Read Online Steele Resolve (The Detective Jasmine Steele Series Book 1) by Kimberly Amato - Free Book Online Page B

down next to me. “I didn’t want to wake you,” I reply. Her hand finds its way to the sore spot and she gently tries to massage out the pain.
    “You wouldn’t have woken me. If you were concerned about something else,” she inhales deeply as if trying to find her thoughts, “that wouldn’t have happened.”
    “It wasn’t that. I just didn’t want to wake you. That’s all.” The second her hand leaves my back, my skin feels cold. She reaches forward and hands me my cup of coffee. “Maybe you should have a professional take a look at that,” she sips her steaming mug. “It’s all good now, but thanks,” I lie.
    “Do you have to work today?” I look up to see Chase in his pajamas with the feet attached. No matter how old he acts, every now and again he does something that reminds you he’s still a kid. As he stands there in his footy pajamas, I try to hide my laughter at the adorable sight.
    “Yeah, little man. I have to work on this case.”
    “Is it getting worse?” He climbs onto the couch with me, his eyes looking like he barely got any rest.
    “Not so much worse as confusing the fu…”
    “Watch your language.” Of course Frankie walks in right on cue.
    “Sorry. It’s confusing me a lot kiddo,” I enjoy a sip of my precious liquid.
    “Why do you do that?”
    “Do what?”
    “Call me little man and then call me kiddo?”
    “Umm, I dunno. It’s just what comes out of my mouth.”
    “Your Aunt Jazz is a bit of a nickname-aholic. Instead of one, you end up with whatever she can come up with.”
    “Great. Can we just stick to those two then? Please?”
    “I’ll try, but I can’t promise anything. Bad memory.”
    “No, you’re just old.” I cannot believe he just said that. Looking in his eyes, he knows something’s up. Before I can grab him for some much deserved tickle torture, he’s off running into Frankie’s arms. “Ha, you can’t catch me.”
    “Chase, my dear little man. You’re in Frankie’s arms,” I lean back confidently.
    “Yeah, so. She’s the safety zone,” he states calm as can be.
    Sipping my coffee, I look back offer to him and smile mischievously,
    “No, my dear little man, she’s worse than I could ever be.”
    I see the change in his expression right away. He rolls his eyes up and sees Frankie smiling at him. In second he’s giggling and rolling around in her arms trying to break free. “Stop, that tickles,” he says through gasps and laugher. “It’s supposed to.”
    “Please Aunt Frankie…” Everything stops. I just stare at Chase, then Frankie who looks like a deer in a set of headlights. She looks at me, a mixture of emotions oozing off her, but what they are I can’t tell.
    “Is that okay?” Chase snaps me back to reality and to the situation at hand. “Is that okay?” He asks again fear rising in his voice.
    “Is what okay?” I manage to squeak out. Maybe if I avoid the awkward situation it will go away.
    “Not you, Aunt Jazz,” he replies simply.
    There are moments when kids put you in your place. This is one of those moments. I’m at a loss to what to think, say or feel. Here’s a term of endearment he’s giving to the woman who would have been his other guardian. Chase wiggles out of Frankie’s arms and looks up to him with innocence filling his eyes. “Is it okay?”
    “You can call me whatever you like, Chase,” she smiles and hugs him tightly. “Okay,” he smiles and then flops to the floor to play with his pajama feet. I’m met with silence. Frankie fumbles with her rings while I play with my coffee mug. What the hell do you say after your ex just gets called an aunt? I thought that title was reserved for the spouse of the aunt or uncle. “I’m just going to shower,” Frankie says cutting into the eerie silence. I simply nod as Frankie dashes to the bathroom. I look down at Chase, who’s smiling ear to ear, before grabbing the case notes on the table.
    “I really like her,” Chase throws out to me. “I’m