Page 68 of All In

“Alright.”

“Bye, Najee.”

“Bye, Jackie.

The line went dead, and Jackie lowered her phone slowly. For a second, she just stood there in the hallway, staring at the screen before it went dark. Then she looked down the hall, toward the kitchen, toward Cash— and felt conflicted all overagain. Two completely different men. Two completely different energies. And somehow… she responded to both.Differently. Jackie exhaled.This shit was getting messy.And Jackie didn’t do messy. Yet here she was. Standing right in the middle of it.

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

JACKIE

It was a little after 8:30PM…when Jackie finally got Fat Daddy out of the tub.

He was dressed in his brand-new pajamas. They fit, but justbarely.He definitely could’ve gone up a size. Her baby was giving tight time,real bad.But at least he was clean and not itching anymore, so a win was a win. “Ma,” he whispered as they stepped into the hallway. “Coach Cash house better than ours… and Uncle Monty’s.” He paused. “His TV bigger too.” Jackie shot him a look and shushed him immediately. “Boy, hush.” They turned the corner into the kitchen, and Jackie stopped short. She had been expecting Chinese food containers and paper plates. Something quick. Something simple.

But Cash had the whole counter set up like they were in some kind of upscale noodle house. Everything was plated family-style across the island. Bowls stacked neatly. Chopsticks positioned just so. Even the fortune cookies were arranged with precision. Jackie paused, watching the steam rise off the food. It was a lot. And she could see his effort, even if she didn’t want to. Which of course, made things all the more complicated. She let out a quiet breath, then looked down at Max.

“When we step into this kitchen, you’re going to sit down, eat your food, and chew with your mouth closed. You understand me?” Max nodded fast, already trying to look past her. “And don’t be asking a thousand questions either.” “I’m not,” he said automatically, bouncing on his toes. “I’m serious, Maximus.”She caught the back of his pajama shirt, then took his hand and guided him into the kitchen, stopping when he spotted the stools. They were a little too high for him to climb on his own, and before she could step in, Cash was already there. “C’mon,” he said, lifting Max up with ease and settling him onto the stool like it was second nature. Max leaned forward immediately, eyes wide.

“Coach… what’s all this?”

Cash didn’t answer right away. He just started building Max’s bowl. “Tell me what you want,” he said, nodding toward the spread. Max pointed at everything at once. “That… and that… and that.” Cash moved around the island with him, calm and careful. Noodles, broth, toppings, adjusting as Max changed his mind mid-sentence. “Coach, can you show me how to use chopsticks?”

“I got you.” Max reached for a chicken wing. “Max,” Cash said, grabbing a small plate before it made it into the bowl. “You can’t put that in there.” Jackie turned her head slightly, already embarrassed. When she glanced his way, she mouthed,thank you.He didn’t acknowledge it, just kept moving like it was nothing. For the next forty-five minutes, Cash sat there teaching Max how to hold the chopsticks, adjusting his fingers, and repositioning his grip every time it slipped.

Max talked the entire time.“Coach, how you know how to do this?”

“Coach, you eat this every day?”

“Coach, what’s this called?”

“Coach, you ever been to China?”Jackie tried to intervene once or twice, but Cash waved her off. “I got him.” And he did. His patience caught her off guard. So did how Max naturally responded to it. Jackie stayed on the other side of the island, eating slower than usual, keeping her focus on her food instead of the way it felt watching them. Her phone sat beside her. Stillnothing from Kormia. The later it got, the more that started to bother her. “Coach,” Max said between bites, finally getting the hang of it, “You got games on your TV?” “Yeah.” Max lit up. “Can I play?” Cash glanced at Jackie.

She didn’t even look up. “If he finishes his food.”

“I’m finished.” Cash huffed a quiet laugh. “Aight. Come on.”

He slid off the stool and helped Max down, guiding him toward the living room. Jackie stayed where she was for a moment, then stood and started cleaning. Stacking dishes, rinsing bowls, running water over utensils, trying not to think too much. By the time she finished, the kitchen was back in order. When she turned around, Cash was back and changed. She could tell he’d showered. The scent hit her before anything else, clean, fresh, a little airy, something subtle but masculine. He had on gray sweats, a white V-neck, and white Nike socks. He looked comfortable. Relaxed. Like tonight was just another night for him.And maybe it was.She could be overthinking it as usual.Still, Jackie wasn’t crazy. She felt an energy in the air. An energy she recognized. “Kormia hit you back yet?”

Jackie shook her head. “No. Not yet.” Cash pulled out a sleek gold bottle, then grabbed two small wooden boxes from the cabinet and set them on the island. Jackie watched, confused. “You drink sake?” She leaned her hip against the counter. “I haven’t in a long time.”

“You gone drink some with me tonight?” he asked, his attention settling on her. She hesitated, then— “Yeah.” Her eyes dropped to the wooden boxes. “Those coasters?”

Cash half-smiled, that slight dimple showing. “Nah. They’re called masu. Traditional Japanese measuring cups. “He poured slowly and careful, making sure the liquid rose just enough to kiss the rim before settling. “You drink from the glass,” he said. “The masu catch the overflow.” Jackie picked it up, turning itslightly. It looked light.It fucking wasn’t.She took a sip, then blinked.

“Damn. That’s strong.” Cash huffed. “That shit sneak up on you, don’t it?”

“No, it don’t sneak,” she said, setting the glass down. “It kick the damn door in.”

That earned a real smile from him. They poured again, andagain.The conversation stayed light at first, small comments, easy observations. But somewhere between the second and third pour, the edges softened. Jackie felt it in her shoulders first, then her chest, like something she’d been holding all day finally loosened. Time passed without either of them really noticing.

Max’s voice had faded into silence in the other room, replaced by the low hum of whatever game Cash had left running. They drifted into the living room, glasses in hand, settling onto the sectional. Fat Daddy was out cold at the far end, sprawled across the cushions, one sock missing, controller still clutched in his hand. Jackie smiled at the sight before easing herself down. Cash sat beside her, not touching, but close enough to feel. They both let out a small laugh at the same time, like the moment caught them off guard.Then it quieted enough for the room to breathe. Jackie leaned her head back slightly. “Cassius… I am drunk.” He glanced at her. “I think I am too,” he said, letting out a quiet laugh. “I’ll be honest… I never drank that before.” She turned toward him. “What?” He nodded toward the bottle. “It’s been in my fridge for like three years. Got it on my last trip to Japan.” Her brows lifted. “So that wasn’t even regular sake… that was Koshu?” Cash looked at her, surprised. “What you know about that?” Jackie shrugged, a small smile pulling at her mouth. “I know stuff. Just ’cause I ain’t been to Japan like you don’t mean I don’t know the vibes.” Their attention lingered for a beat longer than it should have before Cash shifted slightly.

“You forgive me for that club shit?”

Jackie blinked, caught off guard, but she didn’t dodge it this time. She exhaled slowly, her attention still on him. “I don’t want to,” she admitted. “But it’s getting harder to stay mad at you, especially after the way you showed up for us tonight.”

He didn't answer right away. His gaze drifted for a moment before returning to hers.