My Honda CRV cargo area was filled to the max. I considered the five hundred dollars Slay gave me for my help a blessing in disguise. Ever since Brock and I had broken up, money had been tight for me.
So, I woke up this morning and told Kevin to get ready because we were going to Costco and out for lunch in Chico, which was twenty minutes north of San Diablo and thebigcity. The kid had flown out of bed and into the shower in a flash.
“I’ll put the toilet paper in the backseat,” he told me. It was the last item to stuff into my little car.
“Perfect. I’ll put the cart back.” I smiled feeling good for the first time since moving back to San Diablo, and I didn’t want to believe it had to do with seeing Gideon last night.
Gideon Quick, who now went by GQ, and had a woman all over him in the bar.
Not gonna deny my old friend looked hotter than a blazing firepit and that meant he was very dangerous to my well-being. Even though I understood the risks being associated with a biker in the notorious Kings of Anarchy MC, I allowed myself to admire his broad shoulders and the sexy scruff on his face.
But that was last night and today, I wouldn’t think about GQ.
I returned to my car, finding Kevin in the passenger’s seat. His face was red, no thanks to the scorching temperature, and he had the best expression, one of joy.
We hadn’t argued once and it was almost noon, which was unusual. Normally, we bickered about stupid stuff, like him not loading and running the dishwasher while I was at work and leaving the toilet seat up.
Or he’d take a jab at me for never being around and how he wished he could live with his friend Conrad so he wouldn’t be alone all the time.
But so far, it had been a good day, one of our best.
“Let me guess. You’re starving,” I teased him as I started the car.
“You know it, sis.” He cranked up the A/C. Sweat dripped down the side of his face. It was already 101 degrees, projected to hit 109. “I’m hankering for a double cheeseburger and animal style fries.” He licked his lips and wiggled his eyebrows.
“No chocolate shake?” I asked, pulling out of the parking spot.
“I mean, if you’re offering…” He put his face in front of the vent as if it would help to cool him down faster.
“I am. But you know, you can pick something different. It doesn’t always have to be In and Out.” Not that I minded burgers and fries, but it seemed that was all we ever ate. Well, except yesterday. That carne asada burrito was amazing. “Like what about sushi or Italian food?”
“You want to feed me raw fish?” He made a gagging face. “Isn’t that child abuse?”
“Stop it.” I tossed my head back and laughed. “Raw fish is child abuse? Please, stop.”
“It is to me. I’m really craving In and Out. Conrad’s mom made us spaghetti the other night, so no Italian.”
“Fine, but I’m sure her pasta isn’t the same as an Italian restaurant.”
“I like Ragu.” He shrugged his shoulders.
Of course he did. That was the brand our mom used and I never liked it. But I would do anything to have her with us and cook a pot of spaghetti. I’d eat every bite she served me.
After I went away for college, I picked up some snooty habits in SoCal and became a food snob. I couldn’t help it. Everybody was into physical fitness and eating fresh cuisine. Farm to table. Organic. Nothing fried. I embraced the lifestyle and took my habits with me to San Francisco. But San Diablo didn’t have bistros, sushi bars or places I could get an acai bowl.
“Okay, In and Out it is.” I turned left at the intersection and headed toward his favorite fast-food joint. “But we’re listening to country for the rest of our outing.”
“Dammit! I knew there had to be a catch.” He growled and put my country station on. We’d been listening to heavy metal, not my favorite, but I let him have his way to keep the peace and make our time together stress-free.
A Max McNown song came on and I sang along, bobbing my head. By the time the song ended, we were pulling into the parking lot, which was jam packed as usual.
“Let’s go inside,” Kevin said.
“Sure.” I found a spot to park. It would be nice to sit in an air-conditioned place and not have to worry about spilling on my clothes while driving and eating. “We have all the time in the world.”
“Until you have to go back to work, anyway.” He opened his door, got out and closed it before I could say anything.
He wasn’t wrong, though. With all the over-time I’d been getting, my free-time was limited, which was why I would do just about anything he asked. Guilt ate at me.
