Stand By Your Man

Stand By Your Man by Susan Fox Page B

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Authors: Susan Fox
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the phone to his ear. Pretending he was on a call, he said, “You two got pretty strong chemistry.”
    â€œYeah, that’s for sure. And I care about her. But it wouldn’t be fair to her. I can’t come and go in her life. She’s not that kind of woman. She wants stability, peace. She doesn’t want some guy who spends his life like this.” He gestured around the grungy bar.
    â€œYou plan on doing this for the rest of your life?”
    â€œDon’t know what else I’d do.”
    â€œDon’t see the basketball thing working for you?”
    Jake snorted. “Guess I don’t see myself as a parent. Most parents fuck up their kids’ lives. Don’t want any part of that.”
    Nor did Jamal. Karen seemed to think he’d be an okay dad, but Jake had known him way longer. “You think I’d fuck up my kid’s life?” he asked, still pretending to be on the phone.
    Jake pondered. “You’d try not to. Besides, seems to me Karen’s got her head on pretty straight.”
    Jamal couldn’t hold back a grin. “So you’re seeing me and Karen?”
    â€œAren’t you?”
    â€œWhite gal,” he pointed out.
    â€œDidn’t seem to bother her. Does it bother you?”
    â€œNah. Poor mongrel kids, though. White, black, and Latino.”
    â€œCould be pretty.” Jake grinned. “If they take after Karen, not you.”
    And that was the truth. Noting the college kid returning, Jamal lowered his phone and pretended to find another number as he surreptitiously snapped more shots. Kid was sniffing like he’d tried out a sample. He joined his friends, said something, and they abandoned their pool game and headed for the door. Mission accomplished. The two gang members took a corner table.
    Jamal put his phone away. “Free table. Shoot some pool?” It’d keep them occupied while they kept an eye on the Black Devils.
    â€œWhy not?” Jake rose. Then he leaned over and muttered, “When you go to Caribou Crossing, get Karen to take you line dancing.”
    â€œLine dancing?” Now that, he had some trouble with. Basketball, yeah; line dancing, not so much. “Brooke do that?”
    â€œShe’s good.”
    â€œBet she’s good at most anything she chooses to do.”
    â€œThat’s the truth.” Jake finished his beer.
    â€œNever saw you like that with anyone before.”
    â€œLike what?”
    Jamal searched for words. Unfamiliar ones. “Relaxed. Happy.”
    Jake frowned, then said, “Get us some more drinks, will ya? I’ll grab the table before someone else gets it.”

Chapter 6
    Karen walked back to the detachment on a Thursday morning after a quick coffee break with Brooke Kincaid. She was glad the two of them had become friends, but they needed to stop talking about Jamal and Jake. In more than a month, there’d been no contact from either man. Though Brooke asserted that she and Jake had enjoyed a good time and agreed to end it, he was clearly still on her mind. As for Jamal, that night Karen and he had talked and kissed had obviously meant more to her than it had to him.
    Vowing to put him out of her mind, Karen strode into the detachment. Her detachment, until a replacement for Miller was put in place. The phone on her desk was ringing. “Corporal MacLean.”
    â€œKaren MacLean.” A male voice, molasses rich, caressed the four syllables.
    Jamal! His name almost burst out on a gush of excitement but she managed to hold back. Likely this was a business call. Briskly, she said, “Jamal? What can I do for you?”
    â€œSay that you’ll see me.”
    â€œI, uh . . .” She’d made it clear she was only interested in a real relationship and he’d said he had some thinking to do. If he wanted to see her . . . Her heart skipped.
    â€œJake and I are in Winnipeg. Been doing a U/C assignment.”
    â€œOh?” Was

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