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“Ahhhhh!” she screamed.
“Sheesh, your eye looks like crap, Cass.” JJ was sitting on the ottoman in front of the couch, elbows perched on knees, a serious look on her face. “I don’t know if Aria has enough makeup to coverthatdoozy of a black eye so it isn’t noticeable tomorrow during the wedding.”
“Whatam I still doing in yourhouse, JJ?!” Cassie screeched.
“Take a chill pill, lady. I was just as surprised as you are when I walked in and found you sleeping on our couch. Why didn’t you go home?”
“That’s a good question,” Cassie grumbled. She tossed the blanket off her legs.Wow, is that cashmere? It’s so soft,she thought, before hopping of the couch and stomping down the hall, death in her eyes.
“I have a feeling it’s not going to end well for my daddy,” JJ muttered, following closely behind Cassie as she threw open the first door in the hallway.
“That’s the bathroom,” JJ told her. “You want the last room on the right if you’re lookin’ for my dad.”
Cassie marched down the hall to the door indicated. She turned the handle and threw the door open so hard it slammed against the wall behind it. “Whatam I still doing in your house?”
Jamal came out of what Cassie guessed was his bathroom, with one towel wrapped around his waist, another slung around his shoulders, and a toothbrush in his mouth. Cassie’s eyes went wide. She just thought shirtless Jamal was hot. Holy moly, Jamal in nothing but a towel was doing some crazy things with her libido. He was beyond hot.
“Ang on-uh,” he said, holding up his other hand before turning to walk back into the bathroom. Cassie could feel her cheeks heating up as she looked at his back. A tribal tattoo, complete with swirled lines and hooks, spanned the width of his back from shoulder to shoulder. In the center of the tattoo, in old English letters, was one word: Jaydence. How in thehelldid she not see that yesterday?
“He got that when I was five and we moved to Oklahoma,” JJ told her. “He said it really hurt and I shouldneverget one. Too bad for him I know I can handle the pain.”
Cassie grinned. She imagined Jamal told his daughter it hurt to try and keep her away from tattoo parlors all her life. It made Cassie’s day to realize that JJ considered it a challenge. Cassie hoped JJ had ten by the time she turned twenty. It would serve him right.
Cassie could hear the faucet turn on and Jamal swishing water around in his mouth. He spit and Cassie heard the faucet turn off before seeing Jamal come back into the room.
“Well, you fell asleep on the couch,” Jamal said.
“IknowI fell asleep on the couch,” Cassie said, stomping her foot.
“If you know that, then why are you asking what you’re still doing here?”
Cassie was so mad she could feel the steam coming out of her ears. “Why didn’t you wake me, jerkface?!”
“Jerkface? That’s a good one, Cass,” JJ said from her perch on Jamal’s huge king-size bed, watching the action and eating a Pop Tart.
“I didn’t wake you because you seemed to be sleeping really well. I didn’t want you driving home sleepy. Callie would never forgive me if something happened to you. Really. I was doing you a favor.”
Jamal walked over to his daughter and took a chunk of her Pop Tart and stuffed it in his mouth. “It wuz all in-uh-cent,” he said between chews.
Cassie sighed. “What is everyone going to think?! They’re going to think I’m a hussy, that’s what they’re going to think!”
“What’s a hussy?” JJ asked, pushing her dad’s arm away as he tried to snatch another chunk of Pop Tart.
“Nothing,” he and Cassie said at the same time.
“JJ, would you go get me a pop tart?” Jamal asked his daughter.
“Man, dad, do I have to? This was just getting good,” his daughter frowned.
“Yes. In fact, just stay in the kitchen til we come in there.”
“Daaaa-aaaddd!”
Jamal looked sternly at his daughter. “Just do it sister.”
“Just so you know, I’m googling hussy while I’m in there.”
“Not happening. I changed the internet password.”
