“It remains the same.”
Aspen looks as though she has more to say, but she’s stopped by the bell above the door. The comic book shop door closes and Finn walks in carrying two oversized plastic bags full of what has to be our breakfast order. My mouth salivates at the spicy deliciousness those bags hold.
But right away I guess the situation is going to go downhill. Hudson steps in front of Finn, stopping his progress in our direction. He stares at him for a second not saying anything, but then his mouth opens and he asks, “Where’s Jake?”
Finn keeps walking in our direction. “Sunday’s his day off,” Finn says like this is common knowledge because, quite frankly, it is. He can’t make the poor guy work every day. Normally one of us would volunteer to pick up breakfast and leave Finn in his apartment playing video games, but with so much of the group missing this week, I guess Aspen asked him to play delivery boy. It doesn’t seem like a big deal.
Apparently, Hudson disagrees. His body hums with agitation.
“Where is your security detail today?” Hudson asks.
Finn turns around smiling, not aware of what he’s walked into.
“Hudson,” I say standing up from the couch. This won’t end well.
“Nonsense,” Finn says placing in the bag on the table. “It’s Sunday.”
Hudson rubs two fingers on his right temple. “Your security is absolute shit.”
We all gasp, but it doesn’t stop Hudson.
“You are a billionaire, which makes Aspen a billionaire. Ransoms are higher for the wife of a billionaire. Don’t get me started on the rest of you. You’ve got Grant living in the bad part of town because his girlfriend likes an old Victorian house. Do you see how reckless you are?”
We stare at him, no one speaking or daring to answer the question. Except when we don’t he keeps going.
“You are crazy and delusional about who you are. You do not come to a comic shop on a set schedule on the same day and time of the week when it has this big ass unsecured window.”
I tense waiting for Finn to yell back. Marissa at least, but she doesn’t. Instead she stares at Hudson and I can see the wheels of her brain turning. Finn, who receive the brunt of his yelling looks at him and rubs the side of his chin with his thumb.
The silence stretches on until we’re stuck in a quiet loop. Finally, Finn nods his head and says, “You make a good point.”
“That’s all? I make a good point?” Hudson asks. He visibly takes a deep breath and mouths a few words, which look to be like him counting to ten before he shakes his head and turns around to resume his post in front of the window.
“Okay then, who is ready for breakfast?” Aspen says trying to break the mood. I take the burrito I ordered and the extra I picked up for Hudson, even though he said he didn’t eat on the job, and put them in one of the smaller carry-out bags.
“Hudson and I will take ours to go.” I stand hoping to God none of them argue with me.
For the first time in our lives, Marissa doesn’t argue or make a comment. She smiles and nods, giving me a look of sympathy.
“I’ll call you later,” Aspen promises throwing a few napkins in the bag for me to take with us.
I’m already dreading this phone call.
14
“Ican’t believe you said that to Finn,” I say for at least the sixteenth time as I unlock the door to my apartment. I’ve never heard anyone yell at Finn. Well, besides Aspen. And Marissa yells all the time but normally only at Ryland. This is uncharted territory.
Although, Hudson’s been trying to boss me around for weeks. And I kind of let him. Fighting has never been my style.
Hudson doesn’t even fake feeling bad as he walks in the apartment with our bag of food.
“He deserved it.”
Yup, definitely not upset.
“It’s stupid to put everybody’s safety in danger. Sure San Francisco isn’t Mexico where people get kidnapped all the time, but he is rich and whether he’s high profile doesn’t matter. Somebody out there will try to use it to their advantage. He needs to protect himself now before he gets caught up in something bigger than he can handle.”
People get kidnapped from Mexico? I wanted to go there for my next vacation.
