Southern Admirer (Southern Loving Book 2) (11 page)

“Jasmine St. Clair you already know my cousin,
Austin McBride. The gorgeous woman standing next to him is the future Mrs.
Austin McBride.”

Jasmine noticed how Shane admired the two people.
“It’s lovely to meet you guys,” she said, standing up and shaking both of their
hands.

“I feel like I known you for years, Shane rambled
about you the whole way here,” Farrah laughed.

“Did he?” Jasmine smiled, looking over at Shane,
who was in the kitchen washing his hands.

“Yes, he did. I can swear he has a crush on you,”
Austin teased.

“McBride,” Shane warned. “Let me introduce you
guys our little lady,” he said, trying to change the subject.

“Oh my, she is adorable,” Farrah gushed, watching
Shane cradling the baby in his arms. “You look so good with her.”

“Shay is the cause for all my sleepless night, but
it’s all worth it.” Shane looked up at his cousin and Farrah. “Don’t worry in a
few months you guys will soon know what I’m talking about.”

“I can’t wait,” Austin said, rubbing his hands
together.

“Said the guy who can sleep through the dog
barking.” Farrah nudged Austin’s arm in a jokingly.

“Well honeybun, I will tackle those late night
feedings so you can get your beauty rest.” Austin eyes twinkled when he spoke
to his fiancée.

Jasmine understood what Shane meant when he said
the love between Farrah and Austin was magnificent. There was something warm
and comforting about Farrah, she could see why Austin loved Farrah. She oozed
love and sweetness from every pore.

“May I wash my hands because I have to hold the
baby?” Farrah was taking off her black coat that reveled a small, but
noticeable bump.

“Sure, you guys might need some practice,” Jasmine
replied. She noticed the way Shane kept looking at her with watchful eyes.

“Are you okay, Jazz?” he asked.

Jasmine nodded her head. There was a lingering air
of awkwardness between Shane and her. They had sex and she refused to talk
about it.
Come on Jazz you always wanted Shane McBride, yep you were totally
infatuated with this man and now you are running away from something that might
be good to the both of you guys,
she thought.

“Did Shane tell you how he found out that you were
pregnant?” Farrah said cheerfully as she held Shay.

“No, he never told me,” Jasmine looked over at
Shane, who was talking to Austin in the kitchen.

“We went to Aruba after the backlash from my
relationship with Austin. Well, there was this old lady named Pala. I thought
she was intuitive, but Shane said the woman was a complete fruitcake.” Farrah
paused to adjust the baby in her arms. “Anyways, she knew that I was pregnant
and told him that he was expecting a child.”

“Wow,” she said in amusement. “That’s crazy.”

“It was,” Farrah laughed. “Shane called the woman
a crazy bat the whole way back to the villa.”

“Apparently she wasn’t as crazy as it seemed.”
Jasmine looked up her eyes met with Shane.

“You have that look,” Farrah whispered.

“What look?” she asked, with confusion etched
across her face.

“Love,” Farrah said with ease.

“We’re just friends.”

Immediately, she was becoming uncomfortable and
was unable to meet Farrah’s eyes. Of course, friends didn’t just have sex nor
do they make a baby together. Shane would always see her as his partner’s baby
sister.

A smirk formed on Farrah’s lips. “I think you’re
easily mistaken, since I have arrived here I noticed that Shane cannot take his
eyes off you. Is it hard to sit there and crush on him from afar?”

A minute of silence passed through them before
Jasmine spoke. “Can we save this conversation for later?”

“Of course!” Farrah said excitedly. “We’re here for
a month while we plan our wedding here. OMG, maybe we can babysit, something
tells me that Austin McBride needs an adventure in babysitting.”

Both women looked up to see Austin making a face
when he smelled the bottle of breast milk.

“Ugh, how can she drink it?” Austin shuddered, as
he placed the bottle on the counter.

“I tasted it,” Shane shrugged. “Tastes good.”

“Really, how?” Austin asked with a sly look on his
face.

“The bottle,” Jasmine and Shane said in unison,
looking at one another.

Shane started to blush and Jasmine picked up her
glass of orange juice and took a gulp. The room was starting to feel hot and
the walls were starting to close in on them. With Austin and Farrah looking at
Shane and her, Jasmine felt like they knew about their afternoon hump in the
hay.

“So, which nipple did you suck from?” Austin
asked, trying to keep a straight face.

Shane’s face became beet red and Jasmine started
coughing on her juice. Getting up, she walked to the kitchen where Shane gave
her a napkin.

“Austin,” Farrah huffed.

“What?” he asked. Smiling sheepishly and taking a
seat next to her on the burnt-orange sofa.

“Austin,” Farrah said again.

Jasmine wanted the floor to open up and swallow
her up. “I’ll get some refreshments.”

“Let’s talk party,” Shane said as he attempted to
change the topic.

“I agree.” Her mouth felt suddenly dry and her
voice was small.

The baby started to wail and Farrah quickly passed
the baby to Shane. “I think she is hungry and I’m not equipped for that job.”

“Shane knows where the food at,” Austin teased.

Jasmine chuckled uneasily as she sat a tray of
iced tea on the table. “We’re planning an after baby shower.”

“I’ve never hear of hosting a shower after the
baby is born.” Farrah took a drink of her iced tea.

“Our family hasn’t met Shay yet, so this is a
party to celebrate our daughter,” Shane said as he took a seat next to Jasmine.

“I can plan the whole party, let’s call this my
gift to you guys,” Farrah said happily. “Since we have a southern belle on our
hands we should do that type with a hint of yellow and white, unless you have
some colors you want to try.

“I like the southern belle theme,” Shane and
Jasmine said the same time.

“We can add that southern charm and flare to the
party with soft feminine colors. Do you have a venue in mind?”

“Stone River,” Shane said. “The venue is already
paid. You, my dear, have unlimited access to the kitchen, you’re the chef for
the evening but I also hired ten servers and left money in the budget to hire
another chef to help you out.”

Austin’s hand shot up in the air like a missile.

“You’re not in school,” Jasmine laughed. “You
don’t have to raise your hand.”

“He’s being a smart ass,” Farrah said, looking up
from her iPad at Austin. “Yes, baby?”

“Must I remind you that you’re four-months
pregnant and talking about preparing food for sixty guests?”

“Yes, but I’m still in contact with half of my
staff here. I could hire them to help prep.” Farrah dismissed Austin’s concerns
with a wave of a hand as she continued to talk to Shane about the dishes.

“You could always help her,” Jasmine offered her
suggestion.

Farrah stopped talking with Shane and looked at
Jasmine and quickly shook her head. “No, no, no!”

“Well, sugar that’s the best idea I’ve heard
today,” Austin said as he grinned ear from ear like a loon. “I would love to
assist my dumpling in the kitchen.

“That’s the worst idea I ever heard,” Farrah
exclaimed. “No offense,” she said, looking at Jasmine.

“No offense taken,” Jasmine chuckled.

“He’s not cooking right?” Shane asked Farrah with
a serious look on his face.

“No, we all saw what Austin can do with a grilled
cheese sandwich and it’s not pretty,” Farrah said in a low voice. “I can’t even
look at a grilled cheese sandwich.”

“Okay guys, let’s get back to planning the
dishes,” Jasmine said, looking at her watch. “I have a photographer coming to
take pictures.”

“I forgot about that,” Shane said.

“Well, that’s about it,” Farrah said standing up.
“We should be leaving so I can plan the menu.”

“And take a nap,” Austin added.

“It’s nice meeting you Jasmine; I’ll come back
tomorrow to go over the menu.” Farrah surprised Jasmine with a hug as she
walked to the door.

“We’ll be in touch McBride, maybe we can go to the
lake when you’re not busy protecting the good citizens of Dallas,” Austin said
as he gave Shane a brotherly hug.

“10-4,” Shane laughed.

“Jasmine, it’s nice seeing you again,” Austin said
as he gave her a hug. “You did a wonderful job adding to the McBride family
tree.”

“I did some work,” Shane puffed out his chest.

“Yeah…But Shay is so beautiful,” Austin chuckled
as he walked out the door holding Farrah’s hand.

***

The tension was high and uncertainty was running
rampant. Jasmine could sense that Shane wanted and talk and probably suspected
something was going with her. Picking up the tray of empty drink glasses, she
went to the kitchen and busied herself with washing dishes.

“What’s the matter?” Shane asked, following her
into the open kitchen.

“Nothing.”

“You’re lying.”

Jazz rolled her neck from side to side eliciting a
pop. “I’m fine.”

Shane took an apple from the fruit bowl and sat on
top of the granite counter top. “I know all your nervous habits, including the
popping of your bones. Has anyone ever told you that causes arthritis?”

“My mother,” she mumbled. Turning around she
pointed her finger covering in soap-suds. “I need to relieve the tension.”

“What happen before I came home?”

“I will be fine, I don’t need you worrying about
me.” Jasmine tried to storm pass Shane but he reached out and grabbed her hand.

“Why shouldn’t I worry about the woman who had my
child?” he asked, pulling her against him roughly.

“Because you shouldn’t care about the woman who
your wife hated,” she said, looking in his bright green eyes.

“What?” Letting go of her arm he stepped back.
“What did you say?”

“Sarah hated me,” Jasmine said without hesitation.

“No, Sarah never hated you.” The apple in his
mouth tasted sour, he chewed and swallow.

“My bad, I forgot she was this saint who could do
no wrong,” she said, raising her voice an octave. Jasmine couldn’t stand his
hard glare, turning around she turned around and looked at the wall. “Sarah
made my life a living hell since the day I graduated from high school.”

“You’re delusional. My wife wouldn’t harm you,”
Shane said as he tossed the half-eaten apple in the trash.

“I’m not going to argue with you.” Jasmine
clenched her small hand into a fist, her fingers bit into her hand so hard
there would be an imprint when she was done. “I will admit that I’m not the
greatest person in the world, but I wouldn’t lie.”

“Yeah right,” he scoffed. “I don’t want to hear
it.”

Turning around quickly, she pointed her slender
manicured index finger at him. “Sarah was a sick woman, she thought we were
having an affair.”

“I know my wife,” he shouted, causing Jasmine to
flinch.

Jasmine opened her mouth to only close it when she
realized her next words would cut Shane like a knife. Instead, she backed down
and reminded herself to breathe. “You’re right,” she said softly, walking away,
she went to Shay in the baby swing, picking the baby up she went to the
bedroom, leaving an angry Shane in her wake.

Your wife hated me?
Jazz’s voice echoed in
his head. Sitting on the sofa, and closing his eyes, he drifted back to the
many arguments that plagued his relationship with Sarah. Every night Shane had
to hear Sarah screaming and complaining about Jasmine St. Clair, who was miles
away at college in Houston. Shane had to ask himself if Jasmine was the cause
of their problem.

“Shane whose panties are these?” Sarah yelled
holding up a pair of black panties. “I can’t fit these, they’re too big.”

Shane looked up from his fishing guide magazine,
the look on Sarah’s face was devastating. “I don’t know who panties those are.”

“Are you trying to call me stupid?” Sarah raised
her voice and threw the undergarments at him. “Never once in my life have I
ever cheated on you.”

Tossing the magazine on the table. “I never ever
cheated on you, and I can’t believe that’s what you're trying to insinuate”
Shane stood up and walked to the kitchen to get a beer to calm his nerves. He
had peace and quiet for three days while Sarah went to Waco, Texas to visit her
mother.

“I was gone for three freaking days and return to
find another woman’s underwear in my bedroom. I don’t even wear boy shorts,”
she said, walking after him.