Page 170 of New Growth
I grinned. “Thanks, Mr. Greene.”
“Bourbon, cher.”
“Sorry—Bourbon.”
He let out a deep, belly laugh and pulled me into a tight half-hug.
Bourbon sighed, staring at the sizzling grill. “This is what I like. That sizzle. I know this gonna hit ‘em right. We did good today, Ellie.”
I froze. My chest tightened. My lips quivered, and before I could stop myself, I was crying. Those words belonged to Daddy.
Bourbon’s head whipped toward me. “You okay?”
El was there in an instant. “What the hell did you do to her?”
Bourbon waved him off. “Calm down, she just needs a minute.” Then, softer, “You alright, cher?”
I sniffled, nodding quickly. “Yeah, you just… reminded me of my daddy.”
Bourbon’s expression shifted. “Oh.”
I wiped my face. “I’m sorry.”
“Ain’t nothin’ to be sorry for. C’mere.”
He pulled me into a real hug this time—strong, steady, like he meant it.
“I ain’t never met your father,” he murmured, “but I can tell he was a good man. ‘Cause look at how you honor him.”
That broke me. I sobbed into his chest while he just held me, patting my back like I was one of his own.
“I know what you need. Rio, get the tires!”
El groaned. “Hell no.”
I sniffled. “What tires?”
Bourbon grinned. “You got a swimsuit, right?”
I shook my head. “No, I don’t.”
“Well, you got underwear on, ain’t ya?”
El bristled. “Daddy, she doesn’t wanna go in the creek.”
I perked up. “The creek?”
“Yes, the creek, girl. They got water up there in California, right? You know how to swim, don’t cha?”
“Yes.”
Bourbon clapped his hands. “Good! Rio got some swimsuits you could wear. Although you got moreassetsthan her.”
El’s head snapped up. “Daddy!”
?
The water was cool, a shocking contrast to the sticky heat in the air. Rio’s swimsuit was a little too tight around the thighs, but it did the job. Though Keemy kept staring.
