Page 7 of Sackett
Sackett shrugged.“Nothing.At least I’ve got nothing planned so far.Drifter’s is closed so I’m off today.I came in to check in and see if anything needed to be done, then decided I didn’t want to cook, so Puck’s making me a burrito.”
“You must have been desperate.”Savage winced.
Sackett gave one shoulder a dismissive lift.“He says he does a decent job of breakfast.I figured I could try it and see for myself.I also considered giving him a lesson or two in the kitchen.He can’t get any better if no one shows him how to do it right.”
“Who showed you?”Donna asked, tilting her head to one side as she watched him.
“I learned to cook when I was a kid.”He didn’t tell her he’d learned by trial and error out of self-defense.It was either learn or eat shit cold out of the can, when his dad bothered to get groceries.More often it was whatever piece of ass he’d brought home this week, if she stuck around for more than a night or two.And if they stuck around long, they figured out that while his father might tolerate them getting groceries, and even pay for them, he wasn’t willing to give up enough of their attention to let them waste time cooking for the useless brat his whore mother had saddled him with.Those were his father’s words, he’d heard them often enough he not only remembered them word for word but could also hear the derisive tone the old man had snarled them in.
Sackett realized he was staring into space toward the TVs again.He turned back to Savage and Donna and found Savage watching the TVs as if trying to figure out what Sackett had been seeing, but Donna watched Sackett, as if she could see past what he was saying, if only to see that there was more that he wasn’t saying.He was saved from her seeing more or asking questions he didn’t want to answer by Puck’s appearance.He carried a plate in from the kitchen, set it in front of Sackett then turned to Savage and Donna and asked what he could get them.
Thankfully, when Puck left to retrieve their drinks, the moment had been broken.Sackett picked up the burrito, noticed it was well rolled and didn’t appear as if it would fall apart after the first bite.That gave him some hope that it might at least be edible.You didn’t have to know how to cook to be able to roll a tortilla, but it took a little practice.Sackett could only hope that practice meant more than a little manual dexterity.
The first bite told him that his hope hadn’t been misplaced.It wasn’t the best food he’d ever had, hell, it wasn’t as good as what he made, but it was better than anything else he’d tasted that Puck had made.He was about halfway through the burrito when Puck came back, two coffee mugs looped over the fingers of one hand that also carried a water bottle, the coffee carafe in this other.
Puck didn’t even fumble as he set down the water, then the cups, and filled all three cups before turning to Sackett, one brow lifted as if asking what he thought.
“You’re right.It is better.If you want to get better, to be able to make more than the occasional breakfast that doesn’t send someone to the ER, I’d be happy to show you a few things.”
From the way the kid’s face lit up, Sackett guessed that no one had ever offered to teach him, at least not to cook.He wasn’t going to ask, at least not now.This wasn’t the time or place, especially for something that could likely get personal.He wouldn’t want to get into such a personal discussion in a public atmosphere where anyone could walk in.Maybe during a lesson, when it was just the two of them in the kitchen, and only then if the kid was open to it.
He didn’t plan on sharing his own upbringing, so he wouldn’t push anyone else to either.
“I’d appreciate it, when you have time.”
“No problem.Maybe in a bit, or in a couple of days.It will depend on what’s going on and when we both have time.We might take a morning when Demon is covering the bar or an afternoon when we’re both off.”Sackett took another bite of the burrito and waited while the kid nodded.
“Sounds great.Let me see if I can find the schedule and I’ll let you know.”Puck hurried off, leaving the three of them sitting at the table.
Savage watched him all the way back to the kitchen then turned to Sackett, “You’re getting soft.Taking mercy on the kid like that.”
Savage shook his head as if he was disappointed in Sackett, but Sackett saw the humor in his eyes.His brother was screwing with him for being willing to help another brother, or at least brother-to-be.They wouldn’t be sure until Puck survived the prospect period and was voted in as a full member, but so far, there wasn’t any sign he wouldn’t made it.
“Someone has to, and I’d rather have options when I don’t want to cook than just tease and poke fun at him.”He finished the food, used the napkin Puck had brought with the plate, then pushed the plate to the center of the table.When he leaned back and took a deep breath.He noticed Donna watching him again.This time when he looked at Savage, he found the other man watching Donna, a look of tenderness and something else, something Sackett couldn’t name, on his face.
Savage seemed to feel Sackett’s gaze on him, the look disappeared, and his brother turned to face him.“What did Tuck say?”
Sackett frowned and it took him a moment to realize what he meant.He’d come in this morning to check in with the ones in charge and had said as much, when they’d come in.
“Oh, nothing.No one’s here.At least not that I’ve seen.”
“No one?”Savage asked with lifted brows.
“Only people I’ve seen today is Puck and you two.”
“Did you ask him?”The way Savage tilted the top of his head toward the kitchen told Sackett he was talking about Puck.
“Not yet.”He’d been thinking about it, but hadn’t gotten around to it yet.He was having a lazy day and didn’t see a reason to change that before he had to.
Savage watched him for a moment, as if waiting for him to say something more to reveal some bit of ancient wisdom, Sackett didn’t know what.After several heartbeats Savage looked away.Sackett couldn’t help but wonder what the other man was thinking, but he wouldn’t ask.Unless the other man volunteered, and Sackett knew he wouldn’t then it was his business, not Sackett’s.
They all jumped as a phone rang.Donna’s awkward smile told him it was hers, even as it registered that it wasn’t his ring tone.He couldn’t help but wonder why he was as jumpy as they were.Their nerves he understood, just not his own.
Donna checked the screen then flashed it at Savage before answering the call.
“The lawyer,” Savage’s voice held relief.
Sackett glanced back to Donna and instantly knew something was wrong.Her face had lost all color, and she seemed to have stopped breathing, though he knew that couldn’t be true.As he watched, her gaze flicked to his face, then to Savage.It was clear that whatever the attorney was saying on the other end of the line wasn’t either of the things she’d been expecting to hear.
