First Kiss

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Book: First Kiss by Bernadette Marie Read Free Book Online
Authors: Bernadette Marie
Tags: Romance, Contemporary, Bestseller, Bernadette Marie, 5 Prince Publishing
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later, the doorbell rang. She looked at the small digital clock on the dresser next to the picture of Gage and Austin. It was seven-thirty.
    A surge of hope raced through her. Perhaps he’d only gone out—a run maybe, no—coffee. Yes, that must have been it.
    Olivia hurried to the front door with Gage wrapped in her arms. She flung open the front door and standing there, on the other side of the screen, was her mother.
    She let out what she knew was an ungrateful sigh. “Mom, I didn’t expect you.”
    “I just got back into town. Of course, you are my first stop.”
    Of course she was. Olivia pushed open the screen and looked past her to the driveway. His car was gone. Well, at least her mother hadn’t seen him coming out of her bedroom.
    Her mother reached out her hands. “Look at my grandson. Come see Grandma.”
    Gage turned his face into his Olivia’s shoulder.
    “Oh, he doesn’t know me. See, you keep me from him.”
    “I do not. You’re never around. I haven’t seen you in almost two months.” She turned and headed toward the kitchen, her mother close behind. “Where have you been?”
    “Oh, you know. Here. There. It’s a good thing I ran into Cade at the store. He said you weren’t living with Austin anymore, but had bought this place.”
    Olivia set Gage in his high chair and turned to make coffee. She hoped her mother didn’t see the shock that had forced her eyes open wide. “You saw Cade at the store?”
    She could hear her mother rifling around in her purse. “He said he was on donut detail this morning. But then he left the store without anything. I didn’t know he was back in town. Is that why you’re not with Austin anymore? Cade moved in and disrupted your cozy living arrangement?” There was a snide tone to her voice. Her mother made her point perfectly clear.
    “Austin died mom and I lived there, I wasn’t with him.” She turned and saw the cigarette between her mother’s lips. “Mom, don’t light that. Gage…”
    “Oh, relax.” Her mother put the cigarette back in her purse. “So, Austin died, huh?”
    “I’m sure you knew that.”
    “Yeah, I’m sure I heard something about it.” She examined her perfect, red manicure. “How come he didn’t let you stay in the house? Seems like you two were so close.” She gave a wave of her hand in the air. “You always were, that is. I never thought it was an appropriate relationship.”
    Olivia turned back to the coffee maker and set her jaw. Even her own mother didn’t respect her. Not that it shocked her any. Olivia was never Celeste Baker’s top priority. That was how she grew so close to Austin and Cade, after all. How many nights had Celeste gone out all night and left her home alone?
    She took two mugs out of the cupboard and set them on the counter.
    Olivia had figured out years ago, when she was still a young girl, that Celeste’s problem with Austin wasn’t his relationship with her daughter. It was that when she’d made her own play, or plays as it was, he’d never noticed. He was much too busy raising his son, his nephew, and taking care of her daughter to think about rolling in the sheets with Celeste. All it had done was prove to be a challenge and a source of aggravation until Celeste married again.
    Just the thought of that sent a chill down Olivia’s spine. Thank goodness for Carter men when it came to Celeste’s ex-husband. Without them, Olivia wouldn’t be standing in her own kitchen, cringing at her mother.
    “This is a nice place, sweetheart. How do you afford it?”
    Olivia picked up the coffee pot and slowly poured coffee into each mug. “I have a good job, Mother.”
    “Right. Parker Woods always did like you.”
    “I have a degree in finance. It has nothing to do with Parker’s feelings for me.”
    “Hmmm.” Her mother purred out as Olivia pulled a sippy cup from the cupboard and then opened the refrigerator and pulled out the milk. Her mother looked up at her. “Oh, Cade said he’d have

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