Drive(22)

“What’s she saying now?” Reid asked behind me.

“That she would marry every one of them if they didn’t already have a wife in Mexico and a girlfriend here.”

I turned around and crossed my arms. “I heard them bragging earlier about their women. About how tight my ass is, and you don’t even want to know what they said about you, sister. And now they’ve pissed themselves. You’re welcome.”

Smiling, Reid slowly shook his head while Paige blew out a heavy breath.

Paige snatched a bowl of fresh tortilla chips from my hand. “If the manager heard that, they could lose their jobs.”

“Oh, I’m sure the manager is very aware they are here illegally, and I’m sure they are being ripped off by the hour because of it. Get real, Paige,” I said as I gathered the Chula bottles and began wiping them down.

“I can’t believe I agreed to let you work here,” she muttered as she pushed through the swinging doors with a tray in hand.

“One big happy family!” I called after her and winked at Reid. He took his apron off and folded it a few times before he joined me to get our side work done. I’d been at the restaurant for a week, and though the tips were decent, I hated it.

“That mouth of yours is going to get you in trouble.”

“Au contraire, mon frère, me and my notorious mouth are going to be wildly popular. Honesty will get me everywhere, especially as a journalist.”

I ignored the smell of Irish Spring as he leaned in close. “Honesty will get you enemies.”

I shrugged. “I call shit like I see it. Sugarcoating doesn’t help anyone, and it’s bad reporting. If I do a good enough job and stick my neck out there, I better be ready to deal with the backlash.”

“So, this you take seriously.”

Shoulder’s touching, we loaded up the napkin dispensers. “Music, always. I’m twenty. My education, my future, I take that seriously. This place?” I looked around the kitchen and wrinkled my nose. “Hell no. And why should I? If you ask me, you, Neil, and Paige are a little too stuck in this bullshit bubble of adulthood. This isn’t the future for any of you.”

I paused to look over at him. Our eyes locked. “For any of us.”

“Good to know. Now you can predict the future? Tell me, what’s mine?” His voice was filled with condescension.

“Better than what it is now.” I waited a beat. “You’re just going through a rough time.”

His back went straight and he narrowed his eyes.

“You don’t know anything. The world swings at you long and hard enough, little sister, you’re eventually going to hit your knees.”

“Well, I can take a punch.”

“Good for you.”

I let my eyes drift down his arrogant stance. From his plain black V-neck, dark jeans, and crossed black boots. I felt the confrontation radiating from him. He was tired, bitter, and pissed off at the world. As he should be. I saw a glimpse of his life in that apartment. Mr. Crowne seemed to be the king of nothing. I could feel his desperation as he stood next to me with a hand full of shitty tips, though his face gave zero away. His eyes always had a hard edge, even when he smiled. “Things will get better, Reid, believe me. Okay?”

He ran his fingers through his tangled hair and gave me a lip twitch. “Sure, little sister, whatever you say.”

“You just need something to look forward to.”

“Alright already, enough with the pep talk I didn’t ask for and don’t need.”

“Oh, good, then you know everything, too.”

His pale green irises seemed to grow brighter, and his nostrils flared. He stared at my lips as if he were willing them to stop moving. I smiled despite him. We were in a silent standoff as Paige walked back into the kitchen and put a ticket up.

“I just got two more tables. It’s going to be at least an hour. Why don’t you guys take off for a little bit?”

“I’m going to meet up with the guys. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Reid said as he gathered his apron and his cash.

Paige’s eyes lit up. “Take Stella. She would love it.”

“What would I love?” I asked as Reid looked between the two of us.

“Some other time,” he said dismissively as he walked through the double doors.

I turned to Paige in question. “What would I love?”

“He’s going to meet up with his band.”

Goose bumps covered my arms and hair stood up on the back of my neck. “What band? He’s really in a band? I thought he was joking. Why didn’t you tell me?!” Paige looked me over, brows drawn. “Uhhh, because maybe you two don’t like each other?”

I rummaged through my tickets and shoved the cash and credit slips into her hand.

“What’s the band’s name?”

“Dead Sergeants.”

My eyes widened.

“He’s the drummer, or will be again when he gets out of that cast. Wait, where are you going? Stella, don’t run after him!”

But I was already out the door.




“Hey!” I called to Reid’s back. “Reid!” I yelled into the darkening street as he turned the corner and moved just out of sight. Cursing, I ran after him, sure I was in for another fight or about to eat crow. Catching up with him, he paused his steps as I latched onto his cast, and he looked down at me with impatient eyes.