Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 82060 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82060 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
She kept going.
“But he’s out for the rest. So why are we standing here again?”
This was a good question because Darius’s feelings on the matter did, indeed, not leave a lot to interpretation, so I didn’t really know.
However, things had definitely been left unsaid, and for some stupid reason, I had the overwhelming urge to say them.
Before I could answer her, a truck pulled into the parking lot.
But it didn’t park.
It drove right up to us and stopped.
The window went down, and I saw Eddie Chavez behind the wheel.
Dang.
Darius knew I was here, or Shirleen did, but it was Darius who was making the statement that he didn’t want to see me.
Eddie vocalized it.
“Go home, Malia.”
“Well, Eddie Chavez,” Toni drawled. “Look at you. You grew up good.”
His black eyes shifted to her, he murmured, “Toni,” then he looked at me, “This is no place for you. Either of you.”
“Tell him I want to speak to him,” I ordered.
Eddie said nothing.
“Tell him, Eddie,” I demanded.
“Go home, Malia,” he repeated, the window went up, and he rolled through the parking lot.
But I noted, when he turned around, he sat idling, his lights still on, waiting for us to load up and head out.
Yeesh.
Those boys.
Always having each other’s backs.
I thought it was cool back in the day.
It was annoying as all get out now.
“I don’t think Darius is gonna show,” Captain Toni of the Obvious pointed out.
I huffed out a breath and got in the car. Toni got in beside me.
Eddie followed us out of the parking lot.
“You know, he’s a cop now,” Toni remarked.
“What? Who?”
“Eddie Chavez.”
I couldn’t help it. I was frustrated and ticked, but that made me laugh out loud.
“No, seriously, he is,” Toni said through my laughter.
“The only reason Eddie Chavez wasn’t a bonafide juvenile delinquent was because…”
I didn’t finish.
It was because Darius tempered that trio.
Lee Nightingale and Eddie Chavez were two young men who weren’t challenged enough by school or sports, so they sought out other challenges, and when you were a teenaged boy, those challenges often were nefarious.
Darius had been their moral compass.
I would have thought…
“Do you know what Lee Nightingale is doing?” I asked Toni.
“He’s in the Army. I think he’s stationed in North Carolina or somewhere.”
Well, there it was. I was no psychologist, but the only reason those two didn’t go off the rails was because Darius kept them on track.
Then he went off the rails and they found them, probably to lead by example, remind their bud who he really was, show the way or be in the position to look out for him as best they could.
Those three had been inseparable, and I should have known they’d find a way to continue to be, even if life took them in very different directions.
“So Lee and Indy never got together,” I said, feeling sad about this, for Indy, and for Lee.
They were always so into each other, I figured he was just waiting for her to grow up.
I guessed I figured wrong.
“Nope, but she isn’t taken, so there’s still hope.”
I wasn’t so sure. I was running low on hope these days.
I dropped Toni at her place, and the minute I pulled into the parking spot in front of her apartment, Tony opened the door and leaned against the jamb.
Damn, he was fine.
“Can’t deny,” I remarked, gaze aimed at her man, “something good came out of going to that bar.”
“No, can’t deny it,” Toni replied. Then her voice got softer, sweeter. “Just saying, he’s got friends, and they’re good dudes.”
I looked to her and gave her a smile I didn’t really feel even though I felt the words I said, “I’ve got a friend too, and she’s the best dudette ever.”
She pulled a face. “Oh my God, do not ever call me a dudette again.”
The smile I had then, I felt.
Toni was awesome at taking your back and guarding your heart, but she wasn’t really good with talking about feelings.
“Go to your guy,” I urged. “Next time Mom and Dad take Liam for the night, we’ll do something fun.”
“Promises, promises,” she muttered as she exited the car.
I waited until she got to Tony, but I didn’t watch him greet my friend.
I remembered love in first bloom like it was yesterday.
And I missed it.
Instead, I drove to an empty home (and incidentally, Eddie hadn’t yet peeled off, which told me exactly what Darius had ordered him to do, and that was make sure Toni and I got home okay), wishing I hadn’t caved when Mom begged me to let Liam spend the night.
She and Dad doted on my kid.
Though I knew she had an ulterior motive, thinking I was young, I needed to go out and be young with a girlfriend and forget I had a huge responsibility at home that limited my ability to go out and be young.