Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 99766 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 499(@200wpm)___ 399(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99766 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 499(@200wpm)___ 399(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
I give her thigh a reassuring squeeze, letting her know I know she’s struggling, but that I’m here for her. Some of the tension bleeds out of her body.
“Did you tell them?” Jordy asks, taking Emilia from Jace so he can eat.
“I thought we could do it together.” She beams up at him, proud as hell.
Jordy and Roux are stupidly in love. It’s satisfying to feel their happiness rippling off them in waves. Those two deserve that shit more than just about anyone I know.
“Bob’s selling the restaurant,” Jordy states. “To a local businessman.”
“This has Garrett English written all over it,” Penny whispers to me.
“The businessman,” Roux says, flashing Garrett a wide grin, “has offered to sell it to Jordy and me at a ridiculously low price and has also offered to finance it for us. The interest rate is lower than any bank and the payments are more than manageable considering how busy the restaurant stays.”
“The businessman runs his life like it’s a goddamn Monopoly board,” Jace says with a smirk. “We’re all pawns in his game.”
“Better hold on tight to that get out of jail free card then, pet,” Penny says.
He rolls his eyes. “Penny’s got jokes. What else is new?”
“We’re going to fix this place up and make it really nice,” Jordy tells me. “Garrett’s lending us some extra for renovations.” He nods at Jace. “And Hirsch over here is gonna help with the hard shit since he’s good with his hands.”
“There’s a joke there and I’m holding it in because I don’t want broken bones,” Loden says, bursting out into laughter that makes Charlotte join in on.
Jace messes up Loden’s perfect rock god hair, making him scowl and whine for Charlotte to trade places with him.
“That’s great,” I say, grinning at Roux. “I’m happy for you guys.”
“It’s exciting. It’ll be hard with a baby, but Dad said he’ll babysit when he can if I want to do stuff around the restaurant,” Roux says. “Aunt Penny is a good babysitter too, huh?”
Penny stiffens at her words. “Yup.”
I shoot Penny a questioning look, but she’s in impenetrable wall mode, face expressionless.
“I’ve been adding more Tex-mex dishes into the menu,” Jordy states, a proud grin on his face. “The customers are digging the new specials. Might make them permanent additions.”
“When the restaurant is officially ours, we’re going to revamp the whole menu,” Roux reveals. “Charlotte’s going to help with the new décor, too.”
“You going to keep it the same name?” Tierra asks.
Roux shakes her head. “It’s probably silly, but…”
“It’s not silly,” Jordy assures her, using his free hand to stroke his fingers through her hair. “They’ll like it.”
“Hood River Hoodlums.”
“Catchy,” I say with a shit-eating grin. “A name that demands respect.”
“Damn straight,” Charlotte agrees. “Ooh, we should sell T-shirts!”
“Starting to sound like a cult,” Penny pipes up. “Am I right, pet?”
Jace laughs, holding his hands up in defense. “No comment.”
“Am I the only one who hasn’t drunk the Kool-Aid?” Penny asks. “When did everyone turn into Hoodlums around here?” She points at Jordy and then me. “OG Hoodlums. Roux is Little Hoodlum.” She flutters her fingers at Charlotte and Loden. “Barbie Hoodlum and her sidekick Gay Ken Hoodlum.” They both crack up.
“What about me?” Jace asks, smirking.
“Like you don’t know you’re Daddy Hoodlum, pet.” She rolls her eyes and then points at her dad. “Wannabe Mayor Hoodlum.” He snorts out a laugh. “Rockford Reject Hoodlum.”
“Bitch,” Tierra says, cackling and elbowing Penny.
“I’m the only one here who’s not a Hoodlum. Even Emilia is one.” Penny crosses her arms over her chest, her brow lifted, daring anyone to argue.
“You’re Mean-Ass Hoodlum,” I tell her with a laugh. “Sorry to break it to you, but you drank the Kool-Aid the moment you stepped foot in Hood River.”
While everyone laughs, I lean in and whisper, “And you’re my Hoodlum.”
She smiles—a rare, beautiful Penny smile—because she knows it.
Welcome to the cult, baby.
Penny
It’s after dinner on Sunday by the time I arrive at Jack’s to sit for Zella. With everything that’s going on with Terrence trying to get custody of Zella, it’s even more imperative I look after her in case Jack tries anything stupid, like kidnapping her.
I raise my hand to knock on the door, but it opens before I get the chance. Jack is a mess. His hair hangs in his eyes, which are bloodshot, he needs a shave, and he smells like liquor.
Lovely.
Apprehension crawls up my spine. Last time he was drunk didn’t end well. As much as I want to run in the other direction, I enter his home when he steps aside to grant me entry.
“Get your shit together, Jack,” I grumble. “You’re a mess.”
He hangs his head in shame. I’d much rather him feel sorry for himself than get angry. I walk through the living room toward the kitchen. Zella isn’t there.