Free Masquerade (Masquerade #1) by S Williams

the way it was.
    “Hey.”
    I all but drop my coffee on the floor as I jump in my chair at that voice.
    “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”
    “It’s not your fault,” I say with a forced smile on my face.
    “Did you sleep well?”
    “Not really. I slept like shit. Thank you for staying here last night, Chris. It means a lot to me.”
    He kisses my lips swiftly, but he backs away. “You okay?”
    I glance around as if any minute we are going to get caught. “It’s okay, Jules. He went out to get some breakfast.”
    Leaping out of my chair and sprinting towards him like a mad woman, I push him into the counter with my body flush with his. I stand on my tiptoes to kiss him again. He pulls me into him, kissing me back. I open my mouth and push my tongue into his mouth to explore every part.
    I moan in his mouth when the front door opens and closes. I pull back and race back to my seat to sip on my coffee. Alan comes strolling in the kitchen and sets down the food he has picked up from a waffle place not too far from my house.
    He leans down and kisses my cheek, making me tense. “You doing okay, Red?”
    “As good as I can be.” I get up hurriedly. “I need to check on Lucy. I need to get my head straight to explain to her what is going on. “
    I get dressed in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and begin brushing my hair out. I leave it wet, and I decide it’s now or never. As I walk down the hall to her room, my mind is reeling on how to say this all to her. How do you tell a five year old that both of her parents are dead?
    When I reach her room and open the door, it looks like she just woke up. “Hey, sleepy head.”
    She smiles her bright smile. “Hey.”
    “How about you go run and brush your teeth then come back in here to put your clothes on and meet me in the living room when you’re done. I need to talk to you. Okay?”
    “Okay. I will be there soon.” She giggles and leaves.
    I walk into the living room and find a seat on the couch, trying to get ready for this talk.
    As I am staring off into space, she jumps on the couch. “I am ready. Unless I am in trouble.”
    “No, you’re not in trouble, but I do need to talk to you about where mom and dad are.”
    “Are they still in the hospital?”
    This is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I don’t know if I can do it. Letting a breath out, I tell her, “No, baby. They aren’t at the hospital.”
    “Yay. That means there are here and better.”
    I shake my head. “No, Lucy, they are not here either. Mom and dad went to Heaven.”
    “They went to Heaven? Well, when are they coming home?”
    Tears fall down my face. “They aren’t. Remember that accident you were in with them?”
    She looks like what has happened just hit her. “Yeah.”
    “They didn’t make it. They died from all the injuries they got during the wreck.”
    She puts her head down and when she looks back up, tears are spilling over her eyelids. “Why?”
    I can’t hold it any longer. Bawling, I pull her into my lap and hold her tightly. “I don’t know, baby. I have asked myself the same question. You know they loved you very much, right?”
    She can’t talk. All she does is cry. We both sit weeping until we can’t any more. Alan walks in and puts his arms around me. Chris takes Lucy and holds her. We sit there in silence for what feels like hours.
    Lucy cries so much that she falls asleep in Chris’ arms. “Chris, you can put her in bed if you want. You look uncomfortable.” His arms have to be asleep.
    “No, I’m good. I don’t want to let go of her right now. She needs that comfort.”
    If I didn’t already love him, I would have just fell head over heels, but I feel Alan still wrapped around me. Shit. I feel bad enough, but honestly, I can’t help it. I need to get away from him.
    “I am going to eat a little then start doing all the calling I need to do to start funeral arrangements.”
    Alan gives me a worried look, but he just shakes his head. I