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Chapter 172: Roll the Dice
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2022-10-20 14:11:38Related chapters
The Rutherford Series Chapter 173: Roll the Dice
What the hell was I thinking? She had not cooked a meal in forever. Marc had hired Sophia to do all of that for her and she had eagerly passed it over to the woman. Now, she had to cook a meal and instead of putting it off as long as she could, she pushed it forward to tonight. Why had she done that? It was asinine.The panic hit her first thing that morning, while she was pouring her morning coffee. She stared at the stove and was tempted to just pass it over to Sophia and send the woman out for the night, so Morgan would never know the difference. Yet, she shook the thought away almost as soon as it came into her head. She had made a deal and it was important that she keep it. Not just for honesty's sake, but because it meant something to her to do it for him. She couldn't explain the feeling she had, but she knew it was there, that giddy sense of doing something special for someone who meant something to her.She froze, her coffee cup halfway to her lips, as that realization hit her
Last Updated : 2022-10-20The Rutherford Series Chapter 174: Roll the Dice
True to her word, Lily was knocking on her door two hours later, her arms loaded down with overflowing grocery bags. "I kept it simple, chicken Alfredo with a salad and garlic bread. You can do it with your eyes closed and he'll love it. Promise. I even wrote the recipe down with step-by-step instructions." Lily walked through the house, making her way to the kitchen with her supplies.Bert sat at the kitchen table, sipping a cup of coffee. "I see you called in the cavalry."Lily set the bags on the counter and then walked over to Jacqui's father and gave him a hug. "Good morning, Mr. Clydesdale. You ready for her home-cooked meal tonight?"He rolled his eyes. "I have the Chinese place on speed dial. There's a reason Marc hired Sophia, you know."Lily laughed. "Her cooking can't be that bad.""Yes, it can.""He's right," Jacqui said with a shrug of surrender. "It is that bad.""Well then, it's a good thing this is a simple dish." She then laid out a piece of paper with the steps marked
Last Updated : 2022-10-20The Rutherford Series Chapter 175: Roll the Dice
On the ride over, Morgan had drilled into Dustin to be on his best behavior. "Mrs. Karston is someone Daddy works with, so we need to have on what your mommy calls our Sunday manners.""Okay, Daddy." Dustin had one of his Hot Wheels cars and was running it up and down his legs, making vroom vroom noises as he did. Morgan glanced at his son in the backseat, a smile pushing his cheeks up. He had missed the little tyke more than ever. He wasn't sure what had suddenly made him feel that way. He loved his son, missed him while he was on the road, but it wasn't something that was ever overwhelming. It was part of the job. He traveled and, whether he was still with Jeannie or not, he rarely saw his son. It was just life. Yet, now, it seemed like he was never going to see him again and that had his stomach in knots. Returning his eyes to the road, he knew he had to get these three months over with so he could move back home. He needed to do right by his son.Pulling up to Jacqui's house, he w
Last Updated : 2022-10-20The Rutherford Series Chapter 176: Roll the Dice
She just stared at the open door, her mouth open, eyes wide. The little boy had not meant to cause her pain, she knew. He just wanted to see the water. What four-year-old doesn't want to see water? She should have had the drapes drawn. She watched as Morgan went after his son after first glancing at her and noticing her anguish. Closing her mouth, she swallowed the scream she wanted to let out. He had seen her pain…again.Her father was watching her, the concern in his eyes obvious. "He didn't know."She gave him a slow nod, her chest a knot of anxiety that was close to squeezing the last vestiges of control from her grasp. Forcing herself to take slow, deep breaths, she stepped toward the French doors. Life is for the living, not the dead. Her father's words repeated over and over in her head, a mantra that allowed her to take each step in the direction of Morgan and his son.Reaching the threshold of the door, she stopped and took a deep breath. The breeze blew over her patio, caress
Last Updated : 2022-10-20The Rutherford Series Chapter 177: Roll the Dice
Morgan watched as Jacqui laid down beside Dustin on the wooden planks. He saw the pain in her eyes when she first stepped out onto the patio, that sense of loss and the memories that must have flooded her mind. He hurt for her and wished he could take the heartache away from her, but he knew only she could do that, her and time. "She needed this," Bert said as he reached over and slid a cover off one of the chairs. "Don't you worry about her. She's strong. She just needed someone to remind her of that."Morgan reached for another cover. "I take it she hasn't been out here in a while.""Not since they both passed away. She avoids anything that has a memory attached to it. Hell, I'm surprised we're not living at my house, instead of here."With a nod of his head, Morgan folded the cover. "We all deal with grief differently. Yet, we all need to move on.""She can't stop blaming herself for not dying with them. It's silly and she knows it, but she can't stop." Bert stopped his wheelchair
Last Updated : 2022-10-20The Rutherford Series Chapter 178: Roll the Dice
An osprey flew overhead, its powerful wings beating a slow rhythm as it crossed the darkening sky, the moon slowly taking the place of the sun. Morgan had taken her place on the dock, so she could get dinner prepared. Twenty minutes. That's all Lily said it would take. That is if she didn't screw it up. That was supposed to be impossible according to her assistant, but Jacqui knew if anyone could mess up a simple dish, it was going to be her.As she carried the salad out to the patio table, everyone now gathered around it, including Sophia, Jacqui saw candles flickering in small, round, clear bowls. She glanced at her father who only shrugged. "I found them over by the patio bar. I figured we'd need light to eat by, unless, of course, it's that bad. Should I blow them out?"With a roll of her eyes, she shook her head. "No. The meal came out just fine." She set the salad bowl on the table. "At least, I think it did."Morgan smiled as he pushed himself out of his chair. "I'm sure it's fi
Last Updated : 2022-10-20The Rutherford Series Chapter 179: Roll the Dice
He had to admit, dinner went better than he thought it would. As much as Bert liked to bluster about his daughter's lousy cooking, Morgan thought the whole meal was delicious. Even Dustin asked for seconds, which was saying something since it wasn't macaroni and cheese.The conversation stayed light and Jacqui laughed often, a sound to which Morgan could become accustomed. He helped Jacqui with the dishes, while Bert pulled out a dusty Candyland game and challenged Dustin."Be careful," Jacqui said as Dustin tried pushing her father's chair into the other room. "He cheats.""Bah. She just sucks at the game and is a poor loser to boot."Morgan laughed as Jacqui just rolled her eyes. "Cheating's not nice," little Dustin said as they disappeared through the doorway."Take it easy on him, Dustin," Morgan called after them as he grabbed a dish towel from the front of the stove. "Shall we?"Jacqui looked at him, her eyes full of the laughter she was holding inside. "How about we just fill th
Last Updated : 2022-10-20The Rutherford Series Chapter 180: Roll the Dice
What the hell am I doing? This is not like me. Why in the world did I allow them to talk me into this? I don't even like gambling. This is stupid.The internal lecture continued as she slid into the passenger seat of Morgan's truck. She took a deep breath, frustrated at herself, but doing nothing to change it. She hated casinos. She saw them as taking from the community rather than giving back to it. People would sacrifice their hard-earned cash, sometimes depriving their families of necessities, just on the minuscule chance that they would strike it big. Rarely did anyone ever strike it big. This is stupid, she repeated.The evening, however, had been perfect. She even had to admit the pride she felt in conquering her avoidance of the back patio area and even in her interaction with Dustin. She would never be able to repay Morgan for the way he had put her at ease and assisted her in overcoming her fears. Staring out the passenger window as Morgan drove, her annoyance at being dragged
Last Updated : 2022-10-20
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The Rutherford Series Chapter 268: To Be Cherished
Dropping the arm holding the towel to his side, he walked over to where Cherish sat and joined her on the bed. He reached out, placing a hand on her leg and gave her a reassuring squeeze. "I'm sorry you're having to deal with this," he told her. He gave a weak shrug. "I guess we never know the full extent of our actions and their consequences until it's too late." He quickly held a hand up, stopping her from saying anything else. "That wasn't a judgment. Promise."She offered him a weak smile. "I didn't take it that way." She shrugged. "Besides, you're right. I didn't realize while I was...you know...how it would hurt you or Jordie, and I sure as hell didn't realize how it would follow me to another job. I was too caught up in what I was doing to even think of anything else." She reached out, placing her hand on top of his. "I'm sorry I was such a selfish bitch."Glen leaned over and kissed Cherish's forehead. When he pulled away, he grinned. "You're my selfish bitch, so it's all good.
The Rutherford Series Chapter 267: To Be Cherished
Cherish shoved her phone into her purse, closed the final file folder, and shoved herself away from her desk. This day was over, and she was more than happy to see it go. As she stood, however, she realized the day was not completely over. She stood at the edge of her desk, adjusting her purse on her shoulder, as Mary Overton stepped into her doorway, arms crossed over her chest, looking as if she had a corncob shoved deep up her ass. What Bernie saw in the woman, Cherish would never know. Cherish sucked in a deep breath as she paused, waiting to hear what had brought the grump of a woman to her door. "Is there something I can help you with?" Cherish asked.Mary glanced over the room, scowling as she took in the changes Cherish made to the small office. "I see you've rearranged. Making the place more to your liking." Cherish could have sworn the woman gave a disgusted sniff as she said it. "I thought the way Kim had it set up was quite efficient." She glanced around the room with a sn
The Rutherford Series Chapter 266: To Be Cherished
Glen soaked in her naked body, making no qualms about devouring her with his gaze. He had always thought Cherish was gorgeous and hated when she started to hide her body in baggy shirts and shorts. He wanted to see more of her flesh, more of her body tempting him under tight clothes or low-cut tops. He wanted her to be seductive, sultry, sexy. Hell, he even wanted her to dress slutty for him.Reaching out, Glen ran a hand over her freckle-covered shoulder, up her neck, and into her strawberry-blond hair. Gazing into her eyes, he sucked in a breath as he stared at her. "You, Cherish Lansky, are beautiful."He saw her cheeks redden with her blush, felt her squirm under his touch as his words embarrassed her, but he didn't care. While he thought the words often enough, he failed to say them out loud for her to hear. She needed to hear them. He needed to say them. They needed to get back to the spark that was them when they first ignited each other's passions. Looking at her right then, he
The Rutherford Series Chapter 265: To Be Cherished
Cherish took a deep breath, deciding to tackle the topic of Rutherford even if Glen hadn't brought it up. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Jed. It's been a pretty emotional week all around, and I swear, it just slipped my mind."Glen cocked an eyebrow at her. "A lot of things have slipped your mind lately. I should probably do something about that, eventually."She bowed her head. "Yes, sir," was all she said, but she couldn't deny the tingle between her legs at the thought of Glen punishing her again. She would never have thought the idea of him spanking her would have such an effect on her.He took a sip of his coffee as he studied her, and Cherish just stood there under his scrutiny. After a stretched-out moment, he said, "So, tell me about the conversation now. You said you weren't interested in returning. Is that the truth?"She shrugged. "I don't know, to be honest. And, in the way of full disclosure, it was sort of a mixture of him asking if I would want to return and me aski
The Rutherford Series Chapter 264: To Be Cherished
Cherish placed the last of the glasses back in the cabinet, her back screaming at her due to the lengthy day she just endured. Jordie was already sound asleep in his bed, his tired little body crashing as soon as everyone left, and the constant energy faded away. She could relate as exhaustion tugged at her as well. She had to admit, however, Glen's idea of having the party at their house opposed to her parents' was definitely a winner, minus the cleanup part afterward. Jordie loved every gift he opened, and he and the other kids made full use of the bounce house. Even a few of the adults climbed inside to get their inner youth on while they made the little ones stand outside the giant inflatable while they took over. The children, of course, were far from happy about not being permitted inside, but they laughed like crazy as they watched their parents bouncing around, trying to do flips, and falling on their asses.Valerie surprised Cherish with how she interacted with everyone else a
The Rutherford Series Chapter 263: To Be Cherished
Cherish felt the tears streaming down her cheeks, felt the anguish clutching at her heart as she sat there, staring at her mother, the woman crying openly now as she stared back at Cherish. How could her mother ever doubt Cherish's love for her? Because I did a shitty job of showing it. I pushed her with everything I did. Cherish reached out, taking her mother's hand in her own, squeezing it tight. "I've always loved you, Mom. You did nothing wrong. It was all me; I was the selfish bitch who never seemed satisfied and happy. I'm so sorry I ever made you feel that way." She squeezed her mother's hand again. "I should never have treated you that way."Her mother gave her a weak smile, squeezing her hand back before pulling it away. "I love you, too, and I'm sorry I ever made you feel as if you couldn't tell me you were pregnant." She shook her head. "Not a very good mother, huh?"Cherish settled back in her chair. "I think we both made mistakes, but that was then. This is now. I need to
The Rutherford Series Chapter 262: To Be Cherished
Cherish left the others and walked over to her mother, taking one of the remaining chairs beside the other woman. "Why don't you come join the rest of us? Has to be better than sitting over here all by yourself."Her mother didn't even look at her, keeping her gaze on the children. "Why is she here?" she asked, her back stiff, hands clasped in her lap."There are a lot of shes here," Cherish said, even though she knew to whom her mother referred. "You'll have to be a little more specific.""Your sister's new friend," her mother said, her lips pressed into a thin line. "Why did they have to bring her to a family event? It's rude."Cherish glanced over and watched as Tracey Williams laughed at something Arni said, her feet barely touching the ground from where she sat in the chair. "She's close to Selby and Faith," Cherish said with a shrug. "We permitted Brent to bring Bonnie; why wouldn't we allow Faith and Selby to bring Tracey? She seems to be getting along with everyone all right."
The Rutherford Series Chapter 261: To Be Cherished
Glen stepped back out into the yard, two camp chairs in his hands. Valerie Driscoll was accustomed to calling all the shots, and he knew she set up her area far away from his mother to try to force a division in the party, drawing the crowd to her, so she could show off. That was one of the reasons he wanted the party at his house, so she wouldn't be able to pull a stunt like this. Yet, she still wrecked division wherever she went.Glen moved to the middle of the yard, close to the bounce house, and set up the two chairs. He turned to find Cherish near her mother, two beers in her hand as she watched him, one eyebrow raised and a smirk turning up the corner of her lip."Excuse me," he heard her tell her mother. "I think I'll go join my husband." She then left her mother's side, Valerie's mouth ajar as she gawked at her daughter's retreating back. When Cherish reached him, she handed him his beer as she slid into her chair. "Your beer, sir," she said, smiling at him.He glanced over at
The Rutherford Series Chapter 260: To Be Cherished
Glen just needed a few minutes to calm his temper. He knew he had acted rude since returning home, and he didn't mean to snap at everyone, taking out his frustration with Cherish on everyone but her. He shoved his way inside the house and headed for the bedroom at the back of the house. Just a few minutes, that's all he needed.However, what he needed and what he received were two different things. As soon as he plopped down on the bed, his hands clasped together as he rested his elbows on his knees, doing his best to take deep breaths, Cherish walked into the room, shutting the door behind her. He didn't even turn to look at her. He couldn't right then. She had lied. Again. That's all she ever did lately.Cherish walked in front of him and dropped to her knees, sitting back on her heels, her hands on her thighs as she stared up at him. She said nothing. Just knelt there, waiting.Glen closed his eyes, taking another fortifying breath. Before opening them again and staring at his wife.
