Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 57216 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57216 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
No makeup.
No jewelry.
But stunning without any of that.
“Don’t fucking rub it in,” Junior demanded, wrapping an arm around my waist as soon as I got close enough, and pulling me close to his side. “Ma, this is Shale. Shale, my mom, Alex.”
Alex’s gaze slipped to her son’s arm around my waist, then back up, the ghost of a smile toying with her lips.
“Breaker said you were gorgeous,” she said. “I love your hair,” she added.
“Oh, thanks. It’s ever-changing,” I told her.
“I hear you have the best coffee in Navesink Bank,” she said. “I can’t wait to check out your shop.”
“Yeah! I hope I can get it reopened somewhat soon. I have to go track down some contractors or… what?” I asked at her little laugh.
“Oh, honey,” she said, shaking her head at me. “One thing you learn about getting involved with one of these men, it’s that they’re problem solvers,” she said.
“I don’t understand. Did you contact someone already?” I asked, looking up at Junior. When would he have had the time?
“No,” he said. “It was on my list today.”
“You can mark it off,” Alex said. “Your father left at the crack of fucking dawn this morning, his truck packed down with tools. I imagine he’s been at Deja Brew with Paine and Shooter, working on things since then.”
“That’s…” I started.
“Incredibly invasive and completely overstepping?” Alex filled in with a knowing smile. “Yep. Pretty much. I’ve learned that it’s useless to try to remind their stubborn asses about that kind of thing, though.”
I loved his mom.
Really, I didn’t need to spend another moment with her to decide that.
She wasn’t going to be one of those monsters-in-law.
She was every bit as chill as Junior had claimed.
“In that case, I guess I shouldn’t keep trying to talk your son into going to get a scan of his head?” I asked, watching her brow go up.
“Damnit,” Junior grumbled with a sigh.
“You didn’t tell her you were knocked out cold with a blow to the head?” I asked, clucking my tongue. “I’m assuming he also didn’t tell you he was grazed on his side either.”
“He somehow managed not to mention that.”
“Of course,” I said, shaking my head at him.
“I’m fine,” Junior insisted.
“I think that is for the doctor to decide,” Alex insisted.
“This is hardly the worst thing I’ve had happen to me,” Junior said.
“That’s just what a mother wants to hear,” Alex said.
“You pulled a bullet out of me once,” he reminded her, surprising me. He did have a weird, almost puckered scar on his thigh. But I figured it was some sort of stupid adolescent injury, not from a bullet.
“Yes, something a mother loves to do,” Alex said. “Are you dizzy? Have double vision? Nausea?”
“No. I had a headache and that was it. I feel fine after sleep. I’m fine.”
“How are you?” Alex said, looking at me.
“Oh, I’m fine. He got it worse than I did,” I insisted.
Alex’s gaze moved to my cheek.
“It was just a slap,” I said, shrugging it off.
“I heard that it’s all… settled,” Alex said.
“Yeah,” Junior said as he stepped away from me to grab his cup of coffee. His mother took that opportunity to walk over toward him, and whack him hard on the back of the head. “The fuck was that for?” he asked, looking genuinely stunned.
“You were working on a job trying to track down these bastards, and you didn’t bring me in on it?” she asked. “Me, who taught you damn near everything you know?” she added.
Junior had the good sense to look guilty.
“Guys!” Barry said, bursting into the apartment with a box of donuts. But that wasn’t the most interesting thing he was holding.
Oh, no.
That was a leash.
With a puppy attached.
“Look what I got!”
“Where the fuck did you get that?” Junior asked as his gaze fell on the tan and white pittie puppy.
“Someone was out front when I came back,” Barry said. “He asked me if I was coming up here. I said yes. And he handed me the puppy. We got a puppy for Christmas!” he declared.
Sure enough, the puppy had a bow on its collar and a little gift tag attached.
“Looks like Shale got a puppy for Christmas,” Junior said as he stooped down to pet the puppy’s head and read the tag.
He held it out to me, and I opened it to find neat handwriting inside.
Shale - for the help bringing down some rivals. - AA
Then there was more handwriting underneath, but clearly written by a different hand.
Yes, I tried to tell him this was inappropriate. No, he didn’t listen. Enjoy her. - Hope
“Wait, let me get this straight,” I said as I dropped onto my ass to pull the puppy onto my lap. “I just got a puppy from the head of a local cartel as a gift?” I asked, looking up at Junior with a confused smile.