Read Online Last First Kiss by Kimberly Killion, Lori H. Leger - Free Book Online

your nice suite,” Giselle told him. “She makes Toby late all the time...” She froze, as the reality of no more Toby hit her full force. “I mean...she made him late...he’d have to go change his shirt before he could leave the house in the mornings,” she finished in a whisper, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. “Excuse me, I have to get ready.”
    “Do you need me to call Carrie?” Sam asked.
    “No, I’ll be fine. Could someone clean Lexie up, please?”
    “I got that,” Jackson said, getting up to wet a paper towel and beginning to wipe the child down. “Between the three of us grown men, we could probably get the girls ready for you and give you and Carrie a break. I just can’t do their hair.”
    “Mac can do her own hair, and I’ll tend to Lexie’s.”
    “Mom, can you braid my hair today?” Mac asked, running up to her mother. “Daddy liked it in one long braid, and I want to look nice for daddy.”
    “Sure baby, when I’m done.” Giselle gently smoothed the child’s bangs back away from her forehead. She suddenly pulled her daughter’s head close to her own body and hugged her tightly. “Daddy will like that.” She placed a kiss firmly on the top of the dark silky head that was so much like Toby’s. The action made her remember that she would never again feel Toby’s hair against her lips, and it brought tears to her eyes. She wiped at them hastily, and released her daughter before turning toward the hallway. “I’ll lay their clothes out for you.”
    Lexie watched her mother walk from the room. “I wish momma wasn’t so sad.”
    “I know. She’ll be sad for awhile, but it won’t last forever,” Jackson told her as he ran his fingers through her silky ringlets.
    “Maybe God will send her someone else to make her happy.”
    “You never know,” he said, as he carried her to the sink.
    “I don’t like not having a daddy. You think he could send her someone who could be a good daddy for us?” she asked him.
    Bill and Sam watched Jackson as he brought a warm washcloth to Lexie’s face to wipe it thoroughly. “Maybe he will one day, Lex, but you can’t rush something like that. She really loved your daddy a lot. It’ll be hard for someone to come in and take his place.”
    “What about you, Jackson?” Lexie asked.
    He continued to wipe her face. “What about me?”
    “Could you take his place? You already hug and smell like a daddy.”
    Jackson’s hand froze in mid air. “I do?” he asked, studying the child’s face.
    She nodded enthusiastically, sending her ringlets bouncing.
    “I’m kind of curious, Lex. How do daddies hug and smell?”
    She scrunched her little face up in concentration. “My daddy always smelled good and so do you, and when he hugged me, I felt all warm and comfable. That’s how you make me feel. Did I ‘splain it good enough, Jackson?”
    Jackson blinked quickly then cleared his throat. “Yeah, Lex, you explained it fine.” He kissed her lightly on the forehead. “I believe that’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.”
     
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    At eight o’clock, the group entered the funeral home, shaking the water from umbrellas and shedding raincoats. Toby’s girls were dressed in their finery, and hoped he approved from wherever he watched.
    A somber Giselle dreaded the inevitable. She would never again run her fingers through the black silkiness of Toby’s hair, or gaze into the mesmerizing sexiness of his beautiful, brown eyes. Her daughters sensed her distress, and abandoned their ‘favorite’ men to remain by her side for the service.
    All too soon, it ended, and the occupants of the funeral home vacated the viewing room, leaving only family members behind.
    Giselle faced the final moment with her daughters pressed closely to her side. God give me the strength to do this, she prayed, as she stood to make the final viewing of the only man she’d ever loved. She stood staring down at Toby. “Hey baby, I guess it’s