Read Online The Pledge by Chandra Sparks Taylor - Free Book Online Page B

didn’t return. “I really hope you have a good time, Courtland.”
    Â 
    Allen arrived at seven sharp, looking good in a navy suit, white shirt and a navy and red tie. It was as though we had planned our outfits so we matched.
    â€œDon’t you two look nice,” Momma said as I came downstairs after she let Allen in.
    She grabbed her digital camera off the coffee table and began snapping pictures while Daddy sat there pretending to read the paper. I noticed he still had on his police uniform, and I wondered if he had to go back to work, but I didn’t bother to ask.
    â€œThank you, Mrs. M.,” Allen said. He leaned over and gave me a kiss on the cheek. “You look beautiful, Courtland,” he said, handing me a wrist corsage.
    â€œSo do you,” I said, accepting it.
    â€œYou ready?” he asked.
    I nodded. As I was going to grab my purse and coat, Daddy stood. “Before you go, I need a DNA sample,” he said.
    My mouth dropped open, and Allen looked at me, not sure if Daddy was serious. Honestly, I wasn’t sure either until Momma said, “Corwin, leave that boy alone.”
    I burst out laughing, and Momma looked up from the digital camera. “Oh, Lord,” she muttered as she started taking pictures.
    â€œDaddy, you’re silly,” Cory said, and giggled.
    â€œNaw, baby, I’m crazy,” Daddy said. “Allen is a nice guy, but I want him to know Courtland’s daddy is crazy, and he won’t hesitate to act a fool if someone hurts his daughter.”
    I shook my head and looked at Allen, whose eyes widened as Daddy plopped down in a recliner, grabbed a handful of peppermints from the bowl on the table and started eating them with the wrappers on. After a few seconds he spit them out and grinned.
    â€œI’m just messing with you,” he said to Allen, who looked relieved.
    Daddy grinned, and I relaxed. Daddy excused himself, and Allen and I stood posing for pictures. I was relieved when Momma said the memory card was full. She started deleting pictures, and I used the break to get out of there.
    I gathered my purse, and Momma called for Daddy.
    â€œCorwin, the kids are leaving. Come say goodbye,” she said.
    I went to the hallway mirror to check my makeup, stopping short when I saw Daddy’s reflection over my shoulder. I turned around, not believing what I was seeing.
    Daddy looked a hot mess as Momma would say. He had a necktie around his head like a scarf, his shirt was half out of his pants, his belt was wrapped around his leg and he’d somehow managed to put a sock on over his shoe.
    When I thought we were free to go, he turned to Allen. “I need to talk to you,” he told Allen, and I groaned to myself. I thought we were going to get away without him saying anything more.
    â€œYes, sir,” Allen said.
    I gave Momma a look, and she shrugged. She had already given me the talk about behaving myself like a Christian young lady, spending an hour talking about why abstinence was the only sure way of not getting pregnant or getting an STD. I had tuned most of it out. The girls in Worth the Wait had already told me she’d do that.
    It wasn’t that I hadn’t thought about having sex with Allen because I had, but I knew it wasn’t something I was ready to do anytime soon. I was really serious about the vow I had taken to stay a virgin until I got married, and Allen was cool with it.
    Daddy and Allen stayed gone for about ten minutes. When they came back, Allen winked at me, letting me know everything was okay, then he helped me into my coat.
    â€œYou guys have a good time,” Momma called, while Daddy stood next to her with his hand resting on his gun. “Allen, have my baby back here by eleven.”
    I turned and looked at Momma. We hadn’t discussed my curfew, but I had assumed it wouldn’t be so early. I mean, granted she had given me a little leeway since I had to be home by