Page 17 of Tequila Tuesdays

Chapter 7

Laterthatweek,Imade chocolate chip cookies and dropped a plate off at Laurel’s house for her little brothers. I’d taken them brownies and ice cream when they first got into town, but I heard they were still having a rough time.

Martina, Laurel’s good friend and roommate, was the only one home when I dropped them off. She was friendly, loud, and a little crazy.

“Tell me exactly what’s happening with Laurel,” I demanded when Martina opened the front door.

She motioned for me to come inside. “I’ll fill you in.” We sat at the bar and split a cookie. I rearranged the plate so the hole didn’t show while she told me what had happened.

Martina bit into her cookie. “Laurel’s father came here looking for his wife, and ended up assaulting Laurel.”

My body jerked upright. “What!? You’re kidding me.”

She nodded, then pulled out her phone and showed me the video she’d taken of the incident.

“She did it to get dirt on him, didn’t she?” I asked after I watched it.

She studied me. “Sometimes I forget you’re an attorney. Absolutely, and it worked. Except she didn’t tell Sebastian or Ramone what she was planning.”

I winced. “I bet Sebastian was pissed.” Ramone was a big softy, except when it came to his job. But Sebastian was another story.

When I left, the half-cookie felt heavy in my stomach, and I was disheartened and sad that Laurel and her little brothers had such a narcissistic asshole for a father. Ava was certainly less than perfect, but at least I knew she loved me in her own way.

My dad had also been my best friend when I was growing up. For some reason, I thought of Shanda and her hard mother and meth-head stepfather. I didn’t know where her biological father was. Probably dead or in prison with that girl’s luck.

Late Thursday afternoon, my team had its first volleyball practice of the season. Unfortunately, it would probably be our last. Our first match was on Saturday morning, and while my teammates usually showed up for our matches, they rarely showed up for practices.

This time I’d promised them pizza and birthday cake, and I told them we were celebrating Frankie’s birthday afterward. I figured a little bribery and guilt might work.

Frankie was the first to show up. She looked a little thinner and more tired than the last time I’d seen her. I fervently hoped it was from not getting enough sleep.

Frankie was one of those unlucky people who’d grown up in a house with an active drug-using parent. Maybe that’s why I had such a soft spot for her. But she had a kind heart and was one of the sweetest people I knew.

She walked up and hugged me. “I got your text about practice and celebrating my birthday. My birthday is eight months’ away.”

“Yeah, I know.” I awkwardly patted her back.

“You know? Then why did you tell everyone we’re celebrating my birthday?”

I grinned. “Because we are. We’re just not celebrating it right on thatday.”

“Or that month. I hope they’re not mad.”

“I figured your birthday would get more people out. Everyone loves you.”

She seemed surprised. “Really? That’s a nice thing to say.”

“It’s true. Now if I’d told them it was Kevin’s birthday, that would be a different story.”

When Kevin had first started drug court and treatment, he’d complained about everything and blamed everyone but himself for his shitty life. At the time, I’d mentally given him a low chance of succeeding in drug court.

But after the first few rocky months, he seemed to turn a corner and started responding to treatment. Nothing was certain, but he’d come a long way. He was still a jerk though.

“He’s gotten better though,” Frankie said charitably.

We looked over and saw Jaime pull up, and Josh and Kevin came not long after that. Tiana was another woman on the team, and she’d let me know she couldn’t make it.

Jaime and Tiana weren’t in drug court anymore, but they still played on our team. Neither of them had been my client, but we’d gotten to know each other through the Addicts to Athletes program.

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