Page 71 of The Coppersmith Farmhouse (Jamison Valley 1)
As soon as he vacated his seat, Maisy climbed down from behind us and took his place.
“Hey!” she said. “I didn’t know you guys were coming tonight. Awesome!”
“Hey, yourself!” I said while Roe jumped up to give her a big squeeze.
“Meet my family.”
Behind us was an older couple I assumed were Maisy’s parents and two men, one on either side of her parents.
“This is my mom, Marissa, and my dad, Brock Holt,” she said. I shook both of their hands and introduced myself.
“These are my brothers,” Maisy continued, “Beau and Michael.”
Maisy looked exactly like her mom except for her eyes, which were her dad’s. Brock had wide shoulders and a huge frame. Jess was a big guy but even seated, Maisy’s dad and brothers were obviously bigger.
Michael was younger and hadn’t quite filled out his frame yet. But Beau was built. Mountainous. Everything about him was square and angular, his shoulders, jaw, hands. He was a younger version of his father except for the dark brown beard covering his jaw and the lack of a protruding beer belly.
“Brick’s woman,” Beau said.
“Um . . . yeah.” I liked that Jess called me his girl and not his woman. I didn’t like “woman,” it made me feel old.
“How are you liking the hospital?” Marissa asked.
“Oh . . . it’s been great,” I said, smiling. “I love working with Maisy.”
“Well, we sure have heard a lot about you, Gigi,” she said. “We’re glad you two have become such fast friends.”
“Me too.”
We chatted a bit more about general Prescott things until I saw Jess heading back down our row. I took a quick inventory of the stash in his arms.
Six hot dogs, two sodas, one juice box, Skittles, popcorn, peanut butter M&Ms and something green tucked under his arm.
“Did you leave anything left at the concessions stand for the other patrons?” I asked.
He grinned, setting the food down on the bench and then did his round of greetings to Maisy and her family.
“You find those missing hikers?” Jess asked Beau.
“Yep. Found them about a mile up from the trailhead,” Beau said.
“Figure it wouldn’t take you long.” Jess chuckled, then told me, “Beau is head of Search and Rescue in Jamison County. We take the dispatch calls at the station an
d then coordinate with his team.”
“Gotcha.” I nodded.
“I work at the Forest Service office too. Fits well since most of our rescues are people lost in the woods,” Beau added.
Jess and Beau chatted a bit more before we turned to eat our food. After inhaling four hot dogs, Jess pulled out the green bundle he’d stowed under the bench.
“Here, little bit. Give this a try,” he said, unfolding a small Mustangs sweatshirt.
“Yay!” She immediately started stripping off her coat.
“Jess, you shouldn’t spoil her,” I whispered.
He shrugged. “She’s gonna get one eventually. Might as well be tonight.”
