Read Online First Kiss by Bernadette Marie - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Bernadette Marie
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to stop by and see you to say hi. I’m surprised you didn’t see him at the funeral. I heard you arranged everything.”
Olivia bit back the smile. Her mother didn’t even realize she’d passed on a message.
He hadn’t run out on her in the middle of the night. He’d gone for breakfast, but had run into her mother. Even Cade knew that wasn’t a good sign.
Perhaps he had changed. She let the smile surface on her lips, but only momentarily. It had been a very long time since Olivia looked forward to seeing Cade again, and this time perhaps she wouldn’t let him only sleep.
Clearing her mind, Olivia poured the milk into the cup, tightened on the lid, and set it in front of Gage. He scooped it up and went about drinking it.
“I did arrange Austin’s funeral. There was no one around to do it.”
“What about that sister of his? Last I saw her she was in Vegas.” Which meant Celeste had been, too.
“You know, she’s gone.” Olivia thought better of it. “Or was. I think she was here long enough to empty the house of a few things while we were all at the funeral.”
Her mother gave her a slow nod. “So Cade just let you do all the work?”
She wasn’t going to sell Cade out, not at this point. “It was my pleasure to do it, Mom.”
“I’ll bet it was.” The words were said under her breath, but not completely hidden.
The vile taste of distain filled Olivia’s mouth. “So, how come you showed back up now?”
“A woman wants to see her grandson from time to time.” She brushed her hand over Gage’s head. “Why don’t you let me take him for the morning? I’ll go get him a donut or something sweet. That’s what Grandmas do, right?”
“Mom, he doesn’t need anything like that.”
“Well, it would give you a moment to get out of that nasty T-shirt and get a shower.”
Olivia let out a long breath. She wasn’t going to get into it with her own mother. But there was more, and it didn’t take rocket science to quickly figure out that her mother thought Olivia was going to get something out of Austin’s estate.
She lifted her coffee mug to her lips and looked at Gage. Olivia had everything she ever needed in life, and thanks to Austin, it was all securely hers. She didn’t need anything else. It was all Cade’s.
The coffee scorched her throat when she swallowed hard. Yep, it was all Cade’s, and he’d soon be throwing it all into boxes or dumpsters and heading back to his life in Wisconsin.
Chapter Seven
Olivia’s mood had quickly soured after her mother’s visit. The offer had been made, because that’s what good daughters do, for her to stay with them during her visit. But even Celeste knew it would be better to get a room in town. After all, Olivia was a bit too old fashioned when it came to her own mother bringing strangers home from the bar. Not that those words had been said aloud, but they both knew the implications.
Olivia shook her head as she washed down the kitchen table. That wasn’t fair. Perhaps her mother had changed. Then again, maybe she hadn’t.
She scrubbed harder as she thought that she missed Austin much more than she’d ever missed her mother. Celeste Baker never seemed to be quite far enough away, except when Olivia had moved back to Grand Junction before Gage was born. She had been quite surprised to find she was a grandmother, and Olivia had been just as surprised to find her mother had been in jail that whole time.
Her negative thoughts shifted when the phone rang. She reached for the receiver and answered it.
“I saw your mom’s car drive over the bridge. I figured it was safe to call.”
She had been so angry all morning, Olivia couldn’t have imagined that Cade’s voice on the other end of the phone would actually put her at ease.
She slid into one of the chairs at the table and relaxed. “I got your message.”
“Good. I didn’t want you to think I snuck away.”
She didn’t confirm that that had been a thought.
“I
Olivia bit back the smile. Her mother didn’t even realize she’d passed on a message.
He hadn’t run out on her in the middle of the night. He’d gone for breakfast, but had run into her mother. Even Cade knew that wasn’t a good sign.
Perhaps he had changed. She let the smile surface on her lips, but only momentarily. It had been a very long time since Olivia looked forward to seeing Cade again, and this time perhaps she wouldn’t let him only sleep.
Clearing her mind, Olivia poured the milk into the cup, tightened on the lid, and set it in front of Gage. He scooped it up and went about drinking it.
“I did arrange Austin’s funeral. There was no one around to do it.”
“What about that sister of his? Last I saw her she was in Vegas.” Which meant Celeste had been, too.
“You know, she’s gone.” Olivia thought better of it. “Or was. I think she was here long enough to empty the house of a few things while we were all at the funeral.”
Her mother gave her a slow nod. “So Cade just let you do all the work?”
She wasn’t going to sell Cade out, not at this point. “It was my pleasure to do it, Mom.”
“I’ll bet it was.” The words were said under her breath, but not completely hidden.
The vile taste of distain filled Olivia’s mouth. “So, how come you showed back up now?”
“A woman wants to see her grandson from time to time.” She brushed her hand over Gage’s head. “Why don’t you let me take him for the morning? I’ll go get him a donut or something sweet. That’s what Grandmas do, right?”
“Mom, he doesn’t need anything like that.”
“Well, it would give you a moment to get out of that nasty T-shirt and get a shower.”
Olivia let out a long breath. She wasn’t going to get into it with her own mother. But there was more, and it didn’t take rocket science to quickly figure out that her mother thought Olivia was going to get something out of Austin’s estate.
She lifted her coffee mug to her lips and looked at Gage. Olivia had everything she ever needed in life, and thanks to Austin, it was all securely hers. She didn’t need anything else. It was all Cade’s.
The coffee scorched her throat when she swallowed hard. Yep, it was all Cade’s, and he’d soon be throwing it all into boxes or dumpsters and heading back to his life in Wisconsin.
Chapter Seven
Olivia’s mood had quickly soured after her mother’s visit. The offer had been made, because that’s what good daughters do, for her to stay with them during her visit. But even Celeste knew it would be better to get a room in town. After all, Olivia was a bit too old fashioned when it came to her own mother bringing strangers home from the bar. Not that those words had been said aloud, but they both knew the implications.
Olivia shook her head as she washed down the kitchen table. That wasn’t fair. Perhaps her mother had changed. Then again, maybe she hadn’t.
She scrubbed harder as she thought that she missed Austin much more than she’d ever missed her mother. Celeste Baker never seemed to be quite far enough away, except when Olivia had moved back to Grand Junction before Gage was born. She had been quite surprised to find she was a grandmother, and Olivia had been just as surprised to find her mother had been in jail that whole time.
Her negative thoughts shifted when the phone rang. She reached for the receiver and answered it.
“I saw your mom’s car drive over the bridge. I figured it was safe to call.”
She had been so angry all morning, Olivia couldn’t have imagined that Cade’s voice on the other end of the phone would actually put her at ease.
She slid into one of the chairs at the table and relaxed. “I got your message.”
“Good. I didn’t want you to think I snuck away.”
She didn’t confirm that that had been a thought.
“I
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