Page 166 of Losing Faith

I don’t trust my voice to be strong enough to speak up, so I only nod.

Hugging Belle tighter, I let out a contented sigh at the smell of her cherry scent and bury my face in her neck. I kiss her cheek and keep her in my arms as I walk into the kitchen. “Do you want to eat before we start working?”

I rest her on the counter and stand between her legs as she passionately tells me about her breakfast that she apparently did not enjoy. I turn to look for Jackson and he looks like he’s about to say something, but his phone starts ringing. He pulls out his phone and his brows furrow before he looks back over at us.

“This is important…” He glances down at his phone before shaking his head. Looking back at me, he meets my eyes for a long moment. “Are you sure we’re okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Areyouokay?”

I only nod, desperately trying to be okay.

He tilts his head to the side. “Promise?”

“Yes, Jackson,” I voice stronger. His phone starts ringing again and he lets out a frustrated sigh before pecking the back of my hand four times. “Let me take this, then I’ll make lunch.”

“I can cook,” I suggest.

He sends me a teasing smile. “I doubt that.” He answers the call, but my jaw drops at his jab.

“Yes, I can.”

“Don’t burn my house down, Lisette,” he calls out before saying something into his phone and walking out.

I let out a scoff as I turn to Belle. “I can cook,” I tell her and she nods in agreement.

“You can do anything you put your mind to.”

I smile at the encouraging words of a five-year-old. “Fuck yeah, I can.”

“Fuckyeah, you can.” She holds her hand up for a high five and I let out a defeated breath as I shake my head at myself.

“Please don’t tell Daddy I taught you that.” I give her a high five before turning to the fridge.

“Sooo,” she says from behind me.

I bite back a smile as I look through the meat Jackson must’ve seasoned earlier. “So?”

“You and Daddy…” she starts again.

I grab the container labeled ‘chicken sandwich’ before turning to her and she has an innocent smile on her face.

“What about us?” I ask casually before grabbing what I need to fry the chicken.

“He said he only wants to be your friend, but I watched a movie yesterday and they were friends first then got married, so I think maybe we can plan something like that for you.”

I turn to her, studying her small frame. “When did he say he only wants to be my friend?”

She shrugs. “Like the other days ago.”

I feel my shoulders sag as I turn back to the stove, my mind running wild.

“I just think the wedding will be really nice so maybe you and Daddy can think about it because I’ll love it if you were my mom.” Her voice grows quieter at the confession.

I turn back to her and she watches me carefully for a reaction. “Yeah?”

She nods, her smile growing.

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