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

time to give you up now.” Her chin trembled and her entire body shook with her effort to control her emotions. She reached in and touched his hair one last time, then leaned over and kissed him gently. She patted his chest, straightened his tie, and touched each button on his shirt, anything to avoid leaving him. Her sobs grew louder as the pain of losing him became the harshest and cruelest of realities. She leaned over his casket to rest her cheek on his chest, the pain in her side nothing compared to the pain of her heart breaking.
    Mac and Lexie ran to Jackson and Bill for comfort while Carrie and Sam’s family moved in around their mother to support Giselle through the traumatizing transition of letting go. When she’d finally gained control of her emotions, Jackson lowered Lexie to the floor and she and her sister rejoined their mother.
    They somberly left the room to wait outside while the six pallbearers prepared to carry Toby to his final resting place. The five male members of Carrie’s family had known him for nearly seven years and thought of him as a brother...or a son, in Sam’s case. The sixth was Toby’s co-worker and close friend, Grant.
    The rain diminished to a light drizzle by the time they arrived at the graveyard. People got out of their vehicles and began the walk to the tent, while the snap and pop of umbrellas opening punctuated the otherwise somber silence. The service was a heartwarming tribute given by Father Mitch, the local priest, another friend of Toby’s. As soon as he finished, the rain ended.
    “You see?” Father Mitch said to everyone. “Toby doesn’t want his girls to get wet.” Giselle actually smiled and the girls giggled. It was just the thing needed to lighten everyone’s mood. Giselle hugged Father Mitch, and thanked him for the beautiful words that she knew had been difficult for him to say without breaking down.
    Giselle stood next to the casket, both hands splayed over the glossy mahogany, her head lowered, and filled with the scent of the gorgeous spray Carrie and her family had donated. She finally straightened, and plucked three roses for herself and her girls before pulling away from the casket. As soon as she stepped from under the covering, several shafts of sunlight broke through the clouds like spears through tufts of cotton.
    Mackenzie pulled on her mother’s hand as she pointed upward. “Mom, look at that!”
    Everyone turned and gasped at a perfectly defined rainbow on the horizon.
    “Did Daddy send it for us?” Lexie asked her mother.
    “I bet he did, baby. I bet he asked God to send us that rainbow so that we wouldn’t be so sad. He’s still taking care of us, isn’t he?”
    “That’s just like daddy to do that for us,” Mac said.
    “Yep, it sure is,” Lexie agreed. “Momma, can we go home now? I heard Carrie tell Bill that some daughters have brought a lot of food to our house, and I’m getting hungry.”
    Jackson heard the comment and laughed.
    Giselle grinned at her daughter. “The Catholic Daughters...nice ladies from our church, have brought food.”
    “Oh...Jackson, are you coming to our house to eat some food the Calflick Daughters brought?” Lexie asked.
    “We don’t want to impose,” he told Giselle.
    “You’re not imposing. The girls would be upset if you and Bill weren’t there.” She put her hand to her side and winced.
    Jackson walked quickly over to support her. “Do you have your pain pills with you?”
    “No, I forgot them at home, and it’s time, too.”
    “Let’s get you home.” He helped her into the limo and loaded the girls inside for her so they could leave.
    The atmosphere inside Giselle’s home was light-hearted, largely due to her youngest daughter. Once Lexie realized she had a captive audience, she kept everyone laughing with the antics and ‘Lexi-isms’ she was famous for.
    “Momma, did you know that Bill has a ranch, and he has horses, and cows, and even some little piggy goats that don’t