Downshift (Skid Row Kings #1)

by Winter Travers

  Whoa, hold the hell up. Frankie had a date? She was only fourteen. I thought I had, at least, five years before I had to deal with her dating. “Don’t you think you’re a little too young to go on a date?”

  “This is my first date, Luke. All the other girls in my class have boyfriends, I’m behind.”

  “Yeah, well, I like that you’re behind when it comes to that shit. Maybe Violet and I could come with.”

  “No. No, not at all. I’m going to be fifteen in four months, Luke. I don’t need you to chaperone. We’re just going to the movies, no need for you and Violet to sit three rows behind and yell at Jack every time he moves.” She grabbed a bowl down and cracked six eggs into it. “I’ll be home by ten.”

  “Humph, make it eight.” Frankie on a date. I didn't like this.

  “The movie doesn’t start until seven thirty, Luke. We’d barely make it through the previews before we would have to leave. I’ll be home by ten.”

  I didn’t know what to say. She was right. Almost fifteen and she was going on her first date. I didn’t even want to think about what I was doing when I was fifteen. I was well past the first date. “I’m going to need this guy’s name and possibly a credit check on him.”

  Frankie laughed, shaking her head. “He’s sixteen, Luke, not twenty-six.” She slid the first batch of bacon out of the pan, laying it on a paper towel. “I’ll be home by ten, and I promise you have nothing to worry about.” She grabbed the rest of the bacon and laid it in the pan. “How did we end up talking about me when the only reason I agreed to make breakfast was if you told me about you and Violet?”

  I shrugged my shoulders and picked up my glass, draining it in one swallow. “Violet and I are good. Better than I thought I would ever find.”

  “That’s huge for you, Luke.”

  It was a big deal for me, but I figured I should tell Violet all of this before I told Frankie. “We’re good, that’s all you need to know.”

  “Well, I guess I’ll take that. Just don’t mess it up with her. I like her, Luke.”

  “I do, too, Frankie. That’s why I figure I should tell her how I feel before I tell you.”

  “Good idea,” she laughed. “You want to grab some plates? Breakfast should be ready in five minutes.” She grabbed a couple slices of bread and popped them in the toaster. “You need to go grocery shopping, by the way. We’re almost out of milk, and Kurt ate the last of the Oreos this morning.”

  “This morning?” I asked, pulling silverware from the drawer and two plates from the cabinet. Who the hell ate Oreos before nine o’clock in the morning?

  “Yeah, my stomach turned as I watched him eat a whole row. I swear he has a stomach made of steel.”

  “I’ll hit the store up after I help Kurt and Mitch with the cars for today.” I set the plates on the island, grabbing the plate of bacon Frankie had just piled full.

  “I’ll make a list while you’re downstairs.”

  Frankie poured the eggs into the pan, quickly frying them up. I refilled my glass, setting the orange juice on the counter. Frankie filled out plates, and I dug in, my fork mounded full of fluffy eggs. “Not bad, kid.”

  “I’m far from a kid, Luke.” Frankie rolled her eyes and sat on the stool next to me. “I’m almost three years from being legal, Luke.”

  Ugh, she didn’t need to remind me. “You’re fourteen. Remember that.”

  “Aye, Captain. And don’t you forget you have a girlfriend.”

  “Forgetting about Violet is impossible.”

  “Let’s hope so. One would think forgetting about your sister would be impossible, too,” she giggled.

  “Hey, any sane person would forget everything when they have their hands on one of the greatest machines ever made.”

  “You’re hopeless,” she laughed.

  Hopefully, I wasn’t hopeless when it came to Violet. If anything, I felt my cars were going to be neglected because right now all I could think about was Violet. I glanced at the clock, hoping to see it was noon, but I knew it wasn’t.

  Only three more hours until she was back in my arms. Let the countdown begin.

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  Chapter 22

  Violet

  “You really need two gallons of chocolate milk on top of the three white milks you have in the cart now?” Luke and I were grocery shopping for dinner tonight and apparently the end of the world.

  “That’s what Frankie has on the list. Plus, you don’t live with Kurt and Mitch. They’re known as Bottomless Pits one and two.”

  “We’re not even halfway through the store and the cart is over half full. We’ll never make it to the checkout with just one cart.”

  Luke grabbed my hand and pulled me to his side. “Relax, Princess. This is basically all that’s on the list. Now we just have to figure out what to make for dinner.”

  “I’m pretty sure we can make something from what you have in the cart.”

  Luke stopped pushing the cart, stepped back and moved me in front of him. “Put your hands on the cart.” I did as he said and waited. “Now push and stop worrying about all the food in my cart. I have four people that live in my house that eat like there is no tomorrow.” He patted me on the ass, prompting me to start pushing. “You push and don’t worry about what I put in the cart.”

  We made our way up and down the rest of the aisles, the cart slowly filling to overflowing by the time we made it to the checkout. “Did you ask Frankie if she wants to hang out with us tonight?”

  Luke started unloading the cart onto the conveyor belt and shook his head. “She said she had a date tonight.”

  “Really? Did she say it was Jack?” Frankie had been talking about Jack for the past two weeks. It was good to know that he had finally asked her out.

  “How the hell do you know his name?” Luke looked up, surprised.

  “Um, well, you know. Girl talk.”

  “Girl talk? What the hell does that mean? You’re supposed to be on my side with this.”

  “And what side is that?” I laughed.

  “The side where Frankie doesn’t date until she’s twenty-seven.”

  “That’s how old I am. You honestly think that I didn’t date anyone until you?”

  “Well, no, but you’re different.”

  Oh, this was going to be good. “And how exactly am I different from Frankie?” Luke continued unloading the cart, ignoring my question. “Luke,” I sang out.

  “I’ll tell you in the truck, Princess.”

  “Tell me now.” He just glanced up at me, a smirk on his face.

  By the time we had all the groceries bagged up and in the cart, I was more than ready to know what the hell Luke meant by I was different.

  He pushed the cart to the truck, packing everything in the backseat. I climbed up into the front, setting my purse on the floor and waited for Luke to put the cart back.

  “All right, now spill,” I demanded as he slammed his door shut. He stuck the key in the ignition, started the truck and sat back. “Luke, tell me why I’m-”

  He cut me off by reaching across the truck, grabbing me behind the neck and pulling me to him. I scooted across the seat till I was pressed up against his side. “The difference between you and Frankie is she’s my sister and you, I can’t seem to keep my hands off of,” he growled low.

  “I guess I can’t argue with that reasoning,” I whispered, reaching up and cradling his face in my hand. “Although I think Frankie might disagree with having to wait to date until she’s twenty-seven.”

  “I’ve already lost. She’s going on a date tonight, isn’t she?” He leaned forward, his lips brushing against my mouth. “I haven’t tasted you since this morning.”

  My body hummed at his words. When I had come over after work, Luke had been in the shop with Mitch and Kurt, and he hadn’t been able to give me the proper hello that I had wanted. “I guess you should fix that right now,” I whispered.

  His lips claimed mine, his body turned towards me, gr
abbing me around the waist and lifted me to turn and straddle his lap. “What is it about your truck that I always end up in your lap?”

  “I don’t know what it is, Princess, but I hope it never goes away. Some of my best memories are of you in my lap.” I put my arms around his neck and leaned against the steering wheel.

  Big mistake. As soon as my back touched the wheel, the horn honked making me scream and jump off Luke’s lap. Luke busted out laughing while I tried to disappear, embarrassed beyond belief. I looked around making sure no one had heard or seen us, thankful I didn’t see anyone. Luke was wheezing he was laughing so hard, and I couldn’t help but smile.

  “Oh my God, Princess. You should have seen your face.” He started laughing again, and all I could do was roll my eyes. I’m sure it was funny as long as you weren’t the person who had almost just peed themselves.

  “Ha, ha, very funny. Now take me home so I can open that bottle of wine we bought, and I can drown my awkwardness in Vino.”

  Luke backed out the parking spot, still laughing under his breath and headed back to the shop. “Keep laughing, Luke. Paybacks are a bitch.”

  “Hey,” he said, raising his hands, “I didn’t do anything. You were the one who honked the horn.”

  “I blame you because as soon as you put your hands on me, I lose all common sense and can only focus on you.” Put me within ten feet of Luke, and all I saw was him.

  He reached over, grabbing my hand and laced his fingers with mine. “The feeling is completely mutual, Princess. Once I get my hands on you, all I think about is how to get your clothes off.” He lifted our hands and pressed a kiss to the back of my hand.

  “Hmm, even when I’m embarrassed beyond belief, you know just what to say.”

  “I’ve always got you, Princess,” he winked at me.

  We pulled up in front of the body shop, and Luke laid on the horn and started laughing. “Every time you hear a horn honk you’re going to laugh, aren't’ you?”

  “More than likely.” He pulled me close, pressing a quick kiss to my lips. He opened his door, hopping down and pulled me with him.

  “What the hell are you honking the horn for? I had my head under the hood of the Mustang and banged the hell out of it when you laid on the horn.” Kurt walked out of the shop, rubbing his head with Mitch following behind.

  “Grab some groceries and help bring them upstairs.”

  “You buy more chocolate milk?” Kurt asked, opening the back door.

  “I did, and you need to thank me for buying it because Violet thought I was crazy for buying five gallons of milk.” I socked Luke in the arm for telling them I was trying to put things back. It was crazy how much food Luke had bought.

  “Hey, I thought we were friends, Violet. Friends don’t stand between a man and his chocolate milk.” Kurt managed to grab seven bags and two gallons of milk and headed into the shop. Mitch grabbed a handful of bags, and there were only seven left for Luke and me to take up. Not to mention three more gallons of milk.

  Luke loaded up his arms with bags and managed to grab one gallon of milk. “Can you get the rest, Princess? Or I can get Kurt to come down and get them.”

  “I think I can manage to carry two gallons of milk, Luke,” I scoffed, grabbing one with each hand and shut the door with my hip.

  “Princess, give them here, I’ll carry them.”

  “I’m fine, Luke, go.”

  He stood in front of me and held his hands out. Give them here.” I didn’t know how he thought he was going to carry these two plus what he was already carrying.

  “Lucas, stop. I can carry these up the stairs.”

  “You just called me Lucas,” he smiled.

  “Well, that is your name, isn’t it?”

  “Only my mom called me that when she was upset.”

  “Well, I think me and your mom would have gotten along well.”

  “I think you’re right, Princess.” He leaned in and placed a kiss on my lips. “I like when you call me Lucas.”

  “Maybe I’ll have to call you it more often,” I whispered against his lips.

  “You do that, Princess.” He kissed me long and hard, my body leaning into him.

  “Jesus, can’t you two keep your hands off each other for five minutes. The damn ice cream is probably melting.” I pulled away from Luke and looked over his shoulder to see Kurt walking out the front door. “And you’re making your girlfriend carry the damn groceries. Did mom not teach you anything?” Kurt grabbed the milk out of my hands and walked back to the front door.

  “So you let Kurt help you but not me?”

  “He didn’t really give me much choice. Remember, when you’re touching me I can’t seem to think clearly?”

  “Hmm, well, I guess you better prepare to not think clearly all night.” He pressed one last kiss to my lips, turned around and headed into the shop.

  I looked around, wondering when this had become my life and just laughed. Who was I to question this, though? I had found a man who liked me for me who I was, and, on top of that, he was the sexiest man I had ever laid eyes on. Now I just needed to not mess it up.

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  Chapter 23

  Luke

  “Hmm, I want dessert. I saw you bought Oreos and ice cream. I say we make milkshakes before starting the next movie.”

  Violet and I were sprawled out on the couch, lying next to each other while the credits to the last movie we watched scrolled by. Violet talked of dessert when all I want is her body for dessert. “I think I have a better idea of what we can do next.” My hand traveled down her body, cupping her ass and pressing her closer.

  “You don’t want dessert?” She purred, her beautiful eyes looking up at me.

  “I think I’m going to make you my dessert, Princess. You’ve become my favorite flavor.” I cupped her jaw, my thumb brushing her cheek.

  “I guess we could always have ice cream later.” She tangled her legs with mine and wrapped her arms around my neck. “Although we should probably take this to your bedroom because” Violet looked over her shoulder and laughed, “Frankie is going to be home in ten minutes, and I hope it takes you longer to eat your dessert than ten minutes.”

  “Hmm, I think I might need to start calling you my naughty Princess from now on.”

  “As long as I’m yours, you can call me whatever you want,” she purred, brushing her lips against my neck.

  “That’s it.” I jack-knifed off the couch, taking Violet with me and swung her up in my arms as I stood up. “You and I need to break in my bed.”

  She giggled as I leaned down, snagging the remote and turned the TV off. I stalked around the couch, headed to my bedroom when I heard the door open downstairs. “Put me down, it’s Frankie,” Violet giggled.

  “You have five minutes to talk to her about her date and then you are mine. I’m not in the mood to share you right now.”

  “So bossy,” she teased as I set her down.

  We both turned around at the sound of the door opening at the top of the stairs and my blood boiled as soon as I saw Frankie. Violet gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.

  Frankie was standing at the top of the steps, her shoes dangling from her fingertips and her clothes dirty and ripped. Tears were streaming down her face, and there was a small cut on her lip.

  “What happened?” I thundered. I was going to kill the little fucker who had done this.

  “Aunt Bev called me when I was at the movies.”

  “What the hell does that have to do with the fact that you’re bleeding and have no shoes on your damn feet?”

  “This isn’t my fault. I was just trying to help her.”

  “I’m not concerned with Bev other than wanting to know what the hell she was thinking by calling.” Frankie dropped her shoes by the door and tears started streaming down her cheeks. Shit, not tears. I could deal with anything but tears. Right now I wanted to focus on the fact that Bev had put Frankie in danger again.

  Vi
olet grabbed my hand, pulling me back. “Why don’t we all just sit down. Are you hurt, Frankie?”

  “Yes, she’s hurt. There’s blood coming from her lip.” Frankie was fucking bleeding, and Bev was the reason behind it. “Tell me what happened,” I demanded.

  “Jack and I had just sat down for the movie when Bev texted me. She said she wasn’t feeling good and wondered if I could come over and sit with her.”

  “What the hell does that mean, sit with her? She’s fucking forty-five, not ninety years old and dying.”

  “I don’t know, Luke. I told her I wasn’t coming over, knowing that you didn’t want me going over there, plus I really didn’t want to end my date just to watch her get sick.” Frankie walked over to the island, pulling a stool out and sat down. I opened the fridge, grabbing out a bottle of water and set it on the counter in front of her.

  “So then explain to me after you telling her you weren’t coming over, you show up here looking like you just walked ten miles and gone a couple rounds with Tyson.”

  Violet walked back into the kitchen, a washcloth in her hand and a couple of band-aids. She gently wiped Frankie’s face, the crusted, dried blood gone but her face still dirty.

  “She didn’t text me back till halfway through the movie and told me she was afraid that she was going to have to call the ambulance. I didn’t know what to do. I knew you and Violet were busy, so I figured I could just stop over there, make sure she was OK and be home by ten. I tripped when I walked over the railroad tracks, that’s why I’m dirty, and my lip is bleeding. Nobody bothered me on the way home.”

  “Well, you made it home by ten, but that’s about the only thing you did right tonight. God dammit, Frankie.” My hand slapped the counter, my anger building with each word she spoke. “You should have called me the first time she tried to get you to come over.”

  “I didn’t want to bother you.”

  “Frankie, that’s why I’m fucking here. You shouldn’t have to deal with some forty-year-olds problems. You’re fourteen, not forty.”

  “I’m sorry, I was just trying to do the right thing,” she sniffed.

  I ran my hands over my head, exasperated. “You better not be lying about how you got a bloody lip, Frankie. I swear if she hit you and you’re covering for her, things are not going to end well for Bev.”