Page 30 of Won't Let Go
“Fuck.” He laughs. “You’re adorable. I’ll pick some up for us then.”
“I can do the potatoes.” It’s the least I can do, given he’s grilling.
“And mushrooms?” he throws out, sounding far too hopeful. Now who’s the adorable one? The bright-eyed blond across from me. It should be illegal to be that handsome.
“Yes. If you get them, I’ll cook them.”
Sitting forward, Josh places both palms on the table. “Brownies?”
I chuckle. “Oh. I suppose.”
Grasping his heart, Josh pretends to fall off the chair, swooning, but he catches himself before he meets the floor. “I knew you were the one for me. Mushrooms and brownies. I’m done for.”
Smiling like a loon, I wave him off. “Stop it. It’s just food.”
“I love when you cook.”
“I know you do. It’s been a while.”
“Which is why we’re gonna do it together.”
Not knowing what to say to that, I hum and do my best to ignore the strange warmth flittering through me. I haven’t baked in ages.
After breakfast, we put on workout clothes, and Josh tortures me with another weight-lifting session in Loretta’s garage next door, which he converted into a gym when he was in high school. It’s not much, but it beats driving into town to use the local gym.
The shower afterward is refreshing, and when Josh drops me off at work, I’m damn near floating in my blue fifties-style dresswhen I enter the shop. Pixie comments on my radiant glow as I prepare my station for any walk-ins we might have today.
For once, I’m looking forward to something.
Tonight.
Dinner.
Time with my friend.
11
WHITE BOY
In a bayat our club auto shop, I rest against a wall to watch Deke teach Hunter about Kitty, Bink’s fancy pink-and-black muscle car, they’re working on. The kid’s a natural.
Like she was summoned by my thoughts alone, a certain blonde woman with a bald escort pulls up out front on his bike. She climbs off, pecks his cheek, and he peels out of the lot a moment later. Our eyes catch when she enters the garage in flip-flops thatslap, slap, slapacross the concrete as she makes her way over to me.
“White Boy,” she greets.
I dip my head out of respect. “Bink.”
“We’re almost done,” Deke calls over his shoulder.
“Take your time,” Bink says, propping up beside me in shorts, a pink tank top, and a leather cut that claims her as Big’s old lady. Not that anyone around would ever think otherwise. “So, how’s my sister?” she prods, and I groan inwardly, knowing this was gonna happen as soon as I saw her roll up. Every time I drop by the compound, one of the sisters is asking about Jade,and until Jade’s ready to share her side, I’m inclined to keep it simple.
“Jade’s doing better,” I evade.
Bink crosses both arms over her chest. A tiny smirk tugs at the corner of her glossed lips. “Pixie said she’s smiling a lot today.”
For half a second, my eyes round in surprise, but I school my features and hum noncommittally, even if I’m… I don’t fucking know. “Good,” I grunt and rub a knuckle against my sternum. “She deserves some happy.” And smiling. The more smiling, the better.
Bink bumps her hip into the side of my thigh on account of her bein’ short. “Big said I have to back off and let you handle this, but I want you to know if you need anything, for her, or you, or Hunter, or anything really, that we’re here.”
