“You said that before.” I glanced up at him. “Who have you been keeping tabs with?”
He gave me a sly grin. “No information until we actually sit down and talk.”
I bit my lip. “And you’ll tell me everything?”
Rooster nodded. “Everything.”
“I’m not saying I’m going to forgive and forget, you understand that, right?”
“I do,” he said.
“Fine.” I took a deep, shaky breath. “You can meet me at my place after work. Bring dinner and wine.”
He gave me a gentle squeeze. “I can do that.”
“Thai food, extra spicy.”
“Okay, baby. Thai.” He slid his phone out of his jeans pocket, handing it to me. “Put your number in and text me your address.”
“Oh, your ‘tabs’ person hasn’t already given it to you?”
“No.” He chuckled. “They still have your back, Katie.”
I did as he asked and handed him his phone back.
“What time?” he asked.
“I should be home around six.”
“Okay. I’ll see you then.”
“No colors, right?” I rushed to say.
“I know the drill. Hatch has scouts out. We’re all being careful.”
With one last, loving glance, he walked out the door and I leaned against the clinic bed.
What the hell did I just do?
Katie
Summer before Sophomore year…
IPULLED OPEN my door to find Kam with a black eye, holding a bloody towel to his nose.
“Oh my god, what happened?” I squealed, pulling him inside. “Billy!”
My brother came running from the back of the house, sliding to a stop when he saw Kam. “What the hell?”
Our mom was at work, so we had the house to ourselves, but it also meant we had to figure outhow to help our friend on our own.
“Did your dad do this?” I asked, guiding him to a kitchen chair.
“Yeah,” Kam confirmed.
“God, he’s a dick,” Billy snapped.
“This time, I hit him back.”
