Page 29 of Reckless Chances
“Thanks.” Charlie snatched it out of the air and immediately plugged it in to charge.
“I’m sorry if I was a dick last night,” Jason said. “I don’t know what happened.”
Charlie sat down on one of the stools in the kitchen. “I think that you almost got arrested and ruined my career. I could have lost my liquor license last night.”
“Shit.” Jason shook his head slightly.
“There was an empty bottle of vodka in the rental car, and someone in Chance Rapids is missing a pink leopard print thong.”
“Oh no.”
Charlie could practically see the lightbulb go off over Jason’s head. “Are the pieces falling into place?”
“Pamela,” he whispered. “She had a mickey of vodka and we went back to the car to drink it.”
“Did you drive anywhere?” Charlie’s stomach was clenched. He hadn’t realized just how serious the charges could’ve been. And, even worse, his brother could’ve killed someone. Drinking and driving was still a problem in small towns and Chance Rapids was no exception.
“No, I know better than that. We were just keeping the party going in the car. I swear, Charlie. I wasn’t going to drive anywhere.” He sat up a little taller and sipped the water. “We were just making out a little bit.”
“Making out?” Charlie raised his eyebrows. “Are we back in high school?”
Jason laughed and then clutched his stomach as if the act of laughing was too much for his body to handle. “Okay. I was getting a blowie.”
“Poor Augusta,” Charlie shook his head.
“Augusta?”
“The officer who brought you in,” Charlie laughed. “He let you off with a warning.”
“Gotta love small towns,” Jason smiled. “And a famous brother.”
“I’m not famous,” Charlie said. “He thought that I overserved you. I could’ve lost my liquor license for the new brewpub if things went bad last night.”
“Sorry, dude,” Jason said.
Charlie wasn’t sure if he believed him.
“What have you got for breakfast?” Jason asked. “I’m starving.”
Charlie crossed his arms across his chest. “Granola. And some homemade yogurt.” He didn’t move to open the fridge; he knew that his breakfast menu was going to be rejected.
“Oh, God. That sounds awful. Want to hit up the G-Spot?”
Charlie stood up and checked his phone, it was almost charged enough to make a call to Emma.
“Have you got someplace important to be?” Jason tilted his head quizzically. “I’ve never seen you so attached to your phone.”
Charlie was already halfway up the spiral staircase. “I’m renovating a bar. I have to go to work. We have to get that car unstuck, and you have to go apologize to Officer Augusta.”
Charlie put on his canvas Carhart work pants, a paint-splattered microbrewery t-shirt, and a flannel shirt. “Let’s go.” He clambered down the stairs in his work boots.
“Do I have to?” Jason was lying on the small sofa with one of their grandmother’s hand-knit afghans draped over him. “Can’t we order in something?”
“No.” Charlie pulled the blanket off of him and grabbed the water glass. “Let’s go.”
“Fine,” Jason grumbled and groaned loudly as he pushed himself to his feet. “I’ve already walked three miles this morning, what’s another three?”
The two brothers made their way across Charlie’s property and were able to get the car unstuck relatively quickly. If Charlie had put in a bit of effort last night he probably would’ve been able to get it out on his own, but the walk had been good for Jason. As they made their way to the highway, the radio station played country and gave weather updates. The town was in for a heatwave.
