Page 107 of Lemon Crush

“It could also be about winning,” Bernie muttered under her breath.

“That’s good stuff,” Kingston praised them, tilting his camera in Gene’s direction. “Let’s recap. August will sell you a 1979 Volkswagen Beetle in perfect condition for a mere five bills in return for you getting two new drivers, a documentarian and this guy,” he gestured to Chick dismissively. “Anything else?”

There were some things people never did besides putting Baby in a corner, and one of them was dismissing my best friend. I’d never seen it end well for anyone.

“One more thing.” Chick was back to glaring at the documentarian as he spoke. “August, Bernie andthis guywill get a final say in the theme.”

We would?

Gene was already shaking his head. “I can agree to everything else but that. We’ve never had less time to get our shit together, and the theme has always been my job. I have files full of ideas that can be ready as soon as we shake on this deal.”

“Don’t be hasty.” Rick reached for the pitcher of beer and seemed to be hiding behind it. “That’s not a bad idea, Gene.”

“Yes.” Lucy was looking at Chick like he was his new favorite person. “I’m a yes for that, if we’re voting. Is this a vote? I vote yes.”

I remembered all the stories Lucy told me the night of the hurricane. How all of Gene’s themes were not only over the top, but so obscure that very few people ever got the joke unless he explained it in detail. Sometimes more than once. He was basically the abstract performance artist of Lemons.

They were probably hoping Chick wouldn’t be as intense about his ideas, but they didn’t know him like I did. “Over the top” was Chick’s middle name.

Clearly disgruntled, Gene stared at his friends. “I already bought my outfit on Amazon.”

“It’s one race, brother,” Lucy said, attempting to mollify him without sounding too excited.

Gene’s big shoulders drooped for a second before he visibly and graciously shrugged it off. “I can be reasonable. She’s saving our ass here, so she should have a say in the car’s first theme. But I know what the judges like, so hopefully the rest of you will be open to my advice.”

I’d had no idea Chick was going to add a caveat and no cluewhat theme we’d end up picking, but I knew how much Gene loved the process, and I loved my brother so, “We’ll run it all by you, I promise. And don’t forget, it is only one race. One and done.”

I got to my feet and held out my hand to him. “I have the title in my purse behind the bar. I’ll go get it now if we have a deal.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of folded cash.

“Deal,” he said as he handed it to me. “You’ll need to drop the car off at Wade’s shop tomorrow morning so he can get started right away.” He glanced around the table. “Where did he go?”

“Little boy’s room?” Lucy guessed.

“He’s missing the big moment when we welcome you to the team. Kingston, are you still recording this?”

“I’ll be right back.” I left them all toasting each other and walked over to Patty, the woman whose shift I’d been covering earlier.

“What’s up, August?”

“Did you see which way Wade went?”

“Back office for a phone call, I think.”

“Great. Thanks.”

I went through the doors, moving swiftly around the kegs and boxes of beer until I reached the small office where I’d been working on the billing. Sure enough, Wade was there. Standing by the desk and staring at the wall. I didn’t like how anxious his mood was making me feel.

“You missed the big cash exchange.” He turned his head and I waved the wad of twenties in front of me. “I’m loaded now. Not sure where I’ll spend it all.”

He didn’t smile.

“Okay, you’re being ridiculous.” I went to Phoebe’s small mini fridge and pulled out a bottle of water.

“I’m not thirsty,” he said when I held it out to him.

“This isn’t for drinking,” I told him solemnly. “This is a flask containing the magical elixir of the honesty pool. Other names you may know it by are the Pool Confessional, the Truth Tub, and the Vat of Veracity. The point is, when we’re holding this, we have to be honest.”

---