Page 54 of Sainte
He smirks. “I told you to leave him home, Emma.”
“I know, but look at him. He loves it here. And why should he be at home in his crate when he can be here hanging out with his daddy?”
I can’t help but laugh.
“Whatever,” Ice replies. “I’ll watch the mutt.”
“He’s not a mutt!” Emma replies defensively. “He’s my baby.”
“Yeah, and what about that little bun in your oven? Isn’t she your baby?”
“Well, yes,he is too.” They are still arguing about the gender of the baby, and the dog. It’s actually cute and pretty damned funny.
Just then, Brianne and Tara come back down and join us. “Hey, so you ladies up for some girl time? Thought we’d take you all shopping for anything you might need.”
“That sounds great,” Tara replies. I basically have the small bag I packed for my paradise trip.” She smirks, realizing how wrong she was about that.
“I would love to,” Brianne replies. “I don’t need much, but it will be fun to get out in the world for a change.”
Emma looks over at Brianne. “You sure you’re feeling up to it?” She’s such a mom sometimes.
“Yeah, it will be good to get out and feel normal again.”
“Well then, it sounds like a plan.” I turn toward Ice. “May I take the Jeep?”
He reaches in his pocket and hands me the keys and a wad of cash. I look down at the money in my hand in surprise and then back at him. “You all get something nice. My treat.” He looks over at Sainte and then says, “Don’t spend it all in one place.”
I’m floored. So maybe he is starting to trust me again. For a brief moment, I think about all the coke I could buy with this money, but then the trust he just afforded me stares me in the face.He trusts you. Don’t blow it.I know without a doubt I won’t let him down.
I reach over the bar for my purse. “Ya’ll ready?
“I left my purse upstairs,” Brianne says and turns toward the steps. “I’ll be right back.”
“Me too,” Tara says and follows Brianne.
When the girls are gone, Sainte pulls me aside. “You okay?” He looks at me, and I see the concern on his face.
I nod. “I’m okay. The trust I just got from Ice and you means everything. I won’t disappoint you, promise,” I say, trying to reassure him. It has now become an issue that I don’t want to ever have either of them look at me the way they did the night I burst into the meeting. It surprises me because I never really cared what Sainte thought of me, but now, it matters.
The girls come back down, and the four of us head outside to the Jeep. This is gonna be fun. I haven’t had a girls’ day in such a long time. If I think about it, the last time was when Emma took me out the day before my first real date with Hawk.
Hawk.I touch the wad of money in my pocket. Shaking my head, I think to myself,No!Make Ice and Sainte proud of you.
Chapter 20
Sainte
When the girls are gone, Ice finishes his drink and looks down at Hobbes. “How the fuck did I get stuck dog-sitting?”
I laugh. “Oh come on, he’s a good dog. He requires very little maintenance. You just gotta walk him once in a while.”
“Well, Emma just brought him in a little bit ago, so he should be fine for a while.”
“Come on, I heard from Michael while you were gone.”
“Oh yeah? Am I gonna wanna hear what you have to say?”
I walk toward his office and call back, “You might.”
