Love Delivered by Love Belvin Read Free Book Online

“people” rent a house out there for the holiday. He thought it would be great for Jordan’s first Christmas to be a white one. I knew my mom would be texting or calling at any moment, asking me to pick up a forgotten item, believing I was in town. And my Jordan. He probably wondered where his mother was. He had plenty of milk there from my frozen inventory, but I needed my pump to relieve myself. Everyone was there, so I had no one to call for a lift.
    “I can take you.” Bernard disrupted my reverie.
    “Huhn? Oh, no. Bernard, I couldn’t ask you to do that.”
    “Sure you can. I was only going home to throw on my headphones to drown out my mother’s fussing anyway. I would only ask that you put the gas back in old Henry over there because a brother is broke…and starved,” Bernard’s crooked smile appeared.
    There was something charming about that physical flaw. Some women couldn’t get with men with bad teeth. I’d wondered if Bernard had a hard time with his.
    “Thanks, Bernard,” I sighed, hating the imposition. Something about his offering felt endearing. It almost had me remorseful for checking him minutes ago. “How about we fill up at the Mobile around the corner and stop at the Burger King next door before hitting the road?”
    “Ewwww, Zoey. I don’t eat Burger King. There’s a McDonald’s up the street. I like them better,” he corrected while gaiting back to his car, making me snicker, thinking of Stenton’s crack about him being the Queen of the Golden Arches a while back.
    I grabbed my bags from the cargo portion of the truck and joined him. We made our stops and chatted all the way to Pennsylvania where we were met with snow coming down and already sticking to the ground, such a contrast in weather settings to New Jersey. I had been told portions of Pennsylvania got snow sooner than we did, but seeing it was totally different. Another difference in climate was the heavy winds picking up here.
    When we pulled up to the house, Bernard verbalized my shock at the log cabin that resembled a wooden mansion. I knew Stenton’s hand was in this, but gosh! I didn’t know who found this place: Stenton, or his people, but it was impressive. Snow covered the red logs of the house and the tall pine trees rooted next to it, but the circular driveway was paved.
    “Jesus, Zoey. Deacon and Sister Barrett sure have good taste.” Bernard whistled.
    I was speechless. This was hardly my parents’ style, more like Stenton’s speed. We cleared my things from Bernard’s Toyota Corolla, but I was the first to make my way up the wide steps to the front door.
    When my mother swung it open forcefully, she gasped at first sight of me. “Oh, praise God, Zoey!” she shrieked while clutching her fist to her chest.
    My dad rounded her as he approached the door himself. “Elizabeth Ardell,” he called out, almost in an admonitory fashion.
    “What? What’s wrong? Is Jordan okay?” I began to panic.
    “No… Yes! JR is just fine. It’s just that we couldn’t get you for the past hour,” my mother went into explaining.
    “And that snow storm is coming any minute now,” my father amended. “I’m sure you felt the temperature drop and the winds picking up on your way up.” My father retrieved the bags and boxes from me then pulled me in.
    There, in the foyer of the home, I was hit with its opulence: bright ceiling lighting, shiny hardwood floors, and contemporary rustic décor. It was beautiful, but before I could fully admire its grandness, Ruth appeared, and in the same freaked state as my parents. 
    “Damn, Zo! If you really wanna slight me, leave me with our parents as they panic at the prospect of me being their only living child. Where the hell have you been?”
    “Your mouth, young lady!”
    “Mouth!” My parents shouted concurrently.
    Then all three of their faces fell to the floor. Suddenly embarrassed by their demand for an answer, a nervous giggle erupted from my throat.
    “Guys, I’m