Page 26 of Force At Third

“See y’all tomorrow.” I nod and start hoofing it toward the exit.

“Locke,” he calls to me, and I look back over my shoulder. He pulls a nicety out of his ass. “You handled that like a pro in there.”

Fuck yeah, he’s hurting.

“Thanks, man.”

* * *

When I roll in, I see the back porch of CeCe’s home and a porch full of people. With the windows cracked, I can hear them laughing. Perfect.

I park, get out, grab my bag, toss it on my back steps, and then head over to see what I can stir up.

As I round the garage, I let out a whistle. All conversation stops as they turn and look at me.

“Neighborhood watch, I got a noise complaint.”

Danny Aiken stands up and tosses me a beer. I catch it.

“This a bribe?”

“Damn right it is.” He chuckles.

I look down and see it’s Crawford Bock. “Well, shit, y’all ain’t fu—” I stop when I see a Hart’s mother. “Messing around over here.”

“CeCe’s brought the southern hospitality to Trenton.” Danny’s wife, Chloe, stands. “How’ve you been, Locke?”

I crack open the beer and tip it in her direction, “Much better now.” I tip it back and take a long swig.

“Texas is a big state, but nothing beats a hometown where you can damn near be in three states at once. You got your fancy beer, but how many pigs have y’all roasted?” Hudson says with an exaggerated Southern accent.

“Three states, huh?” I chuckle and look at Danny. “We can roast a hog.”

“We have roasted hog,” Danny confirms.

“Hogs a fancy word for pig, Ma Hart?” Hudson asks his mother.

“Call me Ma one more time, Hudson,” she warns.

He laughs, grabbing her and pulling her into a hug.

I glance around inconspicuously in search of Gwendolyn.

“She went to bed when she saw you pull in,” Chloe says, blowing my damn spot.

“Would you be willing to draw me a map and look the other way so I can go inside and make nice with her?”

“Not a chance in hell,” comes from behind me.

I glance back. “Marks, my man, why the hostility?”

“She’s been yawning since I rolled in. She and CeCe both,” Roman offers.

“Understood. I’m sure she and I will catch up before she heads back to Walton.”

Rome’s little sister, Jillian, pushes up from where she’s been sitting, yawns, and stretches. “I’m going to bed, too. Been a rough?—”

“What the hell happened to you?” I ask, and then it hits me. “Those reporters weren’t blowing smoke about a girl fight.” I look at Chloe and see she’s good. “Gwendolyn, okay?”

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