Read Online Had to Be You: Bad Boys of Red Hook by Robin Kaye - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Robin Kaye
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him a look that told him she was way too proud of herself. She thought she’d played him like Parcheesi and what the hell, he’d let her bask in the illusion.
Nicki had one hand on D.O.G.’s head while she skipped all the way to the apartment. For once she looked like every other normal kid. The kind of kid with a real family, the kind of kid who never went hungry or wondered when she’d eat again. The kind of kid who knew the meaning of love and trust and security. For just a few minutes, they both could bask in that illusion.
CHAPTER 5
Rocki took the last slug of coffee, stepped up to Patrice and Francis’s house, and let herself in. “Patrice, it’s me.”
Patrice bopped out of the kitchen, and it was a bop, followed by a shimmy, and sometimes a sway—the woman looked like she moved to a Motown beat that played on a continuous loop in her head. She didn’t walk, she didn’t saunter, she did a modified conga.
Patrice wiped her hands on a towel. “I’m just putting together a few snacks for the trip.” She stopped talking, walked up to Rocki, and eyed her new boots. “Uh-huh.” She placed her hands on her hips and struck an irritated pose. “So, girlfriend, what’s the problem?”
Rocki did her best to look bored. “No problem. I just saw these in a window and had to have them.”
“Right. So nothing had you running out for emergency retail therapy? You said you were going to work this morning; that’s why we’re going at noon. You didn’t have time to shop, remember?”
“I didn’t shop.”
“Yeah, so tell me what’s in the bag?”
Shit. Rocki was tempted to hide the bag behind her back but it was already too late. “Just a few ribbons I thought the girls would like for their hair.”
“Hm-hmm, yeah, that’s not shoppin’ all right.”
Rocki let out a breath and prayed for strength. “So, I’m blocked—nothing I wrote worked. I was just making a hash out of the whole piece. I had to get out. Shopping is not a crime. I paid for everything—I even paid way too much for these boots, but you have to admit they’re gorgeous.”
Patrice cocked her hip and looked down her nose. “Girlfriend, you best be careful because you’re in for a shock.”
“I already know what the boots cost me. It’s no longer a shock.”
“That man affects you like the moon affects the tide, and you don’t even know each other—yet. But you will. I have a feeling you definitely will.”
“I will not.” Her retail therapy had served its purpose. She’d hardly thought about Slater since she started. Okay, maybe that wasn’t entirely true. She’d thought about him, but she hadn’t pictured him naked—not in the last hour.
“Ha, you didn’t even have to ask what man. You and I both knew who we were talking about. Just sayin’.” Patrice gathered the kids and helped them with their backpacks. She opened the door, ushered them out, and stepped onto the front stoop before looking over her shoulder. “Rocki, are you coming?”
No, but damn, she wanted to. She practiced her deep breathing. Maybe she needed more oxygen to the brain. “I’ll be out in a minute.”
The door closed—yeah, she needed a minute. A minute to finish putting herself together. The kids squealed in the front yard and she knew Nicki must have arrived.
The pumpkin orange boots were drool-worthy but were slouching so she tugged them over the knees of her black skinny jeans. She’d brought her black leather jacket to wear over her long-sleeved T-shirt even though she didn’t need it. It rounded out the outfit, and who knew how long the freakishly warm weather would stick around. She checked her lipstick in the mirror by the door, ran a hand through her hair, making the top stand up, and hoped there’d be a few sailors on board the USS
Intrepid
. Maybe a man in uniform would replace the vision of the one she’d been picturing with and without clothes.
Rocki opened the door, looked out, shook her head, and blinked,
Nicki had one hand on D.O.G.’s head while she skipped all the way to the apartment. For once she looked like every other normal kid. The kind of kid with a real family, the kind of kid who never went hungry or wondered when she’d eat again. The kind of kid who knew the meaning of love and trust and security. For just a few minutes, they both could bask in that illusion.
CHAPTER 5
Rocki took the last slug of coffee, stepped up to Patrice and Francis’s house, and let herself in. “Patrice, it’s me.”
Patrice bopped out of the kitchen, and it was a bop, followed by a shimmy, and sometimes a sway—the woman looked like she moved to a Motown beat that played on a continuous loop in her head. She didn’t walk, she didn’t saunter, she did a modified conga.
Patrice wiped her hands on a towel. “I’m just putting together a few snacks for the trip.” She stopped talking, walked up to Rocki, and eyed her new boots. “Uh-huh.” She placed her hands on her hips and struck an irritated pose. “So, girlfriend, what’s the problem?”
Rocki did her best to look bored. “No problem. I just saw these in a window and had to have them.”
“Right. So nothing had you running out for emergency retail therapy? You said you were going to work this morning; that’s why we’re going at noon. You didn’t have time to shop, remember?”
“I didn’t shop.”
“Yeah, so tell me what’s in the bag?”
Shit. Rocki was tempted to hide the bag behind her back but it was already too late. “Just a few ribbons I thought the girls would like for their hair.”
“Hm-hmm, yeah, that’s not shoppin’ all right.”
Rocki let out a breath and prayed for strength. “So, I’m blocked—nothing I wrote worked. I was just making a hash out of the whole piece. I had to get out. Shopping is not a crime. I paid for everything—I even paid way too much for these boots, but you have to admit they’re gorgeous.”
Patrice cocked her hip and looked down her nose. “Girlfriend, you best be careful because you’re in for a shock.”
“I already know what the boots cost me. It’s no longer a shock.”
“That man affects you like the moon affects the tide, and you don’t even know each other—yet. But you will. I have a feeling you definitely will.”
“I will not.” Her retail therapy had served its purpose. She’d hardly thought about Slater since she started. Okay, maybe that wasn’t entirely true. She’d thought about him, but she hadn’t pictured him naked—not in the last hour.
“Ha, you didn’t even have to ask what man. You and I both knew who we were talking about. Just sayin’.” Patrice gathered the kids and helped them with their backpacks. She opened the door, ushered them out, and stepped onto the front stoop before looking over her shoulder. “Rocki, are you coming?”
No, but damn, she wanted to. She practiced her deep breathing. Maybe she needed more oxygen to the brain. “I’ll be out in a minute.”
The door closed—yeah, she needed a minute. A minute to finish putting herself together. The kids squealed in the front yard and she knew Nicki must have arrived.
The pumpkin orange boots were drool-worthy but were slouching so she tugged them over the knees of her black skinny jeans. She’d brought her black leather jacket to wear over her long-sleeved T-shirt even though she didn’t need it. It rounded out the outfit, and who knew how long the freakishly warm weather would stick around. She checked her lipstick in the mirror by the door, ran a hand through her hair, making the top stand up, and hoped there’d be a few sailors on board the USS
Intrepid
. Maybe a man in uniform would replace the vision of the one she’d been picturing with and without clothes.
Rocki opened the door, looked out, shook her head, and blinked,
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