Read Online The Sweet By and By by Sara Evans - Free Book Online

beginnings.”
    â€œMax. Son, over here,” Rebel beckoned.
    Max lifted his lips from Jade’s and peeked across the room. “Shoot, he’s with Dickson Waters. Potential client.”
    â€œWork never ends, does it?” Jade commented. The slender, bearded man with Rebel wore a vintage Pierre Cardin tuxedo. “See if he wants to sell his tux.”
    â€œWant him to take it off so you can carry it home?”
    â€œOh, could you do that for me? Thanks.” Jade kissed his cheek and shoved him toward his dad and the client.
    â€œCareful, babe. My back.” Max covered his lower back with his broad hand.
    Jade winced. Three trips to the physical therapist hadn’t done much for the pain. When Jade asked him about the pain meds, he changed the subject.
    Over by the kitchen, Rice talked with June, patting her shoulders while nodding, her lips forming short phrases. After a moment, June hugged her, then slipped inside the kitchen.
    Well, enough of this wing-ding. Jade was ready to go home. The lovely evening and gracious company no longer distracted her from the pinch of her dress’s waistband. She was ready for baggy pajamas and an old movie on TMC.
    Max appeared to be finishing up with his father and vintage-tux man. Jade decided to deposit her glass in the kitchen and tap his shoulder as she passed. Their signal for “time to go.”
    â€œJade, over here.” An inebriated man propped against the wall by the kitchen door pssst -ed her. Sloppy and slow, he tapped a blank check. “I don’t have a wife to tell me what to do. What do you think? One, two? Five?”
    Jade peeked at the check. “I can’t tell you how much to give.” She glanced around. “Maybe one of your friends can help you . . . what charity is this for anyway?” She didn’t bring her checkbook, but she’d bring a check around tomorrow.
    â€œCome on, Jade, don’t be shy. This isn’t for charity. You’re why we’re all here in monkey suits listening to parlor music. Five? Is that good? Y’all need a house, don’t you? Can’t live in his bachelor condo forever. There’s no place for kids.”
    The man jammed his hand inside his tuxedo jacket. “Do you got a pen?”
    â€œWhat do you mean, I’m why you’re all here?”
    â€œAh, here it is.” The man lifted a ballpoint from his side pocket. Jade watched as he wrote five thousand in a large, loopy script. “For you and Max.
    Seed money.”
    â€œFive thousand?” she said, the words coming out more loudly than she intended. “Dollars?” Her words billowed, stopping all commotion. “For Max and me?”
    â€œShould it be more?” The man eyed her with a cloudy gaze before pointing with his pen across the room. “Bump Davis, don’t cheat the kids now.”
    â€œYou worry about yourself, Taylor.”
    â€œWait, everyone, please. Stop!” Jade charged into the middle of the room.
    â€œIs this why you came here tonight? To give us money?”
    â€œBabe . . .” Max gently tugged her from the middle of the room, whispering in her ear, “It’s okay.”
    â€œNo, it’s not.” Heat rolled down her neck, across her torso. “Put your checkbooks and wallets away, please.”
    â€œJade, sugar, settle down.” Rebel chewed on the tip of his unlit stogie. “This is our tradition for our kids and grandkids.”
    â€œWhose tradition, Rebel? Yours? Bump’s? Tom and Taylor’s? Nettie’s?” The burn on her face intensified, and she began to tremble. “Certainly not mine.”
    â€œJade.” Max’s fingers bit into her flesh. “Shh.”
    He walked her to the edge of the great room and said in a low voice, “These people are my parents’ friends. My friends, soon to be yours. Not to mention, your business demographic.”
    â€œThis is humiliating, Max.”