Free Yield to Love by Chanta Jefferson Rand Page B

seemed like a prude who
couldn’t handle one fourth of the freaky things he was capable
of.
    “ You and Marlowe have a
lot in common,” his daughter said, almost reading his
mind.
    “ Excuse you?” He reached
over and placed a palm over her forehead. “You don’t feel sick, but
obviously you’re delirious with fever.”
    She giggled. “I spent some time with her
today, and I saw a lot of similarities between you two.”
    He sat up. “Whoa. Did I hear you right?
Where did you see her?”
    Roque listened as his daughter gave him a
long version of events that transpired earlier that day,
culminating with Marlowe helping her pick out a bra.
    “ Why didn’t you tell me
you needed a…bra?” he asked.
    “ You can barely say the
word, Dad. And what would you have done? Sent Brett to take care of
it? I needed a woman, and there are clearly none
around.”
    She was right. Damn Natalyn. The woman
should be here for her daughter. “You could have called your
mom.”
    Jade shook her head, her dark curls bouncing
with the movement. “We both know that’s a joke. She’s too busy with
Ebenezer.”
    “ C’mon, he’s not that
old.”
    “ Yeah, that’s what Marlowe
said.”
    His jaw dropped. “You told her about your
mother?”
    “ Sometimes I need someone
to talk to. Marlowe is a good listener.”
    Shit, Marlowe was so busy going off on him,
she never had a chance to listen to anything he had to say. “So,
what are you two, BFFs now?”
    She rolled her eyes. “I’m just saying, she’s
misunderstood—like you.”
    He was tired of comparisons of him and
Marlowe. The only thing they had in common was the mutual enjoyment
of that kiss they’d shared. A kiss that had him thinking about her
more than he should. She was already getting under his skin. He
couldn’t have her hanging around his daughter, invading his
personal space. He realized that must have been her car he saw on
the road earlier. What if she started spending time with Jade? He
didn’t trust her in his house. Worse, he didn’t trust himself
around her.
    Irritated, he stood. “I want you to refrain
from any further contact with Ms. Jones,” he told Jade.
    “ Why?”
    “ Because I’m your father
and I said so.” He ignored her pouting lips. “And how did you get
her number anyway?”
    “ I looked it up in your
contacts on your computer.”
    He scowled. “I don’t mess with your
computer. Don’t mess with mine. Thanks for the heads up. I’m
changing my password.”
    “ Fine!” She narrowed her
eyes.
    He walked toward the door.
    “ Oh, Dad.” She jumped up.
“You can have this back too.” She opened the top drawer of her
bureau and she handed him a small square of plastic. “Your credit
card,” she said simply. “Don’t worry, I didn’t charge too much. I
kept it under five hundred.”
    “ Five hundred dollars!” he
thundered. “On a bra?”
    Jade didn’t flinch. “Several bras, plus
underwear, socks, and pajamas. Marlowe says every young woman
should have suitable undergarments she can be proud of. What you
put on beneath your clothes is just as important as the clothes
themselves.”
    Roque pocketed his credit card and stalked
from the room.
    That does it. I’m going to have a talk with
Ms. Jones!
     
    ###
     
    Marlowe sat in the conference room at Three
Sister’s Construction trying to focus on what the representatives
from Relay for Life were saying. This was the first day she hadn’t
gone directly to her mother’s house. Well, it was her house now.
Every time she thought about wading through the mass of Reesa’s
personal belongings, she almost had a panic attack. Within the span
of a few days, this task had gone from exciting to overwhelming.
She had half a mind to call Juan and his crew and have them gut the
entire house. Then, she’d be done with this mess once and for
all.
    She hadn’t slept at all last night. She’d
tossed and turned, and when slumber finally claimed her, she’d
dreamed she was stranded on a