Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 145088 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145088 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Dex’s eyes widened. “Oh, my God. Will I get to meet your parents? Let’s see your parents!”
Hammer stared at him. He would not go out of his way to meet two people who’d pretty much erased him from their lives. “Over my dead body.”
Chapter 20 – Dex
Hammer’s parents were rich.
Dex had expected to see a normal house somewhere in the suburbs, much like the one where he’d grown up in, but the building in front of them could have fit four of those. Maybe more, if the Italianate villa sprawled to the back the same way it did to the sides. It had a flattish roof covered with ceramic tiles, a garage that could fit three cars, and fancy sash windows with mini-balconies and wooden shutters. To top that off, two of those narrow and tall trees one often saw in pictures of Italy grew at some distance from the grand entrance that had the shape of a vault and was framed by lanterns looking like ones Dex had seen on a historical building he’d visited during a school trip.
As a fish out of water, Dex was at a disadvantage, but he’d do his best to help Hammer reconnect with his family. Maybe there was still something to salvage from their former relationship? Dex had lost touch with his own, apart from Frank, who was the other black sheep, but Hammer could still show his family he’d grown up to be an upstanding man.
“Maybe we could stay the night if we play our cards right,” Dex said to Hammer, all excited. “I bet they have guest rooms. Do they?”
Hammer stared at the building, his face still as a statue’s. “You think?”
“I don’t know what kind of rooms rich people need in their homes. In movies they always have a cinema, a wine cellar, a music room—”
“Yeah, they do have guest rooms, but I’m not sure they’re gonna be happy seeing us out of the blue. Mom always wanted to move to a gated community. For all I know, they might not even live here anymore,” Hammer said and blew a strand of dark hair out of his eyes.
Dex unzipped his jacket and checked his T-shirt for stains. He needed to make a good impression in front of Hammer’s parents. He took off the sling to avoid questions about his accident and vowed to himself he'd pretend his arm was fine even if it hurt like a motherfucker. Nothing more pain killers couldn't help with. Sadly, Hammer was timing him on those and wouldn't let him take more than two at a time.
“Only one way to find out if they're inside.” He grinned and rang the doorbell, which sounded like some classy jazz tune.
Hammer’s arm rose, but it was too late, so he let it drop and pulled on the front of his leather jacket, adjusting it. His hair was still messy from wearing a helmet though, and Dex stepped in, combing it with his fingers.
“Just remember it was your idea,” Hammer said.
Dex shrugged. “Yeah, and you’ll see it was a good one. It never hurts to have family on your side.” Which was a bitter reminder that he’d overdone it when arguing with Frank and needed to make amends, but that could wait when the here and now needed to be taken care of.
Hammer inhaled, and his eyes met Dex’s as if he wanted to say something but then the door unlocked, and a woman in a simple black dress emerged, staring at them as if she’d just seen a ghost. She looked ready for a night out, with perfectly styled mid-length hair the same shade as Hammer’s, and a touch of lipstick on her mouth.
“Florian?”
Dex stilled, as if he were a printer and his thoughts—paper jammed in his brain. Florian? Hammer’s real name was Florian? He’d laugh if it wasn’t disrespectful to Hammer’s mother.
“We’re sorry to arrive so late, but… Florian told me this was his home town, and one thing led to another, so here we are. I’m Dex, by the way.” He extended his hand in greeting, but she didn’t take it, going pale under her makeup.
“Peter?” she called out, folding her hands on her chest and ignoring Dex in favor of Hammer, who eventually took a step forward and nodded.
“I know. I should have let you know. But I thought that since we’re family—”
“What is it, honey?” a man asked, emerging from the depths of the white corridor in a brown woolen sweater. He had thinning gray hair, but his face bore a striking resemblance to the man standing at Dex’s side. He too stalled when he saw them, only to hurry to the door with eyes pinned to Hammer. “What—”
“It’s fine, we can leave,” Hammer said, already stepping back, but his mother shook her head, still in a state of shock.