Page 5 of Grade A Girl

Jaxson

Ilook at the familiar name on my screen, and my heart gallops as I read his words.Blair.There’s not a day that goes by without me thinking of her. She was perfect for us, and the day she left this world killed me—killed us. Kade became a shell of himself and hid in the military. I handled it slightly better, but not much.

Me:Bullshit. Where?

I sit on the edge of my bed, bouncing my leg frantically in anticipation of his response.Jesus, Kade, fucking answer me.I run my fingers through my raven locks, tugging the ends in frustration.

Kade:Charlie. She’s the new owner of A Cut Above. I ran into her today and made an ass of myself.

I laugh reading his words. Hewouldmake an ass of himself. Always one to put his foot in his mouth.

Kade:I was caught off guard by how much she looked like Blair. I didn’t know how to act.

The girl beside me stirs, and I suddenly feel sick—like somehow, I’ve tainted Blair by sleeping with the new hostess atEntice. I’m the head chef there and couldn’t help that she was hitting on me. She’s cute, has a tight body, and a need to please. I knew it was a mistake as soon as I asked her, but I couldn’t help it.

“Hey, handsome, how about breakfast?” Tammy purrs and kisses my shoulder.

“Can’t. I have a couple of errands I have to run before heading to the restaurant.” I get up and pull on a pair of boxers, hoping she gets the hint. She pouts as she stares into my green eyes. I assume she thinks she’ll change my mind. I’m not even sure she realizes she’s doing it until I pull a t-shirt over my head and wait for her to move off the bed.

“Oh. Okay. So, I’ll call you later?”

Now I’m going to be a real asshole.“Best to keep work and personal separate, don’t you think, Tammy?” She turns beet red and jumps up, pulling her clothes on as quickly as she can. She knocks her shoulder into me on the way out and calls me a dick with some other explicits I don’t catch.

Yeah, I know I am.

I need to see Charlie before I talk to Kade. Maybe he’s having a shit day—more nightmares and was wishing she was there. Even thinking about it, I know it’s a lie. Kade has been distant from me since he left for the Marines. Even after he came back, things were never the same. He checks in from time to time, but we’re not close anymore.A Cut Aboveis the butcher shop in the center of town, easy enough to walk in and order some meat.

I get ready and head out, hoping to bump into her in the shop.

What if he’s telling the truth?

What the hell am I going to do if she’s already taken? No. I can’t think like that. There’s a reason she’s coming into our lives now. Charlie is becoming my obsession, and I haven’t even met her yet.Hell, Kade only told me about her thirty minutes ago, and I can’t get my brain to shut up.The shop comes into view, and I pull into an empty spot so I can take a few minutes to compose myself.

I wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans and take a few deep breaths, slowing my heart rate.God, I hope Kade wasn’t fucking with me.We used to play jokes on one another all the time, but that was before Blair.

I search the recesses of my mind for memories of her. When she died, I locked everything up and tried to move on. It was the only way to stop the pain she left in her absence. Then, a few weeks later, Kade told me he was enlisting and heading out to boot camp.

My world was crumbling around me, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do to stop it. I begged him to stay, but he wouldn’t. My best friend was too heartbroken to see past his own pain and help me with mine.

That’s when I decided to take up cooking. Blair used to love watching the two of us work in tandem in the kitchen cooking for her. I have especially fond memories of having some of the best sex in my life and then cooking. Kade would carry her into the kitchen of our apartment, and the two of us would make lots of food to sate our hunger. There was always so much laughter surrounding those moments that, at times, smiles would turn into more and we all had to go back to the bedroom for another round.

As I reach for the front handle, I see her behind the counter.

Holy.

Shit.

The air leaves my lungs in a whoosh. Feeling lightheaded, I grip the handle like it’s my lifeline, the only thing keeping me from drowning in a sea of emotions. Kade wasn’t lying. She’s the spitting image of Blair. I step through the door, hearing the bell above it jingle. When she looks up at me, my whole world stops.

“Hi, what can I help you with?” she asks, looking into my deep green eyes. Her voice is light and airy, and it tugs at memories I locked away so long ago. She smiles as she waits for me to speak. She’s barely tall enough to see over the counter to look at me.

I’m speechless for a moment, lost in the connection. Her giggle pulls me out of my stupor. I shake my head and smile at her. “Sorry. Hi, I’m Jaxson.”

“Hi, Jaxson, what can I get for you?”

My name falls off her lips like honey—so sweet and innocent sounding.I need something to drink. It feels like someone shoved cotton balls in my mouth. Get it together. Kade was always the jackass who had problems speaking with pretty girls, not me.

“How about your number?” I rest my arm on the top of the glass cooler and give her the biggest smile I can.Blair loved this shit. She fell hard and fast for it.