Southern Admirer (Southern Loving Book 2) (22 page)

They put Shay to sleep and placed her back in her
crib before lying down in the bed next to each. His fingers intertwined with
hers as she laid her head against his chest, listening to the soft beating of
his heart.

Yes, they were stubborn and love doesn’t come when
you’re looking for it, but it came to them when they least expected it. Her
mother used to say that love could serve as a lesson and other times, they send
the man of your dreams also known as the ‘the one.’ Somehow the universe was
looking down on her and brought her ‘the one.’

Chapter Ten

Before Jasmine and the baby left with Farrah for
shopping at God knows where, he offered his bank card to Jasmine, she scrunched
up her pretty face and backed away like it was a snake it ready to strike any
second. He’d just sat down to watch the NASCAR game when the doorbell rang.
Groaning he got up and walked to the door.

“Mr. and Mrs. Jennings.” He blinkingly stared at
Sarah’s parents. “Please come in,” he stuttered, and opened the door wider for
them to enter.

Barbara Jean Jennings, known as ‘BJ’ by the
family, walked into the house with her head held high. Sarah and Savannah
inherited their tall model stature and strawberry blond hair from their mother.
Even in her late fifties Barbara Jean was still a beauty to be reckon with.
Bobby Jennings was the quiet one, Sarah used to always say that her father
allowed her mother to call the shots. Archie followed BJ into the house with
the assistance of a cane. He wasn’t the same man, Sarah death took a toll on
both parents but it showed much more with Archie Jennings.

“What can I do for ya’ll today?” Shane asked. He
followed their line of sight to the baby items scattered around the house. From
the black Moses bassinet, pink and white activity mat and a baby swing.

“Sarah always wanted kids and you always told her
to wait…or the time wasn’t good enough,” she said with disgust. “You always put
Sarah last; you put the military before here then your career in law
enforcement.”

“Now Barbara Jean, just calm down, before you
raise your blood pressure,” Archie said, sitting down on the couch. “We didn’t
come here to argue.”

Yeah
right
, Shane thought.

“It’s upsetting me that you moved on so quickly
since Sarah died. You even had sex with this woman on the anniversary of her
death,” Barbara Jean said.

“It’s been two years and I’m not going to discuss
the ramification of when my daughter was conceived.”

“The good ol’ people in Dallas and McKinney Texas
do talk son,” Archie said, giving him a disappointing stare. “What we are
trying to say is that since the God awful baby shower, people have been
talking.”

Shane looked at the people he considered family in
disbelief. “I don’t care what people have to say about me.”

“Shane it’s not a good look to be with this
woman,” Barbara Jean snapped. “You don’t even come to the house for dinners
anymore. Three months have went by and not a peep out of you because of her.”

“We even saw the for sale sign in front of the
house in McKinney.” Archie ran his hand down his bald head. “Now Nina, down at
the real estate office downtown said that you placed the house up for sale
about three months ago.”

For weeks Shane been avoiding this meeting with
Barbara Jean and Archie for the longest, but his daddy used to always say ‘you
can’t avoid the inevitable for long.’ When Sarah died he wanted to spare the
people that was fond of her of the grisly details surrounding her death. He
didn’t want her parents to be burden with the thoughts that plagued him every
time he thought about her.
What could I have done better to help her
?

“Now, we’re being told by the Johnny down at
Horton Builder that you building a large estate on the ranch…rumor is it that
you building a house for Ms. St. Clair.”

Damn, Shane wondered. How was his business
spreading around town like wildfire? Didn’t these people ever hear of loose
lips sink ships?

“Are you taking the insurance money to pay for
this house?” Barbara Jean exclaimed.

“There was no insurance money,” he replied.

“Of course there was insurance money,” Archie's
voice raised. “Don’t sit up here and tell that bull faced lie.”

The little bit of restraint that Shane had flown
out the window. “She killed herself! Insurance doesn't pay out when someone
kills themselves.”

Barbara Jean gasped so loud Shane thought she
would faint. “I will not stand for you to spread malice gossip about my dear
Sarah.”

“Sarah was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and
depression six years ago before she died.”

“No,” Archie said, shaking his head no.

Shane rolled his eyes and ignored his ex-in-laws’
theatrics. “She didn’t want anyone to know about it, that’s why when I retired
out the army we decided to move to McKinney instead of the ranch. She needed to
be around family that could be there for her.”

“She was sick and you continued to put your career
ahead of our baby,” Barbara Jean shrieked.

“I did not put my damn career before her!” he
shouted, causing Barbara Jean to sink back down on the sofa. “I got out early
because she tried to kill herself…took a whole bottle of sleeping pills.”

“I’ll tell you what,” Archie stood up and walked
over to Shane. “We’re not going to sit here and listen to these LIES!”

Shane stormed down the hallway to his office to
retrieve the file from his desk. He thrust it into the old man’s chest. Archie
wobbled back to his seat on the couch. Shane watched the array of emotions
displayed on the man’s face.

“Sarah would never kill herself.” Barbara shook
her head vehemently.

Shane watched the old man crumble to the floor in
a heap of tears. “I tried to help Sarah the best of my ability, she stop taking
her medicines.”

Barbara squinted as she glared at Shane. She
placed her hand over her mouth. “The day before she died, Sarah claimed you
were having an affair.”

“What are you saying, Barbara?” Archie stopped
crying and stared at Shane.

“She came to the house crying saying that her
marriage was over.” She dabbed her eyes with a tissue from her purse. “She
mentioned that Shane was having an affair and that he didn’t want to be with
her anymore.”

“I didn’t have an affair with anyone. Stop
listening to those women at the hair salon with their malicious gossip. I will
tell you that Sarah and I were on the verge of splitting up.”

“I’m disappointed that you decided to keep us in
the dark,” Barbara Jean sniffled. “We could have saved our daughter! You didn’t
give us that opportunity.”

“The only person who could save Sarah was Sarah.”

His voice broke as he thought about the night he
received the call about a single car crash. He was already off-duty, the
dreaded feeling of returning home to Sarah was unbearable. Assisting in the
crash was better than going home to Sarah. To this day he still recalled the
smell of gasoline pouring from beneath the car.

As he rushed to the smash in vehicle that was
unrecognizable beyond disbelief something caught his eye. The lotus flower
sticker was familiar to the one Sarah purchased a few months ago. He chanted
the whole time as he hurried to the driver side, her luxurious strawberry
blonde hair was now red with blood. Sticking two fingers against the side of
her neck, checking for pulse he didn’t feel any signs of life.

“You’re ruining our daughter memories by dating
too soon,” Barbara Jean cried. “We still love you as a son but if you continue
with this relationship with that gal we…won’t have anything to do with you.”

Shane walked to the window and staring at the
green pastures that seem to go on forever.

Archie cleared his throat before speaking. “Do you
love her?” he asked.

Both Shane and Barbara Jean looked at Archie
confusedly. “Yes.” He paused and looked at Barbara Jean. “I don’t wish this on
anyone. To the feel the guilt that they weren’t able to help someone.”

Archie nodded his head in agreement. “If you’re
serious about starting a new chapter in your life with someone else, than our
opinion shouldn’t count.”

“I don’t want you guys to think that I…never loved
Sarah. I’m able to put those feelings for her in a special place in my heart
and devote my time and attention to Jasmine.”

“Shane we’re back,” Jasmine sang as she walked
into the house carrying Shay, she was so busy holding onto Shay and carrying
shopping bags she didn’t realized there were guests in the room. “Oh…I’ll just
go to the other room.”

“No,” Shane said quickly, going to her aid to help
with the bags. “I want you to meet Barbara Jean and Archie Jennings.”

“Sarah’s parents.” Jasmine acknowledged them with
a soft hello.

Everyone in the room was uncomfortable. He could
see that Barbara Jean and Archie were having a hard time seeing their
daughter’s husband fall in love with someone else. He opened his heart and life
to someone else, he wished that Sarah’s family would continue to be a fixture
in his life. Their relationship didn’t have to stop because Sarah was dead.

“Would you guys join us for dinner?” Jasmine
asked.

Shane could sense the answer ‘no’ was on the tip
of their tongues but Archie surprised everyone.

“Of course we will have supper you great young
folks,” Archie said.

“Now, I’m not a cooker, but Shane does wonders on
a grill.” Jasmine looked up and smiled at him.

“Honey, we shouldn’t disturb them.” Barbara Jean
could barely look at Jasmine and Shay.

“Seriously, you’re not imposing. Shane has this
habit of —”

“Making too much food—like you’re feeding an
army,” Archie interrupted and laughed.

“Exactly,” Jasmine laughed. “Now, we can get
started on dinner.”

***

This was her first time laying eyes on Sarah’s parents.
The uncomfortable feeling that was there, finally dissipated. The awkward
feeling she was sure would come but hadn’t arisen. When she first walked
through the door and noticed they had company, she could see the hatred in
Barbara Jean’s eyes but she saw something else when she looked into Archie's
eyes.

During the dinner, they talked mostly about Shay,
hunting season, traveling and love. Jasmine was amazed that Sarah’s name never
came up once during dinner.

After dinner and the Jennings left, Jasmine stood
in the kitchen alongside Shane washing the dishes while Shay slept in a
bassinet in the next room.

“So, do you think they hate me?” she asked.

“Archie adores you,” Shane assured her. “He told
me he thought you were warm, intelligent, sweet and told me don’t wait too long
before claiming you as mine.”

Jasmine thought about how good of an evening she
had with Barbara Jean and Archie. It took a while for Archie and Barbara Jean
to warm up to holding Shay, humming lullabies and giving her a bottle. It was a
picture of two caring grandparents. Wiping away the tear that threatened to
fall in the dish water, she thought about Sarah. She would never experience
this, watching her parents being grandparents or just bring her own children
into the world.

“I think we should invite them over for dinner
once a week.” Jasmine kissed his cheek.

“Jazz?”

“Yeah?” She turned around and looked at him.

“I fell in love with you a little bit more today,”
he said, and went back to washing the dishes.

There was this peace that she’d never experienced
before in any of her relationships. She blew him a kiss before going down the
hallway to prepare for her bubble bath.

Chapter Eleven

Shane paused to wipe the sweat from his brow and let
his eyes sweep over the construction site. His eyes stopped when they landed on
his father, Gerald McBride, who was overseeing the project. Shane held up the
bag of food to show his father. Lowering the tailgate to his truck, he sat down
and waited for his father.

Someone said ‘a relationship is like building a
house; build it well or it will collapse.’ He was going to set on a firm
foundation that the house rests on. The foundation for a home is like setting your
hopes in things that will never change. When the clouds turn grey and storms
rolls in, his house would still be standing still when the sun rose on the
horizon.

“I see the look of love on your face,” his father
said, taking a seat next to him on the back of the truck. “I didn’t tell you
this at the baby shower, but I see that twinkle in your eyes that’s been gone
before Sarah died.”