Shit. I’d love to. How in the hell am I supposed to do that? I’d need to evict Brody, evict Levi, evict myself from the shackles of the Flynn Oil case. It’s all too complicated, too set in stone to ever work out in myfavor.
Unless…
I reach for my phone and scroll through the numbers until I hit Mack Danish, an old college buddy working with our accounting firm. What if Brody was too immersed in something else to take care of The Pelican like he should? I shoot him off a quick text, hardly able to control the smile from twitching on my lips. Then there is Levi. I think on this a moment before contacting my friends over at Orville Realty right here in the heart of downtown Jepson. I happen to know that’s who Levi and Low are using to help hunt down their new home. I give a chuckle as I text my buddy. And now all that is left isme.
I glance around the glass and stainless covered office, so slick and polished, so very metropolitan, so far away from everything The Sloppy Pelican embodies it’s almost a joke. Now what to do about my legal predicament. My heart thumps violently within my chest because a part of me already knows theanswer.
I spike out of my seat and swipe the Flynn file along with my briefcase. I head straight into my father’s office and land the file over his desk with athud.
“What’s this?” He does a double take while struggling to pry his eyes off his laptop. “You need a quick powwow from the old man to help strategize? I always knew you appreciated mywisdom.”
“Your wisdom, yes.” Not your work ethic. “But that’s not what I’m here for. I’m giving Flynn back to you.” I take a deep breath as I try to absorb the anger quickly morphing in my father’s eyes. “I’ll need a few months off. I’m taking a personalleave.”
His brows hike in amusement. “You take a few months off and you won’t have a firm to come backto.”
“That’s what I thought.” I take off for the door. “I’ll clean out my desk before theweekend.”
Teagan rushes over in horror, clearly apprised as to what justhappened.
“Everything okay?” She staggers back as if I dealt her the blow instead of myfather.
“Everything’s great. Grab your purse. I’m taking you tolunch.”
* * *
The airin Hollow Brook is always a little bit sweeter, far more fragrant and nourishing to the body than that of downtown Jepson, which says a lot, considering the fact I not only work in Jepson, I call it home aswell.
Teagan practically skips out of the car as we head into The SloppyPelican.
“Wait!” she sings, positioning her phone to take a picture of the two of us with that giant inebriated looking pelican that sits on the roof. The entire facility inside and out is rife with character, and there’s not a single day I’ve been here that I haven’t seen someone posing for a picture with that overgrown bird. In truth, it’s that old miner charm that sold me on the place. Levi and Brody could have easily found someone else to provide the capital to get this place off the ground. But I wanted in. I wanted something that spoke to my heart and not just my bank account. And good thing, since The Sloppy Pelican is just now hitting its financial stride. We struggled hard and long this past year. About Christmastime, I thought for sure we’d close the doors before June, and yet here we are, mid-August and in the black—those are three little words every business owner longs tohear.
“Say cheese!” I do the obligatory bunny ears behind Teagan’s head, and she pretends to hate it. We head in as the heavenly scent of grilled burgers lights up my senses. “I know what I’m having.” And then I see her. Standing midway between the bar and me is Lex. Her attention is fully enveloped as she observes Low taking an order from a customer, but I’m not looking at Low or the women seated at the table. My full attention is set on that fiery redhead, those long stems she calls legs, that too short skirt and the heels she’s donned. Lex has always been a showstopper, a firecracker. The first time I laid eyes on her was at the Black Bear Saloon. Start of senior year, she took my breath away as soon as I saw her sitting in that dark booth with her laptop open. She wore tight jeans and an equally tight T-shirt that showcased her body, but it was that face, those eyes that captivated me. You could see the hurt layered beneath her beauty. That’s something that’s always struck me about Lex. She wears her wounds like a badge of honor. It took a minute to build up my nerve to talk to her, and the first thing she did was tell me off—and rightly so. I was looking for a good time, something quick and dirty, even though deep down I knew she’d be the last to deliver. And then the unthinkable happened. She held a conversation with me. And after I tracked her down a second time—we were inseparable from there on out. Except of course, well, I’m not thinking about that rightnow.
“Dude.” Teagan slaps me across the cheek, and Lex looks over just in time to see the show. “Are you in a sugar coma or something? Should I start shoving a Hershey’s Bar down your pie trap? Or can we get a seatalready?”
“Very funny.” I nod toward Lex and Low while leading my not-so sweet baby sis into a booth near the rear that affords me a view of the entireestablishment.
Low zips over, sans Lex, and I can’t help butfrown.
“Who is this little cutie?” Low sings with nefarious undertones. “Someone to impress the exwith?”
“It’s my sister.” I shake my head at Low, begging her not to go there. Teagan knew Lex. I’m shocked she didn’t spot her. “Teagan, this isHarlow.”
“But you can call me Low.” She’s quick to shake my sister’s hand. “Are you a Brigg’s Mustang like yourbrother?”
Teagan takes a full breath before answering. “Actually, I’m headed for Hollow Brook Community College. Just, you know, taking prerequisites.” My sister’s cheeks spike with color. “I’m hoping to transfer somewhere nextyear.”
What Teagan doesn’t want to say is that Emilia passed away right before SATs and she was in no shape to take them. Community college fit the bill for many reasons. And I for one am proud of Teagan for mustering the courage to march on with life. I can’t image having to study for exams or write endless papers while living through the nightmare we’re still in. I also think Emilia is the reason Teagan hasn’t bothered to get her driver’s license yet. I’ve asked her about it, and she cites it’s a millennial thing, but in truth I think it’s more of an Emilia thing. Emilia was the one teaching her to drive. And Teagan’s had no desire to do it since my sister passedaway.
Low ticks her head toward the bar. “Lex is in the back.” She makes a face. “Baby steps,right?”
“What?” Teagan leans in with that curious gleam in her eye, but beneath it there’s a touch of rage. Teagan isn’t Lex’s biggest fan. “Did you say Lex? Is that who that girlwas?”
“Yeah,” Low whispers as she leans in. “It’s your big bro’s ex-ho.” She gives a little wink. “No worries, though. That’s all ancient history.” She glares at me a moment. “Or isit?”
Teagan bounces in her seat, her face set in a newfound scowl. “Wait a minute! You meanLex, Lex? As in psychotic Alexa Maxfield? What’s she doing here? Is she here because of you? No way—are you seeing heragain?”
The ripe disgust on her face lets both Low and me in on the fact she’s staunchly opposed to theidea.
