Page 99 of Lemon Crush

The food and the company were fine, but I was already in a mood, and the fact that August wasour girlnow only made it worse. I was spoiled, having her to myself for the last few weeks, and I couldn’t help feeling like the odd man out.

As soon as I finished my food, I stood up and cleared my throat. “Duty calls.”

“Already? You just got here.” August jumped up and hurried over, taking the paper sack from my hand. “You’ll be at the meeting tonight?”

“Where else would I be?”

She laughed. “Right, sorry.” Then she went up on her toes to brush a kiss across my lips—no lingering pressure or even a hint of tongue. “I’m covering for Patty for a couple of hours this afternoon, so I’ll see you there.”

I scowled all the way back to the garage, and Oscar and Dalton both did their best to avoid me for the rest of the afternoon. I’d just installed a set of shocks and was working on an alignment when my phone buzzed with a text.

Morgan: I have something I need to show you. Can I borrow you for a few minutes? My place?

I dragged my hand down my face with a sigh. Ordinarily I’d be glad to drop by Morgan’s to blow off some steam over coffee. But I wanted to talk about August, and Morgan didn’t know about us yet.

Me: Sure. What time?

Morgan: Anytime. I’m on my way home.

Me: Be there in 20.

I wasn’t accomplishing much anyway, so I let Dalton know he’d be closing up and took off.

When I rang Morgan’s doorbell, she took one look at me and said, “One of those days, huh?”

I didn’t need to reply, following her into the dining room and sitting in the chair she pointed at while she went to the refrigerator. Instead of the beer I expected, she set my favorite iced coffee in front of me. Even better. She must have picked it up on her way here.

“Thanks,” I said before taking a long pull from the straw. “What are you doing home from school?”

She was still in the I Mean Business salmon-pink suit she usually wore to moderate parent-teacher meetings.

“I scheduled a teacher in-service and took a few hours of personal time. They won’t notice. I left the dogs at daycare, because I wanted to catch you before you went to the meeting tonight with no interruptions.”

Instead of joining me at the table, she stood there sipping her own coffee and staring at me. It was making me nervous. Did she already know about Gus and me? Was I here so she could read me the riot act?

Sure, dumbass, she bought you your favorite coffee to punish you.

Before I could ask what was up, my phone buzzed with another text.

Unknown: I hear I’m going to be a great-granddad. I didn’t get an invite to a wedding. Like mother like daughter? I’ll be driving through town next week if you want to buy your old man a beer so we can catch up.

I dropped the phone on the table like it had sprouted fangs. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Fuck this day.

He hadn’t reached out in ten years, and this was the first thing he decided to say? I wanted to break something. If Bernie saw this text, it would break her heart, no matter how brave a front she put up. Phoebe had no idea what he was like, and I never wanted her to. He didn’t deserve either of them.

“What is it, Wade?”

Instead of explaining, I tapped in my code and slid the phone her way.

“That son of a bitch,” she breathed as she read it, setting down her coffee with a thump. “Part of me wants you to invite him over here for a beer now, so I can kick his ass.”

I almost smiled. Morgan would eviscerate the old bastard, and she wouldn’t have to lift a finger. I’d seen her in action.

“Phoebe’s going to have the baby anytime,” I said instead. “I don’t want him here tainting that.”

“I suppose you’re right. I’m sorry he’s such a shit, Wade. How did he know? Did Yvonne tell him?”

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