Page 30 of Losing Faith

He turns more serious now, his voice low. “I don’t want the Tooth Fairy to be ruined for my kid. Don’t say things that’ll get us both in trouble, Lisette,” he warns before walking to the kitchen, leaving me stuck in place.

What is that even supposed to mean? Sire said he’ll retaliate ifheflirts withme.Are my inappropriate jokes going to provoke that?

I bite back a smile as I settle onto the couch with Isabelle.

I thoroughly enjoy doing the opposite of what I’m told, especially if it’s going to get me in trouble or piss off my brother. While I’m sure my flirty jokes won’t be reciprocated, I’m interested in seeing how many buttons I can press before Jackson, and hisfollow-the-rulesself entertain me.

Chapter Ten

Jackson

Iglanceintothelivingroom at the sound of my daughter’s laugh. A smile reaches my lips when she covers her face with the paper she’s working on and beside her, Lisette laughs before tickling her side.

“Youknowthat’s not what that says.” She takes the paper from her before sounding out a few words with her. “We can be done for the day since you gave it a try.”

Isabelle races over to me as I turn to grab some seasoning for the meat.

“Daddy, can we start baking for KC’s tea party?” She turns to Lisette excitedly. “KC is our new neighbor. She goes to my school too. Daddy, did I tell you that?”

She glances at me before whipping back to Lisette before I can answer. “She made abigorder with my bakery today.”

Lisette raises her brows amusingly as she sits at the island counter.

Isabelle races off to the fridge before she can reply. She’s grabbing the clear container we keep the eggs in, but I swiftly take it from her.

“Let’s do it when I finish putting everything on the stove.”

“Why not now?” She grabs the eggs again, but I put them back in the fridge.

“Because I can’t bake and prep dinner at the same time.”

“Well, duh, that’s whyI’mgoing to bake.” She turns back to the fridge, but I lift her into my arms, and she fills the kitchen with her laugh when I flip her upside down and rest her on my shoulder.

“What did I say about sayingduhto me?” I poke her side and she laughs up a storm as she wraps her arms around me. “Now you have to stay like this forever.”

I let her go and she holds me tighter as I season the meat.

“I’m going to fall,” she voices with a laugh, and when I look up at Lisette, she’s biting back a smile.

“Whenever you set her free from her upside-down punishment, I can bake with her,” she teases, and in a quick move, my kid raises her head in excitement. I quickly bring a hand to her back before she can fall.

“I can bake on my own, but you can help with the small stuff.”

“You can’t bake on your own.” I set Belle down and mess up her hair. “Stop it with the duh,” I tell her more seriously before looking up at Lisette. “You don’t have to bake. I’ll get to it in a second.”

“It’s fine.” She shrugs. “I don’t mind and I literally have nothing else to do.”

Before I can convince her otherwise, Isabelle is handing her the eggs. “Let’s get to it.”

“Someone’s bossy,” Lisette mumbles and a crease grows between Isabelle’s brows.

“Wellduh, I’m the boss ofmybakery.”

“Faith,” I deadpan and she turns to me slowly. “It’srude.Enough with the duhs.”

“Okay.” Her brows slightly raise. She’s about to take a step away when she lifts a finger. “Is that a fact or opinion?”

I hold back my smile, using all my strength to keep my face neutral. After I spoke to her dean, we’ve been working on what’s facts and opinions in our day to day life. Clearly she’s a smartass.

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