Read Online Blissful Vol. 1 by Clarissa Wild - Free Book Online

church is in the middle,
there’s a public garden with a fountain, and houses in all sorts of
colors everywhere. It’s like a classic cowboy movie set, only this
time it’s real.
    “This is it?” I say.
    “Yep,” Jack says, and he gets out of the
truck. He opens the door for Madeline to jump out and waits for me.
As I get out, I’m surprised the road is paved here.
    “ Hold my hand, Maddy,” Jack says. He
clutches her little hand tightly and leans slightly askew in order
to walk with her. He’s that careful with her. It’s amazing to look at and gives me
goose bumps.
    I walk up to them and stay on Jack’s side,
as we go to Ben’s shop.
    “Wait!” Madeline says, and she comes to a
halt. “You need to hold hands, too.” She points at me.
    I flush and look at her, then at jack,
then back at her. “What?”
    He smiles and holds out his hand.
    “ C’mon!” Madeline yells, stomping her feet.
“We all need to hold
hands.”
    “Better do it quick, or we’ll be here all
day. Maddy will make sure of that,” Jack says with a wink.
    I roll my eyes sideways and grasp for
Jack’s fingers. My heart beats in my throat as I lace my fingers
through his. Oh, shit.
What am I doing? Am I really doing this? He’s warm and strong, and
his hand completely encompasses mine. Fire burns inside my body as
he clutches me tightly. He’s holding me. I can feel his pulse
through my skin, his sweaty palms leaving their mark on me. God, I
don’t want this to end.
    Looking up at him, I see him smile an
awkward smile, and I feel so embarrassed. I’m sure I’m as red as a
beet.
    “ Yay!” she squeals.
    Jerking Jacks hand, Madeline drags us forward. We walk
together across the street, and I can see the people around us
staring. I know they’re watching us, probably thinking ‘who is that
girl?’ I swallow away the lump in my throat as we enter the shop.
Jack lets go of me, so he can fit through. It feels empty without
his fingers tangled through mine.
    The shop is only partially a shop. Half of
it is a garage filled with tools, a car, pieces of car, and more
stuff I can’t place. I have no idea how this works, but I’m hoping
Jack knows what he’ s
doing.
    The bell jingles , and a man steps out of his garage and into the
shop.
    “ Hello there,” he says, his thick gray
beard moving along with his almost invisible lips.
    “ Uncle Benny!” Maddy yells, and she runs to
him and jumps into his arms. The man chortles and hugs her tight
while she twirls her finger through his bristly hair.
    “ Hey there, kiddo,” he says to her, and he
nuzzles her before putting her down on the floor again.
    “Uncle?” I say.
    “He’s not actually her uncle, she just calls
him that. It’s complicated,” Jack says while chewing his straw.
    “I’ve known that little squirt since she was
born,” Ben says.
    Jack steps forward. “Hey Ben,” Jack
says.
    They shake hands, and J ack takes the piece of straw from his
mouth.
    Ben’s bushy brows lower. “You’re lucky. If you’d been
thirty minutes earlier, it wouldn’t be here yet.”
    Jack peeks over his shoulder. “Oh, really?
So you have it?”
    “ Sure do.” The man lets out a roaring
laugh.
    “Awesome.”
    I walk farther, but stay behind Jack, because I don’t want to
intrude on their conversation. Ben glances at me and then whispers
to Jack, but I can still hear him. “Who’s that beauty over there?
Your new gal?”
    My cheeks grow red again , and I try to hide my face in my
coat.
    “ What? No, that’s Amy. Her car broke down,
so now I’ m fixing it,”
Jack stutters. The way he instantly denies any existence of a crush
makes me feel icy cold.
    Ben laughs again, looking at me. “Ahhh.
You’re playing the good Samaritan again. I can see Rose’s ideas
still have a hold on you.”
    Jack sighs. “Ben …”
    He chuckles and pats Jack on the shoulder.
“ I’m just messing with
ya, kid. Aren’t you gonna introduce me?”
    Jack turns around and looks at me. I can
see his