Delivered in Sin by Nicole Rodrigues

Author:Nicole Rodrigues [Rodrigues, Nicole]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-12-12T18:00:00+00:00

I glance over at Magnolia, knowing full well this is only the beginning. She may have agreed to lunch, but I have a long way to go until she forgives me for real. My fist tightens on the steering wheel, knowing that the nightmare she had probably has something to do with that asshole ex-husband of hers.

Giacomo. Even his name makes him sound like a piece of shit.

I pull my car into the lot of my favorite deli, and Jack comes out to my car with a brown bag.

“Glad I’m finally filling an order with more than just a Peachtree Pastrami. This the Missus?”

I laugh, taking the bag and shaking his hand. “Magnolia, this is my buddy, Jack. Jack, this is Magnolia.”

“Woo wee, boy. You got a sister, Magnolia?” Jack asks, leaning against my car.

She laughs, and I start to roll up my window, flipping my middle finger up to Jack.

“Thanks, buddy!”

“Yeah, yeah. Let me know how you like that meatball parm, Magnolia!” Jack yells with a wave.

She gives him the thumbs up as we drive out toward my sister’s house, heading to Theo’s favorite park.

“Meatball parm, huh? You tryin' to fatten me up?”

“Gotta make sure my baby is good and fed. Both of them,” I say, grabbing her hand and kissing her knuckles.

A quiet snore echoes off the silence in the car, and Magnolia tries to stifle a giggle. “He’s adorable,” she whispers, looking to the backseat at Theo.

“My sister’s been having a hard time. He’s a ball of energy, and Sylvie wants to eat about ninety-five percent of the day.”

“I can’t imagine,” Magnolia sighs. “Is her husband coming home soon?”

“Hopefully by the end of the month.”

“That must be so hard. Does he have much longer for deployments?”

“I think they’re going to talk about it when he gets home. They got married at eighteen, that’s all they’ve known, but I know it’s been hard on her with the kids now. He’s missed both of them being born and a lot of their life.”

Magnolia nods, looking back at Theo. “Time you can’t ever get back.”

“No,” I agree.

I pull up to the park a few blocks away from my sister’s house, and when I cut the engine, I hear Theo’s sleepy little voice.

“Park?”

“Yeah, buddy. Want to play?”

He nods as I get out of the car, and Magnolia is already unbuckling him as he gets to his feet and runs toward the playground. This feels so right, watching her with him, so natural and beautiful. I have to make sure nothing fucks this up.

“I wish I had that kid’s energy,” I laugh, grabbing Magnolia’s hand as we walk to a nearby picnic table.

I take out our food, handing her the styrofoam container with her sandwich, and see her eyes glaze over.

“God, that smells delicious,” she moans.

“You eat, and I’ll talk, okay?”

She looks at me, understanding crossing her features as she opens the container, and I take a deep breath.

“I was engaged a few years back, right before my sister got pregnant with Theo, and they moved to Atlanta.

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