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

grow very big at all.”
    “I think he may have Pygmy goats,” Giselle corrected.
    “I guess so. Anyway, he also has a big pond on his ranch where we could go fishing. He wants to cook us all a barbeque when your rib doesn’t hurt you anymore. He said our whole family could go...Carrie’s and Sam’s too. Can we go, Momma?”
    “Maybe by the time school ends I’ll be feeling better and we could plan a day like that.”
    “Can’t we plan it now, Momma?” she pleaded.
    “Lex, you’re putting poor Bill on the spot.”
    “It’s my idea,” Bill told her. He lowered himself onto the unoccupied chair next to her. “As a matter of fact, Mac told me she and Lex both have birthdays coming up in July. One’s on a Friday and the others is the next Tuesday. How about planning a joint party for them on the Sunday? I’d love it if you’d say yes, Giselle. It would give this old man something to look forward to for the next few months.”
    She looked into the kind blue eyes of the generous man and felt a connection to him. Maybe it’s just that he and Jackson were as alone as she and Toby had been since the deaths of their adoptive parents. For whatever reason, her girls had seemed to form a bond with these two men.
    “All right,” she said, nodding gratefully. Mackenzie brought the kitchen calendar to her so she could mark the date. Her two girls jumped around excitedly, and told anyone who would listen about their upcoming birthday party at Bill’s ranch.
    That afternoon, Carrie tucked Giselle and her daughters into bed for a nap and went outside to meet her husband. She found him with Jackson and Bill, discussing some overhanging tree branches that needed to be trimmed.
    “I thought you two went home an hour ago,” she said, stepping out onto the patio.
    Jackson shook his head. “We’ve been discussing maintenance issues for this place. I told Sam that if the rain stops, I’ll come over on Saturday to do her yard work. He’s been showing me some things that I can take care of for her.”
    “I’m sure she’d appreciate that,” Carrie told him. “You know, I’ve been thinking how rough it’ll be on those girls not to have their dad around for ball games. He’s gone to every tee-ball game since Mac’s been in it. This is Lexie’s first year, and I know Toby looked forward to watching her.”
    Jackson rubbed his hand over his jaw. “You think Giselle would mind if I made some of their games?”
    “I’d like to make some, as well,” Bill added.
    “I don’t see why not,” she said.
    “The girls would love it,” Sam added. “You know, I always thought it was odd that Toby didn’t play baseball, as much as he loved other sports. I guess you knew he was a star running back for L.S.U.” he told the other two men. “You ever played baseball, Jackson?”
    Jackson shot a warning look at his uncle. “I played some. So when does ball season start around here?”
    “It starts the end of March, about a month away. Opening day’s a big deal here,” Sam added. “Think you guys can make it?”
    “Just let us know...We’ll be there,” Jackson replied.
    Jackson and Bill said their goodbyes and got settled into his pickup.
    Bill buckled his seatbelt and turned to his nephew. “ I played some ? What the hell was that all about?”
    “It was high school and a little bit of college.”
    “A little bit of college?” Bill asked incredulously. “You had scouts for the major leagues watching you.”
    “Keep it to yourself, Uncle Bill. Nobody wants to hear about any of that, or why it didn’t happen.”
    Bill stared at his nephew while shaking his head. “What could it hurt, Jackson? It’s not like you’ve tooted your own damn horn about it all these years. And that bitch, Chloe, isn’t around anymore to kick you down about throwing your shoulder out before you hit the big time.”
    Jackson clenched down on his jaw. “Don’t say her name around me. That part of my life is over with, and so is