quinn teased.
Debi swatted him.
"No more hanging out with Sammy," Quinn told her, putting his arm around her shoulder. "She's a bad influence on you."
"I like Sam," Vanis said. "I especially like the way she sasses you all back."
Debi and Vanessa laughed and high fived across the table. Maxine smiled as she put the rest of the breakfast on the large kitchen table. She loved that all the wives and fiancées got along with each other. She put her arm briefly around Bryan's shoulders, giving him a kiss on his cheek. Maxine hoped Bryan and Cara decided someday that they wanted to marry also. Bryan smiled at his mother before helping himself to the food.
Jake came back in, tucking his t-shirt into his jeans before buttoning up the clean flannel shirt he had on over the t-shirt. Maxine straightened the collar of his flannel shirt for him. Jake darkened, but didn't move away from his mother.
"Thanks," Jake murmured before grabbing a mug and pouring himself a cup of coffee, then sliding into one of the chairs at the table. He helped himself to some of the food.
"Dad at work?" Jake asked, glancing at Maxine.
"Yes," she answered her son. "He wants you boys to check the fencing in the south pasture."
All four of the guys groaned. They hated riding fence. At least he'd have Sam with him. It should make the time go faster.
He was going to have to leave to go back to college tomorrow which meant he wanted to spend as much time with Sam today as possible.
"You're bringing Sam by for dinner tonight?" Maxine broke through Jake's thoughts.
"Sure if you want me to," Jake had wanted to spend another night with Sam in Darton.
"I do," Maxine hugged her youngest son. "We don't see enough of Samantha since she left for college."
"Maybe Eric will come home with them sometime," Bryan said, earning a look from Jake.
"How weird is that, she finds your cousin at the same college," Vanessa mused.
"I can't wait to see Eric again," Maxine smiled. "He was always a precocious boy."
"He's a frat boy," Quinn stated.
Jake looked at Quinn.
"He's okay," Quinn told him, knowing what his brother wanted.
"So you say," Jake murmured. He wasn't so sure.