a bank but we’ll see.”
Taylor’s weak groan sailed in from the couch. She crossed the small living room in three long strides and burst out onto deck. We all turned our attention to Clutch who was searching for his next slice, seemingly more aware of his stomach then of the fact that his girlfriend was hanging over the railing tossing her breakfast into the churning Pacific.
It took him a second to notice that all eyes were on him. He dropped the slice of pizza with a sad sigh. “I guess I should get her off the boat.” He stood and his head just grazed the ceiling. I should get back to work anyhow. He eyed the slice again.
“There is no way Taylor is going want to see you eating a slice of pizza,” Scotlyn said.
“Yeah, I guess not.” Clutch looked down at me. He’d hardly said a word to me about losing my dad because he knew there’d been no strong connection between Dad and me. Clutch’s dad was not abusive but there had never been much connection for them either. He’d sort of taken over with Barrett where his parents had been lacking. Barrett was like me. Trouble attracted him too easily, and while Nix and Clutch had been in their share of trouble growing up, they’d always made sure Barrett and I never stepped too far over the line. “Later, Bro. If you need anything—”
I nodded.
Clutch walked over to the couch and picked up Taylor’s coat. He looked back into the kitchen. “Hey, Rett, you walking home or what?”
Barrett stood and snatched up two more slices. He pointed at me. “Call me. Tully’s is having ladies night next Thursday, and we don’t want to disappoint the ladies by not showing up.”
Nix laughed.
Barrett grabbed a beer. “What, do you see a problem with my thinking?”
Nix shook his head. “Not at all. I think you two are a perfect match for ladies night.”
We watched through the small galley window as Clutch walked out on deck and swept Taylor up into his arms. She rested her head against him, and he carried her up to the dock. Barrett followed with pizza in one hand and beer in the other.
One strong ray of sunlight had found its way through the cloud cover and it heated the small kitchen. “There’s that August sun,” Nix said as he and Scotlyn joined me at the table.
“How long is your mom going to be in town?” Nix asked.
“I think she’s leaving in a few days.” I ran my finger along the condensation on the beer can. “We’ve hardly spoken ten words since she got here. She wants to the sell the house right away. She said she was going to give me some money, but I’ll believe that when it happens. At first I was thinking I should move in there, but it’s not really a place I want to hang out. Just like my mom said this morning— ‘no good memories’.” I stared down at my fingers. They were wrapped around a can of beer just like my dad’s had been. I was never going to make the mistakes he had made. He’d learned from his dad, and I planned to do everything the opposite. No matter what my future held, it was destined to be better than the pathetic, grim life my dad had led.
“When are you going to get that hand checked?” Scotlyn asked.
I shook my head. “I know there are a couple of broken bones in there, but they weren’t wrenched out of place too badly so I’m just going to let it heal on its own. Too expensive to fix. Doesn’t hurt too much anymore. I’m not an artist like Nix. A few slightly crooked bones aren’t a big deal when you’re working on the docks or fighting. By the way,” I looked over at Nix, “I think that wolverine will work out fine. As soon as I have some money, let’s do it.”
“I know you’re good for it. We can do it next week— if you want.”
I pulled in a long, sad breath. “Cassie is really something, isn’t she?”
Scotlyn reached over and placed her hand on my wrist. “She is.” She leaned over and kissed my cheek. “And so are you.” She leaned back against the chair. “In fact,
Taylor’s weak groan sailed in from the couch. She crossed the small living room in three long strides and burst out onto deck. We all turned our attention to Clutch who was searching for his next slice, seemingly more aware of his stomach then of the fact that his girlfriend was hanging over the railing tossing her breakfast into the churning Pacific.
It took him a second to notice that all eyes were on him. He dropped the slice of pizza with a sad sigh. “I guess I should get her off the boat.” He stood and his head just grazed the ceiling. I should get back to work anyhow. He eyed the slice again.
“There is no way Taylor is going want to see you eating a slice of pizza,” Scotlyn said.
“Yeah, I guess not.” Clutch looked down at me. He’d hardly said a word to me about losing my dad because he knew there’d been no strong connection between Dad and me. Clutch’s dad was not abusive but there had never been much connection for them either. He’d sort of taken over with Barrett where his parents had been lacking. Barrett was like me. Trouble attracted him too easily, and while Nix and Clutch had been in their share of trouble growing up, they’d always made sure Barrett and I never stepped too far over the line. “Later, Bro. If you need anything—”
I nodded.
Clutch walked over to the couch and picked up Taylor’s coat. He looked back into the kitchen. “Hey, Rett, you walking home or what?”
Barrett stood and snatched up two more slices. He pointed at me. “Call me. Tully’s is having ladies night next Thursday, and we don’t want to disappoint the ladies by not showing up.”
Nix laughed.
Barrett grabbed a beer. “What, do you see a problem with my thinking?”
Nix shook his head. “Not at all. I think you two are a perfect match for ladies night.”
We watched through the small galley window as Clutch walked out on deck and swept Taylor up into his arms. She rested her head against him, and he carried her up to the dock. Barrett followed with pizza in one hand and beer in the other.
One strong ray of sunlight had found its way through the cloud cover and it heated the small kitchen. “There’s that August sun,” Nix said as he and Scotlyn joined me at the table.
“How long is your mom going to be in town?” Nix asked.
“I think she’s leaving in a few days.” I ran my finger along the condensation on the beer can. “We’ve hardly spoken ten words since she got here. She wants to the sell the house right away. She said she was going to give me some money, but I’ll believe that when it happens. At first I was thinking I should move in there, but it’s not really a place I want to hang out. Just like my mom said this morning— ‘no good memories’.” I stared down at my fingers. They were wrapped around a can of beer just like my dad’s had been. I was never going to make the mistakes he had made. He’d learned from his dad, and I planned to do everything the opposite. No matter what my future held, it was destined to be better than the pathetic, grim life my dad had led.
“When are you going to get that hand checked?” Scotlyn asked.
I shook my head. “I know there are a couple of broken bones in there, but they weren’t wrenched out of place too badly so I’m just going to let it heal on its own. Too expensive to fix. Doesn’t hurt too much anymore. I’m not an artist like Nix. A few slightly crooked bones aren’t a big deal when you’re working on the docks or fighting. By the way,” I looked over at Nix, “I think that wolverine will work out fine. As soon as I have some money, let’s do it.”
“I know you’re good for it. We can do it next week— if you want.”
I pulled in a long, sad breath. “Cassie is really something, isn’t she?”
Scotlyn reached over and placed her hand on my wrist. “She is.” She leaned over and kissed my cheek. “And so are you.” She leaned back against the chair. “In fact,
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