Page 18 of Cupcake of the Month
“Brat.” Josh reached out and tousled his hair.
Mrs. Sumner took the wine and poured some into the beef.
“You don’t want to get us all drunk, do you?” Mr. Sumner asked. “That’s too much.”
His wife made shooing motions with her hands. “Get out of my kitchen. All of you.”
Josh kissed the top of her grey-haired head, happy to oblige. Mrs. Sumner’s cooking rivaled four-star restaurants any day of the week.
Zach made a beeline to the floor behind the sofa, watching Marty’s girls play a phone game. Which meant Josh had to prepare himself for the familiar argument that Zach needed a phone. The Sumners continued their good-natured arguing. Marty had a beer and was watching the football game on TV.
And Josh could finally relax. He sat on the couch, watching the game until Mrs. Sumner called them all to the table.
Everyone had brought a little something to supplement the main dish, so the feast was a cacophony of various foods which,while Josh would never serve together for a catered meal, worked well for a home-grown pot luck. The easy chatter and lack of pressure helped him unwind from the stress of the week and mute the physical ache of seeing Jordan again.
He had no doubt that ache would return when he was alone in his bed.
Berry furrowed his eyebrows and cleared his throat. “Why’re you getting phone calls from that fancy inn in Claremont? Fountenoy Hall? You planning a vacation?”
“No. It’s nothing.” He wasn’t planning to tell Zach. So much for the relaxation he had envisioned. “Can someone please pass the rolls?”
Berry picked up the basket. “Didn’t sound like nothing to me.”
Josh held out his hand for the bread and waited him out. Berry handed them over.
Zach narrowed his eyes from across the table. “What’s going on, Josh?”
No matter how much he could gloss over the situation with everyone else, he strove for honesty with his sibling. Except for when it came to the mail. And his part in Zach’s parents’ arrest and trial. As much as he loved the people around him, he kept personal details to himself. “We’ll talk about it later.”
Zach made a circular motion with his hand, indicating Josh should continue.
Fine. “I got offered a temporary job there.”
“Doing what?” Mrs. Sumner asked.
Josh tore his roll in two. “As the chef on the morning crew.”
The residents gave appropriate noises of excitement, but he held up a hand to stop the cheering. “I can’t take it.”
“Why the hell not?” Berry asked.
“I thought you wanted to be a chef,” Vela added.
“It’s temporary.” He tried another tack. “Besides, I alreadyhave a job.”
Zach snorted. “Some job.”
“It pays the bills, Zach.”
His brother glared and crossed his arms.
Zach didn’t wear obnoxious teen well. Josh put down his fork, unwilling to air his financial laundry in front of the neighbors. “I’m not discussing this now.”
His brother pushed away from the table. “You never discuss anything,” he muttered. “Don’t bother. I can do it for you. It’s temporary. We need steady income. Whatever.”
He was right on all counts. “That steady income keeps your caseworker off my back.”
“Stop using me as an excuse! I think you’re too scared to chase something you really want.”
