Brady Remington Landed Me in Jail(5)

Clarissa watched me, but I hugged my sides and jerked my gaze towards the gas station's doors.

Brady laughed. "What's the word out there?"

A mocking grin formed at her mouth before she straightened and took her boobs away. She leaned a slim hip against the door instead. "You mean with Kid? People are excited, Brady. Kid's a legend, but whatever went down between the two of you is between the two of you. We're cool with that."

I heard Brady breathe easier and I didn't think, I just reacted, and I touched his arm to reassure him. He moved quickly and his hand found mine. When Clarissa turned and glanced down into the window Brady moved our hands out of her eyesight.

"I don't throw punches for no reason."

"We know that."

"Do you think you could give us a minute?"

Clarissa waved a perfectly manicured hand. "Don't worry about it. I'll send everyone packing."

"Thanks, Claris."

Clarissa slapped a hand on the door and lowered herself until her boobs were on display again. "If you're still up for some partying tonight, there's a kegger at Barthal's woods. You know the place."

Brady grinned and nodded. "I do."

Her green eyes switched to me. "Hope to see you there, to see you both. It's graduation week, Rayna. It's time to let loose before the real world comes knocking."

With a wink and a chuckle, Clarissa saluted her goodbye and sauntered away. It wasn't long before everyone left the gas station behind her.

Brady's eyes sparked. "Finally."

He was out the door before I could unclasp my own buckle.

CHAPTER THREE

We were in the back booth, enjoying our food or I was trying when Ned decided to join us. Brady greeted him with a big smile and I dropped my taco. I'd lost my appetite. When a customer came into the station, I picked it back up. Ned had to hurry off, but it wasn't long before we heard him coming back with two beer cans in hand and another surprise. Deputy Doug was behind him.

"What's wrong, Deputy Dog?" Brady grinned as he took one of the cans from Ned.

Deputy Doug slid into the booth by me. "I've got bad news, Brady."

His uniform seemed more wrinkled than it was an hour ago.

Even Ned grew silent. I watched as he pounded his chest and stopped a belch.

How considerate of him.

Then Brady's foot curled into my side on the booth and my hand clutched it. None of us were sure we wanted to hear what Deputy Doug had to say.

"I'm afraid that I have to tell you, Brady, that…the charges have been dropped!" Deputy Doug broke out in a wide smile and pounded a fist down. The beer cans rattled on the table. "Goddamn, boy, I don't know how you do it—but you did it again. The charges are dropped!"

Brady blinked in shock before he said anything. "I don't know…I don't know what I did, Deputy Dog. I didn't do anything…"

"Well, someone did. Frank Stephens doesn't back down from a fight and he just did." Deputy Doug grinned in relief and threw an arm on the booth's back.

Brady shook his head. "I can't believe this."

"Come on, tell me now. You were worried, weren't you?" Deputy Doug pumped his fists in the air, almost gleeful.

Brady laughed shakily, and then shot me a quick plea with his eyes.

I straightened and cleared my throat. "I can't believe that you programmed your cardboard Bigfoot to growl at customers, Ned. It was bad enough that he laughed at us when we walked in, but now he has to growl at us? I was scared to come in here. Do you want to scare customers off? What about all those little kids that come in after school?"

Ned reared his head back as he studied me.

I looked irate, but I really wasn't. Brady looked relieved from the corner of my eye. I even saw how Deputy Doug frowned, scratched his head, and then looked from me to Ned.

"Why, I never…I don't know what you want…," Ned sputtered as his hand clenched around his can of beer.

"That's the problem, Ned. I'm speaking as a constituent of your average customer. I hate the growl. You should get rid of it."

Ned still sputtered. "It's Bob. Bob is greeting people. It's how he greets people."

"'Bob' is not real."

Deputy Doug snorted.

"Yeah, but…Bob's a friendly Bigfoot. Bob the Bigfoot!" Ned looked proud as he scratched his yellow stained shirt.

Brady burst out laughing, but quickly turned away.

"You should give Bob a break. A lot of people love Bob."

"'Bob' is made of cardboard."

"Bob's a lot more than cardboard. His feelings are hurt, missy. You should apologize to Bob," Ned said defiantly, but I caught how he looked from Brady to Deputy Doug.

I pretended to sputter, but the truth was that I didn't care. That's when I snuck a glance at Brady and saw that he was okay again.

"Bob's feelings are hurt," Ned harrumphed.

Bob's feelings weren't the only thing that was going to hurt if I had a say about it.

When Brady and Deputy Doug burst out laughing I realized that I'd spoken aloud. "I am so sorry, I didn't…I mean…I don't—Bob's not real!"

"He's real in spirit." Brady's eyes were laughing. "He's real in spirit."