Read Online Lucky 13 (Deadlines & Diamonds) by Morgan Kearns - Free Book Online
Authors: Morgan Kearns
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let a man take care of me because I can’t do it myself.”
Well, hell, didn’t she sound like a bitter, thankless, bitch?
“He’s your brother. I’m sure he’s happy to help you get back on your feet.”
“I know he doesn’t mind. And I know it’s not like it’ s a huge financial hardship.” How could she make him understand? “I moved from LA to Kingman when I was seventeen.”
If he did the math in his head, he didn’t show it.
“My mom stayed there, I moved in with my grandparents. They were old even then.” She smil ed, thinking of their old-fashioned, hard-working ways.
“Is your mom still around?”
Her amusement vanished. “No. Cancer.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s been a long time.” She shrugged. “I helped out in my grandparents’ diner. It wasn’t too long before they weren’t able to do much anymore. I did it. In their will, they left the diner to me.” Unable to witness his reaction to her next statement, she watched his tanned thumb stroking her knuckles. “And I lost it.”
“What do you mean, you lost it?”
Tears pricked her eyes. “I couldn’t maint ain the taxes on the diner and… I lost it.”
He nodded slowly, took her hand. “Not your fault, sweet heart .”
She bristled at that. “And whose fault was it exactly?”
He squeezed her hand. “The economy. The government. The president; past, present or future. Hell, I don’t know, pick one. You did the best you could. You’re not alone, Shayne . A lot of people lost it.” He lifted her knuckles to his lips. “And a lot of people don’t have a brother to swoop in and save the day. Count your blessings.”
Wow. He’d told her, hadn’t he? And she just might have been pissed if he hadn’t been right. Damn him!
She pulled her hand away and leaned back in the booth. “I’d never thought of it that way.”
“I didn’t mean to make you feel bad.” He leaned back and crossed his arms, his forearms bulging , the tattoo undulating . “It’s just that sometimes we get stuck focusing on the negative shit in our lives that we forget all the things we should be grateful for.”
“And what are you grateful for, Enrique Santiago?”
“Well played, Shayne Xavier.” He tipped his chin. He paused for a second, his mind seeming to wander. “I’m thankful for my family. My brother, you met him, he pisses me off sometimes, but I love him. My mom’s awesome. I hope you’ll meet her soon. I can’t complain about my career.”
“Especially since my brother got hurt.”
His expression turned to stone. “I didn’t get off on his injury.”
She nearly jumped across the table to put her hands on his arms. “I know. I’m sorry … I didn’t mean to insinuate—”
“A lot of people, X included, think I did some kind of happy dance the day he had to be helped off the diamond. I’m not a monster.” He eased forward to make the contact easier. “I’m not gonna lie, I’m happy to be playing left field for the Rockets. There isn’t another team I wanna play for and left field is my position. I worked my ass off and I deserve to be standing left of center.”
“Your ass looks mighty fine standing left of center.” She smiled, hoping for flirty.
He stared at her for a second and a half, then laughed.
“What else are you thankful for?” she asked.
“Right here, right now, I’m thankful I went to X’s wedding reception.”
“You weren’t gonna go?”
He shook his head. “Nope. He doesn’t like me. Which is cool. I’m not his greatest fan either. Sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
“At the last second I decided to go.” He leaned over the table and kissed her. A simple, gentle, momentary meeting of lips. “Yeah, I am real thankful I went to that reception.”
***
Ricky couldn’t believe all the lovey-dovey shit he’d just spewed. He’d have t o cut the corner off of his man card when he got home. He really needed to get away from Shayne before he started quoting
Well, hell, didn’t she sound like a bitter, thankless, bitch?
“He’s your brother. I’m sure he’s happy to help you get back on your feet.”
“I know he doesn’t mind. And I know it’s not like it’ s a huge financial hardship.” How could she make him understand? “I moved from LA to Kingman when I was seventeen.”
If he did the math in his head, he didn’t show it.
“My mom stayed there, I moved in with my grandparents. They were old even then.” She smil ed, thinking of their old-fashioned, hard-working ways.
“Is your mom still around?”
Her amusement vanished. “No. Cancer.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s been a long time.” She shrugged. “I helped out in my grandparents’ diner. It wasn’t too long before they weren’t able to do much anymore. I did it. In their will, they left the diner to me.” Unable to witness his reaction to her next statement, she watched his tanned thumb stroking her knuckles. “And I lost it.”
“What do you mean, you lost it?”
Tears pricked her eyes. “I couldn’t maint ain the taxes on the diner and… I lost it.”
He nodded slowly, took her hand. “Not your fault, sweet heart .”
She bristled at that. “And whose fault was it exactly?”
He squeezed her hand. “The economy. The government. The president; past, present or future. Hell, I don’t know, pick one. You did the best you could. You’re not alone, Shayne . A lot of people lost it.” He lifted her knuckles to his lips. “And a lot of people don’t have a brother to swoop in and save the day. Count your blessings.”
Wow. He’d told her, hadn’t he? And she just might have been pissed if he hadn’t been right. Damn him!
She pulled her hand away and leaned back in the booth. “I’d never thought of it that way.”
“I didn’t mean to make you feel bad.” He leaned back and crossed his arms, his forearms bulging , the tattoo undulating . “It’s just that sometimes we get stuck focusing on the negative shit in our lives that we forget all the things we should be grateful for.”
“And what are you grateful for, Enrique Santiago?”
“Well played, Shayne Xavier.” He tipped his chin. He paused for a second, his mind seeming to wander. “I’m thankful for my family. My brother, you met him, he pisses me off sometimes, but I love him. My mom’s awesome. I hope you’ll meet her soon. I can’t complain about my career.”
“Especially since my brother got hurt.”
His expression turned to stone. “I didn’t get off on his injury.”
She nearly jumped across the table to put her hands on his arms. “I know. I’m sorry … I didn’t mean to insinuate—”
“A lot of people, X included, think I did some kind of happy dance the day he had to be helped off the diamond. I’m not a monster.” He eased forward to make the contact easier. “I’m not gonna lie, I’m happy to be playing left field for the Rockets. There isn’t another team I wanna play for and left field is my position. I worked my ass off and I deserve to be standing left of center.”
“Your ass looks mighty fine standing left of center.” She smiled, hoping for flirty.
He stared at her for a second and a half, then laughed.
“What else are you thankful for?” she asked.
“Right here, right now, I’m thankful I went to X’s wedding reception.”
“You weren’t gonna go?”
He shook his head. “Nope. He doesn’t like me. Which is cool. I’m not his greatest fan either. Sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
“At the last second I decided to go.” He leaned over the table and kissed her. A simple, gentle, momentary meeting of lips. “Yeah, I am real thankful I went to that reception.”
***
Ricky couldn’t believe all the lovey-dovey shit he’d just spewed. He’d have t o cut the corner off of his man card when he got home. He really needed to get away from Shayne before he started quoting
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