Reaper's Stand (Reapers MC, #4)(18)

“Thanks for asking first,” I replied, my tone dry. She grinned at me.

“Would you have said no?”

I shrugged and she giggled, sounding young and carefree.

“Ha! I know you too well. You always come through.”

That was the truth . . .

“So, I thought you were going to be done early today? Seemed like you weren’t quite ready to leave after all.”

“Yeah, I planned to get out early, but then we got caught up in a game,” she said, shrugging. “I do want to go home, though. Mellie’s coming over. We’re going to a movie tonight out in Hayden—she’s got her mom’s car. You said you’d pay for a movie with her this week, remember?”

“I remember,” I said, figuring Mellie deserved something nice after what she’d been through last weekend. Jess had blown up at her for calling me, although they’d made up again by Sunday night. That’s the thing with Jess. For better or for worse, she doesn’t hold on to things. Every once in a while that worked out so the good guys won.

“Do you have plans for dinner?” Jess asked casually as we started across the parking lot. Too casually. What was she up to now?

“Not really. I was thinking we could have soup and sandwiches.”

“How about pizza?” she asked, and my mouth watered. I hadn’t gotten the smell of the pizza at Reese’s house out of my mind since I’d left. So I’d been intimidated by him . . . but I’d also been hungry.

“Not sure that’s in the budget,” I said slowly, mentally calculating where we were in the month. Between the mortgage and the medical bills, there wasn’t much extra.

“Who said you’re paying?” Jess asked, pulling out a wadded green bill from her pocket. She stretched it out and waved it triumphantly in my face.

A fifty.

My eyes widened.

“Where did that come from?” I asked, stunned. Dear God, was she picking pockets now?

“It was a thank-you gift,” she said, grinning broadly. “You saw that little girl I was playing with? Well, her mom talked to me last week and she really likes how I’m working with Ivy. She’s behind the other kids developmentally, and it’s hard for her. I know how that feels, so I’ve been spending extra time with her. Today her mom gave me this and thanked me. She asked if I do babysitting, too!”

“Jessie, that’s fantastic!” I said, pulling her in for an impulsive hug. She tugged away from me immediately, scowling, but I could see the pleasure in her eyes. This was a huge win for her.

Maybe an opportunity, too.

“You know, Ms. Dwyer said you have a gift with the kids,” I told her. She radiated pride even as she kicked a rock, pretending not to care. “She thinks you should go into early-childhood education. You’re really good with them, especially the special-needs kids.”

“I like them, that’s all,” Jess said. “But I don’t want to do more school. I already told you that—I don’t like school. It’s too hard for me.”

I sobered.

“I know it’s hard for you. But when you take the time, you do a really good job. You graduated with a 3.1, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

She grunted.

“That’s just because I took all the easy classes. I’m a retard and we both know it.”


I stopped dead and grabbed her, turning her toward me. Catching her gaze, I studied her face. What I saw there killed me. She believed it. No matter how many times I told her otherwise, she still couldn’t forget what those little bitches in middle school had starting calling her. Not even changing schools had helped.

“I never want to hear you say that word again,” I told her, the words slow and forceful. “A learning disability doesn’t make you stupid—it just means you have to work harder. You have a perfectly normal IQ. I’m incredibly proud of you, Jess, and when I suggested you go to more school it’s only because I know you can handle it.”

She rolled her eyes, and I fought the urge to shake her.

“Jess, listen to me. Ms. Dwyer said you have a gift—and you know what? You do have a gift. Would you call the kids you work with here retards?”

Jess’s eyes narrowed and her face flushed.

“No. I would never say that and you know it.”

“Then why the hell would you say it about yourself? You’ll either go to more school or you won’t, but don’t for one minute tell me that it’s because you aren’t smart enough. You’re smart, Jess.”

She stilled, and I practically saw the wheels turning in her head.

“You said ‘hell.’”

“Yes,” I replied, feeling suddenly sheepish. “I guess I did.”

A slow smile crept across her face. Then she leaned forward, catching me up tight in a hug.

“Thank you, Loni,” she said. “I know I drive you crazy, but I love you. Thank you for always being on my side.”

I hugged her back, tears filling my eyes. Why couldn’t Jess be like this all the time? This was the girl I’d given up so much for. Imperfect and frustrating, but worth all the sacrifices and then some.

“You gonna buy me pizza or what?” I asked finally, pulling away.

“First one to the car gets to pick the restaurant,” she said, then took off across the parking lot, long legs pumping. I started after her, but I never had a shot. The girl was six inches taller than me with the stride to prove it.