Read Online Fate Forgotten by J. L. Sheppard - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: J. L. Sheppard
Ads: Link
happen. I will always be here to protect you.”
Valerie’s heart clenched. Her eyes welled with tears, baffled by the man who was not what he seemed. There was love in him, so much of it for a beautiful, bright child who feared being, like her, alone in the world.
With Annie still draped across his chest, Jacob turned and his stare met hers. Once again confounded by what she saw, by him . Not an action, but emotion clearly reflected in his eyes that startled her. His eyes, so dark, yet so expressive…No anger, no rage—only sympathy. Did he know?
Of course, he did. Someone would’ve told him.
She held her breath, hoping and praying the tears in her eyes dried.
“Valerie.” His voice so soft. His gaze then shifted to Annie. “Would you like to share some chocolate milk with Valerie?”
Annie turned her flushed face toward her and nodded.
Together, they walked to the kitchen. Jake carrying Annie, one arm under her butt, the other holding her tight against him. At the counter, with one hand, he pulled out a stool for her to sit on, then settled Annie on the countertop. He opened the fridge, grabbed milk and chocolate, and prepared each of them a glass. He handed the first to Annie, settled the other two on the counter in front of Val, then carried Annie, walked around the counter, and sat next to Valerie, placing the child on his lap. He handed Val a cup of milk, then grabbed his own.
Annie tapped her glass against hers, then against her uncle’s. “Cheers.”
“Cheers,” she and Jake replied simultaneously.
His gaze met hers, the intensity in them forcing her to look away.
“What did you and Valerie do tonight?”
“We played with my dollhouse and watched a movie.” She rubbed her eyes. “And she braided my hair. Valerie can make the fishy braid…like Mommy used to…” Her voice trailed off.
Valerie’s gaze went to Jake, wondering what he’d say or do. But she wished she hadn’t, she caught a distressed expression flash across his face. As it inexplicable as it was, it made her want to comfort him —the male she feared, the man her gift warned her away from.
Trying hard to ignore it, she looked at Annie. “I can teach you. It’s very easy. It just takes practice.”
Annie’s face lit up. “You will?”
She smiled. “Of course, I will.”
“Now?”
“How about tomorrow morning? When we’re both caught up on our beauty sleep?”
“You promise?”
She nodded. “Yes, Annie. I promise.”
Annie yawned. Valerie took a sip of milk, knowing it’d be seconds before Annie fell asleep. A child, undoubtedly exhausted, draped across the expanse of Jake’s chest, comforted by his masculine strength, her little arms tucked against them, her face pressed to him while he rubbed her back…It would put anyone to sleep.
“Thank you.”
Her gaze shot away from Annie and to him.
“You’re welcome.” She then wrung her hands together.
Looking at Annie again, she’d fallen sleep comfortably against her uncle’s chest. Her cue to go, but before she could say anything, she heard Ashley.
“Oh, I…I’m sorry.”
From her position on the stool near the counter, her back faced the elevator. She turned and spotted Ash and Clyde approaching them.
Ash’s gaze on Jake. “I didn’t think you’d be home so soon.”
“I had the early shift tonight. Everything okay?”
Ashley nodded.
In the brief pause that followed, Valerie took her chance. “I should go.” She stood.
Jake followed suit. He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it.
Uncomfortably, she turned to Ashley and Clyde. “Glad everything’s good with Jocelyn. I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” She then turned and walked away. Near the elevator, she remembered something else she meant to say. Turning, she muffled a yelp when she nearly collided into Jake and Annie, still draped across his chest. Angling her head up to meet his gaze, she forgot what she’d meant to say.
“You’ll come tomorrow.”
Even though her heart
Valerie’s heart clenched. Her eyes welled with tears, baffled by the man who was not what he seemed. There was love in him, so much of it for a beautiful, bright child who feared being, like her, alone in the world.
With Annie still draped across his chest, Jacob turned and his stare met hers. Once again confounded by what she saw, by him . Not an action, but emotion clearly reflected in his eyes that startled her. His eyes, so dark, yet so expressive…No anger, no rage—only sympathy. Did he know?
Of course, he did. Someone would’ve told him.
She held her breath, hoping and praying the tears in her eyes dried.
“Valerie.” His voice so soft. His gaze then shifted to Annie. “Would you like to share some chocolate milk with Valerie?”
Annie turned her flushed face toward her and nodded.
Together, they walked to the kitchen. Jake carrying Annie, one arm under her butt, the other holding her tight against him. At the counter, with one hand, he pulled out a stool for her to sit on, then settled Annie on the countertop. He opened the fridge, grabbed milk and chocolate, and prepared each of them a glass. He handed the first to Annie, settled the other two on the counter in front of Val, then carried Annie, walked around the counter, and sat next to Valerie, placing the child on his lap. He handed Val a cup of milk, then grabbed his own.
Annie tapped her glass against hers, then against her uncle’s. “Cheers.”
“Cheers,” she and Jake replied simultaneously.
His gaze met hers, the intensity in them forcing her to look away.
“What did you and Valerie do tonight?”
“We played with my dollhouse and watched a movie.” She rubbed her eyes. “And she braided my hair. Valerie can make the fishy braid…like Mommy used to…” Her voice trailed off.
Valerie’s gaze went to Jake, wondering what he’d say or do. But she wished she hadn’t, she caught a distressed expression flash across his face. As it inexplicable as it was, it made her want to comfort him —the male she feared, the man her gift warned her away from.
Trying hard to ignore it, she looked at Annie. “I can teach you. It’s very easy. It just takes practice.”
Annie’s face lit up. “You will?”
She smiled. “Of course, I will.”
“Now?”
“How about tomorrow morning? When we’re both caught up on our beauty sleep?”
“You promise?”
She nodded. “Yes, Annie. I promise.”
Annie yawned. Valerie took a sip of milk, knowing it’d be seconds before Annie fell asleep. A child, undoubtedly exhausted, draped across the expanse of Jake’s chest, comforted by his masculine strength, her little arms tucked against them, her face pressed to him while he rubbed her back…It would put anyone to sleep.
“Thank you.”
Her gaze shot away from Annie and to him.
“You’re welcome.” She then wrung her hands together.
Looking at Annie again, she’d fallen sleep comfortably against her uncle’s chest. Her cue to go, but before she could say anything, she heard Ashley.
“Oh, I…I’m sorry.”
From her position on the stool near the counter, her back faced the elevator. She turned and spotted Ash and Clyde approaching them.
Ash’s gaze on Jake. “I didn’t think you’d be home so soon.”
“I had the early shift tonight. Everything okay?”
Ashley nodded.
In the brief pause that followed, Valerie took her chance. “I should go.” She stood.
Jake followed suit. He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it.
Uncomfortably, she turned to Ashley and Clyde. “Glad everything’s good with Jocelyn. I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” She then turned and walked away. Near the elevator, she remembered something else she meant to say. Turning, she muffled a yelp when she nearly collided into Jake and Annie, still draped across his chest. Angling her head up to meet his gaze, she forgot what she’d meant to say.
“You’ll come tomorrow.”
Even though her heart
Similar Books
