Page 26 of Losing Faith

I know she was joking when she said she’ll only accept the last bouquet as her feel-better flowers, but why not keep the joke running? I do have to find a real way to thank her for working with Isabelle though, because she refuses to let me pay her.

Since Sire had an away game today, she’s coming to our house for tutoring and it’s all Belle talks about on our way home.

Chapter Nine

Lisette

IdrivethroughJackson’sgatedcommunity slowly, marveling at all of the huge houses. When I make it to the end of the street, a beautiful house stares back at me, and I almost think I have the wrong address until I see the pink door he told me I won’t miss.

I marvel at the sleek black two story house. All of his windows are tinted so the clear sky stares back at me, and while I can’t see the inside, I’m sure it’s just as nice as the exterior.

Tall palm trees are planted on either side of the house with five steps leading up to the door. There’s a balcony on the right side and under that is a tall gate, blocking off what I’m sure is a lavish backyard.

“Yup.” I nod to myself as I drive up his long driveway. “He’s rich as shit.”

I try to shake off the shock of how big this house is as I step out of the car. When I ring the doorbell, I fully expect to hear church bells or something, but it’s a standard bell.

A minute passes before the door opens slowly. When I hear a loud grunt, I look down and Isabelle is struggling to open the big door, so I help her with a push.

“Excuse me,” Jackson yells angrily and she jumps as she turns around. “What did we talk about yesterday?” He comes up behind her, and she takes a step away from the door as she looks up at him.

“Not to open the door,” she mumbles, and he gives her a stern look, but doesn’t say anything for almost a full minute. A short laugh escapes me at how awkward it grows and Isabelle looks up at me before she covers her smile with her hand.

“It’s not funny,” Jackson tells her and her smile is gone. “Don’t open it again.”

“Okay, Daddy.” She turns to me and her smile is back. “Hi, Lissy. Sorry about that.” She waves at her dad, and I bite back a laugh at his face, but he doesn’t reprimand her again. “Let me give you a tour of our new castle.”

“It definitely looks like a castle.” I look up from the marble floors to the high ceiling in awe before looking over at Jackson. “Hello, Jackson Jones.”

“Hello, Lissy.” He smiles in return and I roll my eyes at him. Before I can remind him that only his kid is allowed to call me that, she drags me around the house for the tour.

“This is my favorite part.”Isabelle races me back down the stairs after the tour upstairs. At the end of this hall are two sliding doors. “Ready?” She turns to me.

“I don’t know,” I tease. “I’m still trying to process the indoor arcade upstairs.”

Her dad laughs from behind me and she ignores me as she opens the sliding doors to reveal what I’m assuming is her dad’s office. It’s a standard office, but the entire wall in front and beside his desk is a window to the backyard and the yard somehow seems bigger than the house.

“This is my favorite part,” Isabelle exclaims, and I expect her to be pointing at the pool, but she’s sitting in a smaller version of Jackson’s desk with a pink chair. “This is my office.” She gestures in front of her and I break into a laugh.

“What’s your job?”

She folds her hands on her desk as she looks up at me. “I’m a gymnastics sports agent.”

I smile at her words and behind me, Jackson mumbles, “And the bakery.”

“Oh.” She looks back over at me. “And I own a bakeryandI’m a mother, of course, you met Lola.”

“Yes, I did.” I nod in thought as I remember her doll. Looking around the office, unlike the rest of the house where pictures of both Isabelle and Jackson fill up the walls, here are just pictures of Isabelle from a photoshoot when she was a newborn. “Now I understand how you’re able to afford such a big castle.”

She nods like she agrees with me and I turn to Jackson with a smile. “Nice castle, JJ.” I nod once and he tilts his head back with a laugh.

“Now it’s JJ?”

“Yup.” I smile over at him. “Or would you prefer just Jones?”

His face scrunches as if that will pain him. “Please no.”

I let out a soft laugh and he turns more serious. “Thanks,” he says for my earlier compliment.

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