Page 25 of Redeemed

"No, I figured you'd want to have a say in that so I need you to give me some dates and times you're going to be available this week so I can schedule something with you and the couple," Sofia explained.

"Well, when I'm not here, I'm somewhere with you." JT grinned at her. "So, you just put me down for whenever we're not working, and I'll be there."

"Great. Maggie and I are meeting with the bride on Tuesday afternoon…Maybe the groom could meet us there and we could get it all done at once," Sofia thought out loud. She smiled widely at him. "Bring all your fanciest ideas to the table, JT. I have to warn you, I know this girl. She's going to be a bit of a bridezilla."

JT scoffed. "Brides love me! Are you kidding? I'll have her eating out of my hand as soon as I describe all the mouthwatering food I'm going to be making."

"Oh, one other thing you should know with the Mexican tradition thing. There will be tamales. Have you ever made tamales?" Sofia quirked a brow at him.

JT rubbed the back of his neck, his bravado suddenly fading a bit. "Uh, well no. How hard can it be though? It's masa and meat, right?"

"Mi pobre gringo," Sofia crooned to him. "Tamales are an art. They take hours, sometimes days. Mamá takes forever to make hers. That's why we only get them for special occasions, no matter how much we beg."

"Do you think she'd teach me, Sofia? How to make tamales?" JT asked hopefully. "Maybe I could gain some points with her as well as learning to make something new?"

Sofia bit her lip. "Hmmm, I don't know. You could ask her, I suppose. She is pretty proud of them."

"That's what I'll do then. I'll call her tonight. Anything else on the agenda?"

"No, I think that's it."

"Good, then I call this meeting concluded," he said, banging the stapler on the desk like a gavel.

"Now, come here woman," he told her as he rounded the desk and twirled her chair to face him. "I've been waiting for this all day."

"Wha…" but she didn't get to finish her question before JT had her in his arms and was carrying her to the loveseat.

"Locked door?" she asked before he could sit them down.

"Better. The doors to the whole place are locked and it's just you and me left." He dropped down on the couch and immediately pulled her work polo shirt off her head. His eyes locked on her breasts behind her coral lace bra like a starving man eying a feast set down before him. He traced a finger along the top lace, then went to work showing her just how much he needed her.

Chapter twenty-three

A Secret Not Shared

OnTuesday,Sofia,JTand Maggie set off to Tyler to meet with their bride, Amarylis, and her groom, Gage. Sofia sat in the front seat with JT, while Maggie sat across the backseat with her feet propped up on pillows.

"I thought Dr. McKinney wanted you resting more," JT chastised his sister lightly. He'd told her he and Sofia could handle this consultation and that she should go home and rest, but she was having none of it.

"I'm sitting with my feet up, aren't I?" Maggie answered testily. "And there was no way I was going to miss this consult. It's too important." She met her brother's eye in the rearview mirror. "You did get those boxes I put out for you with the place settings and everything, didn't you?"

JT huffed out an exasperated breath. "Of course, I did. You only reminded me fifteen times before we got in the truck."

"Well, you know how you are," Maggie said.

"I know howyouare," JT retorted.

Sofia tried to cover her smile with her hand. She always thought their bickering was funny. It was like a hummingbird challenging a mountain lion. The siblings might push each other's buttons, but they were as tight as twins. She wished her relationship with her sister was half as close.

"Okay, you two. Knock it off," Sofia said, trying to rein in the bickering before it could really get ramped up. "We need to be a united front with this couple. It's going to be a challenge."

"You're right, darlin'," JT said, taking her hand and planting a kiss on the back. When he was done, he didn't let go but twined his fingers through hers and held on.

Maggie gave them an eye roll but couldn't stop the grin that quirked up her lips. She was pleased as punch that JT was starting to act like himself again. She'd missed her happy-go-lucky brother these past few months and worried he'd never let go of his misplaced guilt. Sofia seemed to be bringing him back to life. "Sorry, Sofia. You're right. I'm really excited about this though! It's going to be amazing! And kudos to you for bringing it to us!"

Sofia smiled and dipped her head at Maggie's praise. "Just the right place at the right time," she offered.

"I'd forgotten to ask about that," JT said, glancing at Sofia. "How did they hear about us? Surely there are bigger caterers and event planners in Tyler they could've chosen from."