Page 25 of When Love Takes Root

The second he saw her, the rest of us disappeared.

“What?” Melody asked.

Juice shook his head once. “Nothing.”

“That’s a lie,” Melody said.

“That’s my wife,” Juice said, his voice dropping just enough to make it private and public at the same time.

Melody’s dimples deepened. “Justice.”

“Melody,” Juice said.

“Behave,” she said.

“I’m looking.”

“You look loud.”

“You married me loud,” Juice said.

She smiled despite herself.

Juice slipped the tote from her shoulder and wrapped an arm around her waist with the ease of a man who never got tired of loving his wife. He kissed her cheek, then rested his forehead against hers for a brief moment before stepping back and placing his hand on her protruding belly.

Watching never made me jealous. It made me hopeful.

Lyric groaned from his hip. “Daddy, again?”

Juice didn’t move away from Melody. “Baby girl, when you get married, you gon’ want your husband to love on you in public too.”

Lyric frowned. “No.”

“Yes,” Melody said.

“No,” Lyric said. “I’m living with Uncle Siah.”

I lifted both brows.

Juice turned slowly toward his daughter. “Excuse me?”

Lyric nodded. “He has apple juice too.”

“I bought the apple juice,” Juice said.

“At Uncle Siah’s shop,” Lyric replied.

Melody laughed into Juice’s shoulder.

“What’s in the tote, Mel?” I asked.

Melody reached for it, but Juice took it first and held it open for her.

She glanced at him. “Helpful or nosy?”

“Helpful,” Juice said. Melody stared. “Nosy with helpful tendencies,” Juice corrected.

“That sounds more like you,” Melody said.