Aubrey wakes up and pulls out her bible. Flipping to Psalms chapter one she begins to read,1 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers 2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,and who meditates on his law day and night 3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. 4 Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction. After praying she gets dressed her thoughts slipping to Jedediah.

Within a few minutes of waking up she makes her way to the deserted kitchen. After making breakfast she cuddles the slowly awaking Cole.

"I love you, momma." He whispers.

She smiles and kisses the top of his golden locks, "I love you to big boy." A soft knock on the back door startles her. She gets up moving Cole to her hip and opens the door. A small smile spreads across her face when Jedediah is the one standing at the door. "Hi."

"Hi, um, can we talk?" He glances around nervously.

She mentally smiles at his nervousness, "Uh, sure." Stepping aside she feels her own butterflies taking flight in her stomach. They make their way to the kitchen.

Jedediah rubs the back of his neck and prays for the right words. "I, uh, I'm sorry for the way I've been behaving." He pauses, "I have no right to snap at you, the way I have."

"It really is okay," She assures him.

He sighs smiling, "You keep saying that! You are suppose to be mad at me, then I would feel better." He pauses again, "Would you and Cole consider going to breakfast with me?"

"Uh, sure." She hesitates at first, but finishes with a smile.

After changing Cole out of his pajamas and slipping on her tennis shoes she meets Jedediah back in the living room. He takes Cole from her and leads the way to his ranch pickup. He chuckles at her face when he opens the back door and has a car seat already in place.

"I'm not a thief, this used to be Traven's pickup. He left a seat in it." He laughs answering her unasked question.

She laughs and nods. He buckles Cole in under her watchful eye before walking her around to the passenger side. Once she is in he walks around to his side and hops in.

"Ready to roll?" He announces starting the engine.

Cole kicks his legs against the car seat, "Yeah!"

Aubrey smiles and glances to the backseat avoiding eye contact with Jedediah. Feeling slightly uncomfortable she prays and quotes Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plan to prosper you and not to harm you.

"What are you thinking about?" Jedediah's voice brings her back to the present.

She smiles glancing his way, "Nothing."

He cocks an eyebrow, "Really?"

"Yeah, I was just zoned out," She lies.

He smiles and turns the radio on softly. Take Me Home, Country Roads by John Denver sounds through the speakers and he begins to sing along. His deep voice reminds her of Josh Turner's and is like honey to her ears.

When he pulls into the local café and cuts the engine she feels his gaze burning into her shoulder. Slowly she turns to gaze back at him. His brown eyes piercing her blue ones.

"Your eyes are so blue and beautiful," He murmurs his fingers gently moving a piece of hair from her face.

She blushes, "Thank you," She whispers.

The sweet moment that has Aubrey's knees going weak is interrupted by Cole's shrieks for food. Jedediah smiles masking his disappointment, "Let's go before the little guy shrinks."

Aubrey smiles and turns to the backseat. Jedediah opens her door for her before unbuckling Cole from the back seat. She catches him as he lunges from Jedediah's arms. The small gasp that escapes his lips leaves her holding back a smile. The fact that he noticed Cole's movement was more than the average guy who had a slight interest in her.

Walking into the café the sweet smell of freshly baked waffles tingle in their nasal cavity. Nothing is better than a fresh baked waffle and a couple pieces of bacon to suit Jedediah's fancy.

"Have any idea what you would like?" He asks gazing down at her.

She smiles her gaze diverting from the menu to his facial features, "I think the fruit covered pancakes sound good."

He mentally wrinkles his nose, "And what are you eating?" He asks Cole who is playing with the ends of Aubrey's blonde hair.

The little boy looks intently at the big guy that is his hero, "I want a muffin!"

With their orders decided they place the menus on the table just as a waiter drops by. After getting the drinks they had already ordered the dreaded uncomfortable silence falls. Aubrey sips nervously at her drink until their food comes. Busying herself with Cole she fails to notice the relaxed smile that graces Jedediah's lips.

"Jedi, are you staying with us again today?" Cole asks.

Jedediah smiles, "Not today I have somethings I need to check."

Aubrey raises her eyebrows at him and shakes her head. He chuckles and shrugs. Taking a bite of her pancakes she keeps her deadly gaze fixed on his shoulder. When he looks up from his food he smirks and stares back into her eyes.
***
"You can't go check stuff and you know that," Aubrey argues with Jedediah while standing at his pickup, Cole inside with MJ.

He chuckles, "Aubrey, you never fail to amaze me. You don't show any interest in me what so ever unless you are trying to guard me from getting a scratch then the world forbid that I set foot on mere dirt!" He can't help, but smile as her cheeks turn crimson.

Gaining back her mind she huffs, "If that's the way you want it, fine! Go brake your back and I will stay way out of your way." 

As she marches away he sighs, that definitely didn't go as planned. He gave her all the wrong impression and was somehow going to have to turn that around. Sighing he jerks the pickup door open and climbs in, it's no wonder he is still single. He never can say the right thing in the right way at the right time.

Aubrey sits on her bed her knees folded up to her. It feels like high school all over again, heartbreak, cry, get over it on the outside, but still feel it on the inside. A knock at her door startles her and she jumps up to get it. She lets out a breath seeing it is only Raely.

"You okay?" She asks in her gentle shy way.

Aubrey gives her a weak smile, "Yeah, I'm fine. I, uh, have been wanting to talk to you. While y'all were away I looked around for a house to rent in town. There is one that I want to look at, but I think it is a good fit."

Raely smiles, "You know you are welcome here, but if this is what you feel you need then I think it is wonderful." 

"Thank you, and um if you don't mind don't say anything to Jedediah."

She earns a quizzical look, "Is everything okay with y'all?"

Aubrey sighs, "No. I don't know what's happening. You know he took me and Cole to breakfast this morning then when we got back he said he was going to check stuff and I said no. Then he went all off about how I don't want anything to do with him unless something is wrong with him. I don't know what happen, but apparently I'm not doing something right."

"I'm sorry to hear everything isn't going well, but I can assure you, you aren't the problem," Raely assures her.

She nods with a small smile, "I was thinking of going to look at the house on Friday if that's okay."

"Yeah sounds good. I am probably just going to be in the pens this week so whenever is fine."

Aubrey nods as Cole walks in, Raely smiles and exits, "Would you like to go look at a house the next couple of days?" She asks Cole.

He claps, "Yay," He excitement sinks, "Is it still going to be near Markus and Jakeston?"

"Yeah it is just in town and you would still see them most everyday," She tells him.

A/N

What's Jedediah thinking?