Mom doesn’t call me on it because she’s distracted by Henri. “What are you wearing?”
“Don’t you mean, who?” I joke.
Mom gives me a mad mom look.
I sigh. “She’s wearing a gangbanger’s shirt.”
Mom overlooks where the shirt came from and asks, “Why?”
Henri smirks at me then pulls up the sleeve and sticks out her arms. “Because I got inked.”
I roll my eyes. “My little girl is growing up to be her own little gangbanger.”
Mom grabs Henri’s arms and inspects the tattoo, then turns to me. “It’s pretty good. Who did it?”
Henri’s face falls because she expected a horrified reaction out of mom. She tries again. “A gangbanger did it.”
Mom’s mouth drops open and she twists around and glares at me. “You let a gangbanger give Henri a tattoo. What’s wrong with you?”
I polish off my beer. “Now you’re pissed off? Because of who gave her the tat? Don’t you think maybe she shouldn’t have gotten inked at all?”
Mom seems like she’s torn between the nice artwork and the truth of my statement. “So why did you let her?” she snaps at me.
“Wait a sec. I’m still thirsty.” I grab another beer and take a long swallow. I’m starting to feel woozy from the alcohol and lack of sleep. I decide to sit down before I fall over.
“Quit drinking my beer.”
I glance at the bottle. “You don’t drink beer.”
“No, but Trevor does.”
I’m afraid to ask, but I do anyway. “And who is Trevor?”
“Trevor,” mom says with a smile, “Is the new bouncer at the club.”
Groan. “You’re dating another bouncer?”
“Are we gonna have to pretend I’m your niece again, Gramma?” Henri says, thinking the conversation is well and truly deflected.
“Maybe,” mom says. “We’re not a couple but I plan to invite him over and make a nice meal and give him a beer. See where it goes.” She frowns at me, then Henri. “And quit distracting me.”
I don’t point out that she was the one who distracted herself.
Henri yawns like she hasn’t yawned in years. “I should go to bed. I’m so tired.”
“Sit down!” mom and I say together.
Henri pouts and sits.
“Tell her, Henri. Everything. Especially why you went to gramma’s bar and ratted her out to Tyler.” Yes, I’m not above throwing the kid under the bus.
Henri sucks in her breath as she kicks me in the shin. She’s losing her touch. It barely hurt.
Mom sits down and taps her fingers on the table as she looks at Henri expectantly. “Yes, I’m interested in knowing how you conned Tyler into giving you a ride to Reno.”
“And don’t forget pickpocketing from mom’s regulars.” I smirk at Henri. She glares at me.
Mom sighs. “You know, it was never gonna work out with Tyler anyway. I don’t I think could trust him enough to be with him permanently.”
