Page 19 of Fast Lane

“Kenndrix bought them for me. I used to try and run out to get something from the yard or to let Charlie out at night and I’d come out barefoot. A few months ago I did that and stepped on a nail. I have no clue where it came from, but we spent the rest of the night at the emergency room, so she now refuses to let me outside barefoot. The flip flops are quick and easy,” he explains as we head inside.

The inside of the house is just as inviting as the outside. Warm browns mixed with pristine whites welcome me, along with the smell of homemade chocolate chip cookies. My stomach rumbles. Kenndrix makes the best cookies ever. “Please, tell me that smell is Kenndrix.”

Jaxx wags his eyebrows up and down. “Of course, it is. She loves when we have announced company because then she gets to plan and bake things fresh. Otherwise, she just bakes and it gets eaten whenever… usually by me.”

We both laugh. As we enter the kitchen Kenndrix turns around to greet us. “You two are just in time. I just pulled out this batch so they should be cool enough to eat in about twenty minutes.” Kenndrix is dressed in a salmon colored short romper with a purple apron on. She’s barefoot and her long chocolate brown hair is piled on top of her head in a messy bun. Her oversized white framed glasses are perched on her nose and her face is free of makeup, except for some mascara and eyeliner.

Jaxx places the drink carrier on the counter and I quickly disperse the drinks. We exchange a look and grab a cookie from the cooling rack on the counter while Kenndrix’s back is to us. Both of us take the biggest bite imaginable but the heat of the cookie from the oven hits us immediately because our eyes bug out, and suddenly we are opening and closing our mouths, fanning in front of them while trying to chew like a mad man. My tongue feels like fire is sitting on top of it.

When Kenndrix turns around to see what all the commotion is, she just shakes her head. Finally, we manage to swallow the cookies. Jaxx complains, “That was hot.”

“I plainly said twenty minutes,” Kenndrix tells us, her hands on her hips. She looks and sounds just like a mom.

Jaxx and I exchange a look before giving Kenndrix our best puppy eyes. “Yeah, you did… but your cookies are always the best. We couldn’t wait.”

I watch, slightly in envy, as Jaxx walks around the kitchen island and slips his arms around her waist from behind. She nuzzles into him. “They were hot but still so good.”

Kenndrix shakes her head and laughs at us. “You two are so related.”

After the cookies have officially cooled we head outside with their dog, Charlie, and take a seat on the lounge section of the backyard, next to the pool. “So, how’s work going?” Kenndrix asks.

Shrugging my shoulders, I begin to chew slower on the piece of cookie in my mouth. Finally, I have to answer. “It’s been busy. We’re short staffed so lots of doubles.” Work is my least favorite subject since I feel like such a failure in that area of my life these days.

“Are you still upset that I didn’t tell you that job the other day was for Roscoe?” Jaxx asks. He voice sounds wary.

“No,” I tell him while shaking my head. “It actually worked out really well. Free Fall is in desperate need of a facelift. The inside of the office area really. I mentioned it to Roscoe and even drew a quick little design with what it could look like. I guess he showed it to the owner and he hired me to do the facelift.”

A huge smile breaks out over Jaxx’s face. “What? That’s amazing, Kosi. I’m so happy for you.”

“Yeah, that’s exciting,” Kenndrix chimes in.

“It is,” I agree. My head nods up and down for a few.

Maybe too long considering Jaxx asks, “What’s wrong?”

I sigh. “You know Dad is going to hate the idea.”

Jaxx sits back and drapes an arm around Kenndrix’s shoulders. I watch as his fingers draw slow, lazy circles around her bicep. A pang of missing that hits me in the gut. It’s moments like this when I miss Colby. “You’re right, but it’s also your life. Dad will never agree with anything if we aren’t following the path he wants for us, but that doesn’t mean you have to follow it. As a kid, and for pretty much all your life, until it came time to major in something, you wanted to be an interior designer. You were a natural for it too. You and Kenndrix knocked this place out of the park. Look, I get that you had a lot of pressure on you to follow his path because Rome and I didn’t do what was expected of us. Everything fell on your shoulders. The last great hope, and I know you hate to let people down, especially Dad. I’m sorry for that but it’s time for you to do what you want to do.”

“It’s not that easy.”

“It doesn’t have to be that hard either. Dad will get past it. Taking this job is a step in the right direction for you and that’s all that matters,” Jaxx adds. I nod my head and then we sit back and catch up on everything else. When I check the time I realize I need to go so I can get to work. As I make my way home to change before work, Jaxx’s words run round and round in my head. The idea of disappointing my father sits in my gut uneasily, but Jaxx isn’t wrong. This is a chance and I have to take it.

Eighteen

Roscoe

When I wake up there is a text blinking on my phone. I’m shocked to see Kosi’s name on it. Apparently, she’s coming by the school today. It’s been three days since I saw or heard from her. The school has been pretty busy and I’m still trying to find a replacement for Annie, who never showed back up for work after the day Kosi filled in for her. Plus, Mushu has been sick. After he ate something that got him sick, I had to take him back to the vet. Turns out he also had an infection, so I’ve been giving him his medicine. He hates it, but it’s necessary. Every day I bring him to the school with me too, just to be safe and so I can keep an eye on him. I roll over and find him snuggled up in bed. I leave him be while I get ready for the day.

Before we leave the apartment, I give Mushu his dose of medicine and put him on his cat leash. We head down to my car. On the way to Free Fall, we stop for some breakfast and coffee. I get extra just in case Kosi happens to show up early. To my surprise when I pull

up to the school, she’s already sitting there waiting for me. As I get out of my car, so does she. “Morning.”

“Hey,” she greets me. She looks tired and I wonder how much she’s been working these past three days. Kosi’s blond hair is piled on top of her head. Her Rolling Stones t-shirt and denim shorts with red Converse is definitely dressed down for her. She has no makeup on except for some mascara but the dark circles under her eyes are what I can’t stop staring at. “Oh, you have Mushu!”

I nod my head. “Yeah, turns out he didn’t just eat something. He’s got an infection, too, so he’s on medicine and I bring him with me while I work to keep an eye on him.”

“Oh, that’s so awesome that the owner lets you do that.” Quickly, I avert my eyes. I don’t know why it’s such a big deal to me if people know I own Free Fall. It shouldn't be. I should be proud, but a part of me worries that I won’t be able to keep it open. The more people that know I own it—if it fails—then the more people know I failed too. It’s not something I want to deal with so I’m just keeping it quiet. I scratch at the back of my neck before I look back up at Kosi. She has a curious look on her face. “Yeah, I am. He’s great.”

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