Read Online Skin Like Dawn by Jade Alyse - Free Book Online

and such, and she didn’t have nearly the amount of strength it took to reach across the table and strangle him.  She also remembered the sacrifices he’d made for her over the years: anyone who was willing to put up with her or her mother, the Helen Marie Chandler, and still live to tell the tale, deserved some type of medal.  After all, what did she expect when she decided to drop out of school?  Stay in North Carolina?  For what reason? They’d moved there for her; for her dreams, her livelihood.  Didn’t he deserve a chance now? 
    Fear engulfed her, but she refused to show it.  Even when he reached across the table and picked up her hand.  But hell, who was she kidding?  She’d been swimming in and out of varying moods for days now.  She could feel a myriad of things between now and the time they’d actually leave.  Why dwell?
    The familiarity of his touch tempered her.  She exhaled.  “So, what exactly will you be doing?” 
    “Ads for websites, product labels and such.”
    “And such?” 
    “Yes. I’ll be helping boss around meek little copywriters while the art directors tear me a new one for pressuring them to get their logos and illustrations done faster.” 
    “In Portland?  As in Oregon?” 
    “Yes, baby.  Art has life over there, you’ll see.” 
    “I could scream.” 
    He squeezed her hand.  “Tallie.” 
    “Don’t you Tallie me.  I had absolutely no say!  What happened to being husband and wife?” 
    “We’re still that, baby.” 
    She snatched her hand out of his grasp.  “No.  This is equivalent to staring at your own dick in the mirror to make sure it’s still there.  This had nothing to do with me.  No matter how much you try and sell it to yourself.” 
    “Would you please give it a chance?  For me?” 
    “I do everything for you.  I’m sitting here aren’t I?  I tell you what, Brandon Greene, this is not a marriage.  I love you with everything I have, but this is not a marriage.” 
    They didn’t make love that night.  
     
    INSTEAD, SHE CAME TO BED LATER THAN HIM, HAVING WALKED HALF A MILE UP THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD STREET and back, just to get a sense of things.  He didn’t think for one second that it would be wise to follow her; however, when she returned, he was sitting in the living room, waiting for her, arched back and uneasy, hands tightly clasped in his lap.  He looked kind of beautiful in the silhouette of the moonlight, softening her just enough that a tear ran the length of her cheek.  She walked over to him, placed her hands on his cheeks and drew a kiss from his lips.  “I hate you so much.” She pressed her forehead into his. 
    “I know.” 
    “I’m scared, Brandy.  Really scared.” 
    “I’m scared too, baby.  But I’m here.  We always work things out, don’t we?” 
    “Yes.” She smiled.  “But it’s not just ‘us’ anymore.” 
    “Fair enough.  But I promise that we’ll never have to worry about anything again.  This is a brand new us.” 
     
    AND SHE WANTED TO BELIEVE IT.  Within weeks, their entire house had been put away into boxes: pictures, memories and such.  They’d rented a house in Kenton, near North Portland Harbor, with Mt. Hood as an ethereally white peak in the backdrop.  
    Wherever the hell that was.  
    Brandon was beside himself with excitement; but what did he know of roots?  Hell, he hadn’t been home to New York in any steady sense, since he left there just before traveling down to Georgia to enjoy an all-paid soccer scholarship.  But somewhere along the line, that fell through, pissing his parents off immensely.  But did he come back home?  No.  He greatly enjoyed chasing after bottle-blond southern belles, drinking ice cold beer, attending football games, losing every sense of his identity in the process.  She could only roll her eyes at the thought of it all.  
    The end was near.  She could feel it keenly.  Might as well drop to her knees, throw her head back