Sugar by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Macro Publishing Group
Published: 2018-10-11T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter 8

Cadence would give anything to wash the stench of Braelyn Nevels down the drain along with the soap scum as she rinsed her skin under a steamy flow of water. The realization that Braelyn––– and possibly Jackson––– had played her smoother than jazz on a breezy summer night was enough to make Cadence do something that would land her on The First 48.

The doorbell rang, pulling Cadence away from her murderous thoughts. She stepped out of the shower, grabbing a terry cloth robe that hung nearby. Wet ringlets of curls dripped water onto the floor creating a sloshy path.

Jackson and Jackie were on the other side of the door. They hadn’t agreed on a time, but she didn’t expect him this early. Cadence tugged the robe closed, tied the belt, then let them in.

Her husband’s eyes danced as he gazed at her and managed to smile. “Hey, you.”

“Hello.” Cadence tightened the robe around her and didn’t return his lustful glare. “Why are you here so early? You know I’m not usually home at this time.”

“Jennifer said you were gone for the day. I tried your cell but couldn’t get through.”

Zeroing in on Jackie, Cadence said, “Hi, Jacqueline who everybody calls Jackie.”

“Hiiiiii,” she purred. “How come daddy rings the doorbell? Then she looked up at Jackson. “Did you lose your keys?”

“This is going to be an interesting weekend,” Cadence mumbled after Jackie hopped over the threshold.

“Thanks for doing this.” He paused in front of her, then closed his lids and inhaled. “That jasmine fragrance sure smells good on you.”

Cadence held the upper part of her robe together, then turned her back to him. “I’m going to get dressed.”

She slipped on a pair of running shorts, a loose-fitting crop top that draped off one shoulder, and flip-flops. Cadence wasn’t going to allow Jackson to draw her into his web of charm. He always knew the right things to say and how to say them, except for this whole Braelyn situation. For that, he was saying everything that kept her confused. This weekend was about creating some semblance of normalcy for Jackie.

After chicken nuggets, French fries, teaching her how to play UNO, and watching Princess and the Frog for the second time, Jackie had finally petered out. She laid on the floor with her feet propped on her daddy’s thigh, and her head resting on Cadence’s lap with a draw two UNO card wedged between her fingers.

All evening, Cadence observed the way Jackson tended to Jackie. Their exchanges were natural and beautiful. If he showed this much love and affection for a daughter he just met and wasn’t sure was his, regardless of what the DNA test proved, she could imagine how attentive and caring he would be to one he raised from birth. Seeing him this way had Cadence second-guessing her stance toward having a baby.

“I’ll be back,” Cadence said, placing a throw pillow under Jackie’s head. She grabbed a fleece blanket from the linen closet and draped it over her little body.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.