Justin and Jason greet me like we’re old friends, and I catch a wink Justin throws my roommate.
Don introduces me to his wife, Marie, and I instantly see the resemblance between her and the man behind her who’s sizing me up from a polite mental distance.
“I hope my husband isn’t too hard to work for,” Marie says with a smile.
“I’ve just started there. I’ll call you if I have any trouble.”
She laughs, and my eyes dart back to the man. Immediately I know he is Jake’s father. They have the same eyes. His mother is standing next to him. She has the darker complexion that Jake has, but the green eyes of the twins. In other respects they’re like their father.
A nice woman introduces herself to me. “I work for the congressman,” she says with a nod behind her. Inwardly I stiffen as my eyes flit over.
“Oh!” I thought he’d looked familiar. Thank God Jake told me to wear this particular dress.
He walks over with his hand out. His wife is with him, staring at me like she’s trying to see my soul or something.
“Michael Cocker. Nice to meet you, Drew.”
“Nice to meet you, too, sir. I never put that together, that you were…I guess if your name started with a ‘J’ I might have.”
He laughs, “That’s Nancy’s doing. She likes ‘J’ names.”
“It’s not just me!” Mrs. Cocker objects, reaching out to shake my hand. She clasps it between both of hers and tells me in a confidential tone, “My sister Anna loves ‘J’ names, too. We both took all the best ones for our children.”
“Is she here?”
“No, they’re in Savannah.” Nancy looks at Jake. “Oh, I didn’t tell my sister! She’s going to be so mad.”
“I won’t tell her if you won’t,” Jake says.
Justin laughs, “I’m calling her tomorrow.”
“You better not!” Nancy Cocker admonishes him.
Jake’s grandma calls over from the cushioned seat. “Come here, child.”
Jason warns me, “Don’t you dare swear in front of Grams, Drew!”
Appalled, I look at him on my way over, with Jake holding my elbow again. “Why would I do that?”
Everyone laughs and I realize I’ve stumbled onto an inside joke. They all sit down and resume their conversations.
“This is our Matriarch,” Jake tells me, introducing her. “May Cocker.”
“See, Nancy got that from me. I named my children Marie and Michael, only I used my letter, because I’m egotistical.” She winks at me. Instantly, I like her. “I don’t know about this living with a man you’re not married to, though. You women today don’t know how to look out for yourselves!”
On a soft smile, I tell her, “Jake’s very scary. I lock my bedroom door at night.”
He laughs loudly. Her eyes dance and she wags a finger at him. “You hear that! She’s watching you.”
“She has nothing to worry about,” he smiles.
I try not to snort.
“You get her something to eat, Jake.”
“I will, Grams.”
There are two children off running around the bushes at the far end. I point to them and ask, “Are those your older brother’s?”
“No, they’re…where is Jaxson?” Jake says, under his breath. He turns around and asks the group, “Did Jax leave?”
“I’m here!” a deep voice calls from the house. A man appears and strolls down the back patio steps onto the grass, smiling at us. “Just had to make a call.” His eyes flash to the Congressman and I catch a silent exchange where he nods as if to say, the deed is done.
Jaxson Cocker is ruggedly handsome, sun-kissed in both hair and skin. His eyes are a darker shade of green than his twin brothers, and very wise. He’s an old soul, as they say, and I feel myself relax in his presence as he shakes my hand. “Hi. I’m Jaxson, but a lot of people call me Jax.”
“Drew. Nice to meet you.” I glance to Jake and find him watching me with an expression I can’t read.
Jax nods to the table. “Have you tried Mom’s chili yet?”
“No, but I hear it’s amazing.”
Jake says, “Understatement,” with a shake of his gorgeous head. He leads me over and hands me a plate. “These are brown sugar sweet potatoes with marshmallow topping. That’s apple-smoked bacon in the green beans, and red onions to sweeten the taste. And this right here, this is what you’ll never want to stop eating.”
“Jake, you’re exaggerating!” Nancy calls over, genuinely annoyed. “I can’t meet those expectations!”