Secrets of War: A Military Romance Read Online Free PDF Page B

almost every minute together. After their mother died and Suzy became her guardian, she now wasn’t just her cool older sister but the person who needed to ground her when she did something wrong, hound her about her grades, act as her mother.
    It was more change shoved down Jade’s throat than she’d been ready for. She grew to resent Suzy. She’d thought raising her twelve-year-old sister would be easy until the years went by and twelve turned into sixteen with long black hair and the eyes to match the deepest ocean. Add in legs that went on for days, along with the curves that wouldn’t quit. Suzy went from being big sister to parole officer.
    “Yes, warden . I just got done with my homework,” Jade retorted taking a sip of her water and leaning against the sink. “I went straight to cheer practice from school and from there, I came straight home and hit the books. Not like there’s anything else to do in this backwoods country town.”
    “I want you to watch how you speak to your sister! Can’t you see she isn’t looking good?” Geraldine countered.
    “Thanks Momma,” Suzy whispered.
    Jade stared at her sister silent for a long while before she put her glass down and knelt next to her. “Are you okay?” she asked her with a look of complete and total fear of history repeating itself.
    Suzy knew Jade was terrified of losing anyone else she loved. That her bad attitude and miss-steps in California were just a show of fear and pain.  “Yes J. I’m fine, I promise. I’m just tired from doing inventory today,” she promised her sister rubbing her cheek. She didn’t say it could also be from her emotional run ins with a certain well known family in town.
    “Okay. You will tell me if—well, you know.”
    “Scouts Honor.”
    Jade stood up and grabbed her glass of water. “Okay! OH! I have a babysitting gig tomorrow at five. So, I’m gonna head over there after I get out of practice,” she told them, heading out of the kitchen.
    “Wait, Wait! Who are you babysitting for?” Suzy didn’t think Jade knew anyone well enough to be asked to babysit yet.
    “One of the girls on the cheer squad fell doing a double back flip twist out, during practice a couple of days ago and broke her leg in like four places. She has to get pins put in and everything. Anyway, normally she watches this kid every Thursday night, so his dad can go and ride bulls or something. So, the entire team agreed to chip in and watch the kid and let her have the money while she is out of commission. Tomorrow is my day.”
    “Lord, that was a long story and we still don’t know who you’re babysitting for,” Geraldine concluded looking at Suzy out the corner of her eye.
    “That’s because we just moved here and I don’t know these people. It’s out on the Merrick ranch watching some guy named Jamie’s five-year-old son, Tuck.” Jade looked irritated she was being accused of lying.
    “JAMIE!” Suzy exclaimed in shock. “Jamie has kids?”
    “I don’t know. I guess. Who’s Jamie?” She shrugged.
    Jamie has a son? Had she misunderstood his intentions this afternoon? Maybe that was why his mother had shown up at her store. To pee on his wife’s territory for her.
    Great, now I have to apologize.
    “Okay, don’t answer,” Jade said rolling her eyes and storming out of the kitchen.
    “So, I take it the other Merrick you ran into today was his wife?” Geraldine asked her.
    “No. It was his mother. I had no idea he was married or had a child until Jade just told us,” she said getting up to put her bowl in the sink. For some reason, she wasn’t hungry anymore.
    “Well, now you know his invitation was strictly platonic.” Geri was eyeing her granddaughter to gauge her reaction to the news. Contrary to what came out of her mouth, she knew Suzy didn’t want to spend the rest of her life alone, and especially while the man of her dreams was living just outside of town.
    “Yeah! Which is really a complete relief,” she