Loose by Coo Sweet Read Free Book Online

night’s events. 
     
    "Some crappy movie he picked. What about you and Mom?" 
     
    "Usual stuff. Kicked some butt at the card table. Tiff asked about you." 
     
    "Really? How's she looking these days?" 
     
    "You trying to get me in trouble?" Halloran tipped his head toward his son. He reached out and roughed up the hair on top of Sage’s head. 
     
    Sage patted it back into place as soon as Halloran put his hand down. 
     
    "Guess I should call her, huh?" 
     
    "Sounds like a plan, my man. What’s the harm?” 
     
    Sage tensed inside. Right…if only you knew, Dad. 
     
    “Been a while since you brought a girl home,” Halloran rambled on. 
     
    Sage bunched and twisted the clothes in his hands, shuffled his feet like he had to pee. He felt a few beads of sweat pop up on his upper lip. 
     
    "Dang, I better get dressed. Don’t want to be late for school." 
     
    "Alright. Same here. Have a good day, pal." 
     
    "Thanks, Dad. You, too." Sage gave him an anemic smile and a weak chest bump.
     
    Downstairs, Sage ate a banana at the kitchen counter. He guzzled juice between bites. 
    Nadine came in, purse and keys in hand. She gave him the side eye when she saw his paltry choices for breakfast. 
     
    “That all you're eating? You okay, pooh? You look pale."
     
    "I'm fine. This will hold me until lunch," Sage said. 
     
    Nadine adjusted the collar of his shirt. She brushed imaginary lint from his shoulders--which slumped by reflex, ready to cart the weight of the lecture that was sure to come. 
     
    "You need to eat better, Sage. Get more sleep. I worry about you." 
     
    "Ma, please--" Sage whined, with a little too much bass in his voice. 
     
    "Hey, pump your brakes now. Don't let your mouth write a check your ass can't cash." 
     
    "I'm not getting fresh, Ma." He pressed his lips together in a not so subtle pout. 
     
    "Then fix your face and lose the attitude. Okay?" 
     
    "Sorry. Can I go now?" This time he remembered to check his tone of voice. 
     
    Nadine dismissed him with a queenly wave of her hand.
     
    "You coming straight home after school?"
     
    "Yeah, I need to study for a quiz." 
     
    “Well hit the books as soon as you get here." 
     
    "I will.” He quickly pushed down any lingering traces of his hurt feelings, and flashed a goofy grin at his mother.              
     
    “Can I please get some cash, Ma? I'm tapped." 
     
    “Boy, I gave you forty yesterday. Where'd it go?" 
     
    “Movies. Lunch. Gas." Sage ticked off the list on his fingers. 
     
    Nadine rolled her eyes, opened her purse and rooted around in her wallet. She extracted a twenty, waving it at him. 
     
    Raven’s demand for a trip to the mall briefly crossed Sage’s mind, but he batted the thought away like a pesky fly. 
     
    "Better make it last," said Nadine. 
     
    Sage slipped the money from her fingers in exchange for sloppy kisses on her cheek. 
     
    "Stop, Sage...my make-up!" 
     
    He grinned and backed off. He grabbed his things on the dash to the door. 
     
    "Thanks, Ma. Love you,” he called over his shoulder. 
     
    "Yeah, yeah. Lucky me." Nadine swung her purse at his departing backside. 

Chapter 6
    Sixteen year old Jasmin Grace was a subtle beauty like the flower she was named for. Her quirky clothes--a peasant skirt and crocheted top--along with the untamed mop of sandy colored curls on her head, and skin free from make-up illustrated her tendency toward the unconventional. 
    Just by looking at her you could tell she was that rare teen-aged girl who gave little regard to what others thought of her. 
     
    Jasmin bustled around a bright, airy kitchen. She poured herself a steaming cup of jasmine tea then she plucked some fruit and yogurt from the fridge. She carried her breakfast to the dining table. Where she sat and started reading the morning paper. Soon, approaching footsteps interrupted her reading. 
     
    “Morning,” Jasmin looked up and beamed at her mom. 
     
    Sonnet