“I’m going to see you again tomorrow night.”
“Oh, you are?”
“Yeah. We’re far from done here. Don’t act like you don’t want to be near me. You’re just trying to figure out why. Second guessing everything. Which is probably how you were raised, right? You were put into this world to be perfect. And you look perfect, sweetie. But it goes beyond that. I’m sure your parents want you to be a doctor or a lawyer. Right?”
Jolie swallows hard and looks pissed.
“I know I’m right,” I say. “You don’t have to talk to me if you don’t want to then. I get it.”
“I’m in law school now,” she says.
“Do you like it?”
“I don’t know.”
“That means you don’t,” I say. “You’re in law school because you were told to be in law school.”
Jolie curls her lip. “And you go to Brooks Crest because your parents don’t love you. And nobody wants to deal with you.”
“Are you trying to hurt my feelings?”
“No. Just telling the truth.”
I smile. “Okay. I can deal with that.”
I keep driving.
I wait for her to talk again.
“I like it,” she says. “I like law school. It’s all I’ve known. Okay? I accelerated everything through high school and into college… I mean, I was taking college courses when I was fifteen. So I only had to do a little bit when I graduated to get into law school. Of course my parents helped. But I also worked. I made it so I could survive on my own. For the most part. Not that any of it is your business.”
“It’s none of my business but I like hearing your voice, sweetie,” I say.
She laughs. “And dare I even ask what you’re planning on doing?”
“With what? My life?”
“Yeah.”
“Not sure,” I say. “It keeps changing.”
“Changing?”
“Yeah,” I say. “I mean, right now I’m changing all my plans because of you.”
“Mac…”
I laugh.
Somehow time seems to speed up when I’m near her.
We’re back at the beach.
I slowly pass by the skate park and it’s looking pretty dark and shitty.
But it’s not my problem.
Jolie points to her car and I smile.
It’s a beautiful white car. Nothing but luxury. But not too fancy though. Nothing custom.
It’s so… Jolie.
I stop the car and look at Jolie.
She turns and looks at me.
“Tomorrow night,” I say.
“We’ll see.”
“I’ll be here, sweetie.”
“I might be here too,” she says.
“You’ll be here,” I say.
I touch her chin and lean toward her.
But I don’t kiss her.
Let her linger with it.
I sit back in my seat and open the console to get a cigarette.
Jolie gasps.
I look down and I’m not sure what she’s gasping at.
“Why do you have a gun?” she asks.
Ah, fuck.
I shut the console and put my hand on it.
Jolie looks scared again.
She opens her door and I reach for her.
“Jolie, wait a second,” I say.
“I have to go,” she says and slams the door.
She runs around the front of my car.
She pauses for a second and looks at me.
There’s fear… and there’s intrigue.
The moment passes and she rushes to her car.
I wait for her to drive off before I open the console again and get a cigarette.
If a gun was going to spook Jolie, she had no idea what she was in store for.
10
What do you do when you’ve seen eighty crazy years of life, are done baking enough cookies to feed an entire country for a week, and have caught up on all your gossipy reading online and your favorite trashy reality TV shows?
You text.
That’s right.
Mama Dae knows how to text.
I’ve heard vicious stories about how Mama Dae refused to touch a cellphone for the longest time.
And now she’s texting me.
I’m sitting at my window with it open so I can enjoy a cigarette.
Aric is sitting on the floor with the beauty we saved from Nick’s place. Her name is Maura and she’s got these big, doe like eyes that she always stares at Aric with. She’s also got some other big things too and I can already tell Aric is getting bored. That means poor Maura has about two more days to fall in and out of love with Aric before her heart is crushed.
Hey, maybe she’ll run back to Nick.
None of it is my problem.
Taz and Les are drinking something, making plans for the night.
I’m just hanging around my window, smoking, thinking about Jolie.
There are certain aspects of my life that she’s either going to get used to or run away from. And in my life, there really isn’t the option to run away.
When you’re in, you’re in.
And it’s not a bad thing.
As long as you can handle it.
I hear Maura giggle and look again to see Aric nibbling at her neck.
As she giggles, his right hand climbs up under her shirt. The second he touches her, Maura gasps and looks right at me.
Aric kisses her neck.
I wink at her.
Her cheeks turn red.
I flick my cigarette out the window and stand up.
I start to walk toward Maura and she puts her hands to the floor.
Then she nods at me.
You’re nodding at me, sweetie? For what? What do you think is going to happen now? I’m going to drop down to one knee and start kissing the other side of your neck?
Aric stops kissing Maura and whispers something to her.
She nods.
They stand up and Aric opens the bedroom door to leave.
Maura looks back at me, her cheeks still red.
Aric shuts the door when they leave and I shake my head.
“What the fuck was that about?” Taz asks.
“I guess the mood hit him,” I say. “Check this out… Mama sent me a text.”
“Shit,” Les says. “I can’t imagine her sending texts. Standing there, trying to hit the screen the right way.”
He chuckles.
“I have to get over there,” I say. “And then I have to meet someone.”
“Someone?” Taz asks.
“Problem?” I ask.
Taz shows his hands. “Not at all. Anything you need from us?”
“Raf is handling that thing?” I ask.
“Yeah,” Les says. “Ado is backing him up. We’ll have the money in an hour.”
“Perfect,” I say.
“You want us to come with you?” Les asks.
“Nope,” I say. “Keep an eye on things here.” I get to my door and open it. Then I nod. “And get the fuck out of my room.”
“Right,” Taz says.
We all exit my bedroom.
Mama Dae sends another text message wondering where the fuck I am.
I laugh.
Bad enough she can text… but she loves to curse via text too.
And trust me, you don’t want to piss off Mama.
Ever.
I stand at the door with a cigarette and wait.
I don’t have a lot of time with Mama if I’m going to meet up with Jolie again.
But you can’t tell Mama that.
She opens the door and smiles at me.
“Put that cigarette out and come in here,” she orders me.
I nod.
And I listen.
The house is dimly lit and quiet.
It’s not often I get to see Mama’s house like this.
It’s usually bright, bustling, and she’s usually cooking something to eat for every
one.
A one on one meeting…
I already know it’s not good news.
She walks to the island in the kitchen.
There’s a black towel folded in half.
She puts her hands to the counter and lets out a sigh.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
Mama opens the towel and there’s a set of knives waiting.
“We have a problem, Mac,” she says.
“What kind of problem?” I ask. “You know me, I love problems. I love solving problems.”
Mama grabs the smallest knife and reaches for another towel. She begins to wipe the blade.
“I heard there was a payment problem,” she says.
“Oh, that?” I ask. “No. That was handled. Are you stressed about that?”
Mama puts the knife down and grabs the biggest one on the towel. She turns, the blade pointing at me.
I won’t lie. My heart jumps a little.
Mama is up there in age but she’s not dumb. And if she came to attack me, I have no clue what I would do. It’s Mama. I can’t see myself stopping her.
Fucked up?
Yeah.
So I stand there and hope for the best.
“I don’t like cash problems, Mac,” she says. “Those are the worst kinds of problems to have.”
“I know,” I say. “And believe me, there wasn’t anything to worry about. Someone got jumpy and we made it so he can’t jump anymore.”
Mama nodded. “Keep going.”
“It was nobody that poses a threat,” I say. “That’s first and foremost. Just a cocky piece of shit that needed to be reminded of-”
Mama steps toward me, knife in hand. “I don’t do reminders.”
“Right,” I say. “That was the wrong choice of words. Let’s just say it was a… like re-watching a TV show. An episode. Maybe one you forgot about. I don’t know. What the fuck am I trying to say here?” I laugh. “Mama, it’s all good. Okay? Ado came to me and I handled it. And before you ask, I made Ado handle it too. To make sure he knows where things are. He stabbed the guy in the hand and threw up.”
Mama turns and puts the large knife down.
“This is why I love you, Mac. You know how to say things. You know how to make things right. You don’t need to call and bother me.”
“Hey,” I say. “You don’t need to text me and worry. You don’t need to bring out the knives.”
“Oh, these?” she asks, pointing to the knives. “I was just cleaning them. That’s all.”
Mama grins at me.
She’s lying.
But that’s okay.
“I don’t like hearing about money problems,” she says. “Ever. Big or small.”
“I know,” I say.
“Are you hungry?”
“No. I’m actually going to meet someone.”
“Who?”
“Her name is Jolie,” I say with a smile.
“Are you dating her or just fucking her?” Mama asks.
A question like that from Mama still takes me back a step or two.
I laugh.
“I’m on the fence on that,” I say. “Only because I haven’t done either.”
“Okay,” Mama says. “And that thing we talked about?”
“I’m working on it,” I say. “If it’s really urgent, then I’ll-”
“Just get it done,” she says. “I just need to make that debt right.”
“And it will happen,” I say.
“Good,” she says.
Mama folds the towel back over the knives.
She walks to the stove and stands there for a few seconds.
Then she looks back at me.
She gives a nod.
I take that as my cue to leave.
I step to the door and open it.
“Hey, wait a second,” Mama says.
I stop and watch as Mama hurries back to the towel. She opens it again and grabs another knife.
She moves toward me so fast, I suck in a breath, thinking she’s going to stab me.
She doesn’t.
Instead, she hugs me.
With the knife in her hand.
“Love you, Mama,” I say to her. “Go get some rest. Everything is fine.”
“I’m not tired,” she says. She backs away. She points the knife at me. “I don’t like cash issues, Mac.”
“I know,” I say. “I know.”
I open the door and watch her carefully.
She’s just staring at me.
I’m not sure what she’s actually doing at the moment.
“Mac,” she says. “Are you hungry?”
“I don’t need anything to eat, Mama. I already told you that. Make some tea. Put a little honey and whiskey in it. Right?”
“That’s for bingo playing bitches,” she says with a smile. “I’ll just drink from the fucking bottle.”
She shuts the door and locks it.
I take a deep breath and turn away from the house.
And to think people who don’t really know me just assume things about me. They don’t like that I’m stealthy. That I ride with a crew. I know those assholes at HCH are smart enough to stay away. If not, we show up and we handle business. The same goes for BFH. With Bay Falls High, the only difference is how situations play out with Barr.
He and I forever fought about how to handle BC.
My plan has been best since I started it.
I’m only thinking about that shit because… well, I’m not sure why.
I don’t like problems.
As much as Mama doesn’t.
Her problems are my problems and my problems end with messages.
I walk to my car and light up another cigarette.
I’ll be right on time to meet up with Jolie.
As I approach the skatepark, I see the flashing lights of an ambulance.
“Shit,” I whisper.
I reach for my phone and call Declan.
I cruise by the scene slowly and the only people there are ones I don’t know.
Which is logical.
If shit goes down, guys like Hanky and the others take off and hide.
They know it’s better to hide than to have to answer questions.
Especially if you end up with a prick like Declan showing up who has no problems making everyone empty their pockets. He pushes the line of what’s legal or not to the max and doesn’t give a fuck.
The back of the ambulance is open and I can’t see what’s really going on.
Declan doesn’t answer the first time.
So I call again.
I drive by the scene and work my way around the curve so I can find Jolie.
Declan decides to ignore me a second time.
Now, here’s the deal… if he does it a third time, I’m going to call the guys to go find him and I’m going to start a war.
I see Jolie’s pretty white car.
My heart’s pounding for two reasons now.
I need to talk to Declan and the fact that Jolie showed up…
I park my car and watch as Jolie gets out of her car.
Those fucking short shorts make my mind forget how to function.
She’s wearing white short shorts tonight.
And a white long-sleeve shirt with her thumbs hooked through the ends of the sleeves.
I make a fist and bite my left hand.
“Mac, what the fuck do you want?” Declan asks when he finally answers.
“The ambulance at the skate park…”
“Ah, fuck, seriously?”
“Tell me,” I say.
Jolie stops walking and stares at me.
I smile and wave to her.
She slowly waves back.
I turn a little to hide my face. “Declan, fucking tell me what’s going on right now. I don’t have time for bullshit games.”
“Relax,” he says.
His voice is smooth. He’s high. Of course he’s high.
“Where did you go, baby?” a woman’s v
oice calls out.
“You can fuck her when you answer my question,” I say.
“Don’t talk about my new friend that way,” he says.
“Tell your mother I said hello.”
“Fuck you, Mac,” Declan says. “It’s a fucking overdose. Okay?”
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
“On what?”
“Not your shit,” Declan says. “Okay? Not your shit.”
“Positive?” I ask.
“Heard the fucking call,” he says. “Then I made a call. You know I’m specialized in that shit, Mac. It’s not your shit. The punk has been brought back from the dead already. My guess is he’ll want to stay put. No need to worry.”
I hang up the call and get out of my car.
I walk to Jolie and slide my hands to her face.
She grabs my wrists.
We stare at each other.
She’s the innocence.
I’m the devil.
And I kiss her.
11
“You look fucking amazing, sweetie,” I say to Jolie.
She looks down at herself. “Uh, thanks.”
“Ready to get out of here?” I ask.
“I’m not sure.”
“Not sure?”
“You were on the phone and looked mad.”
“Maybe I was.”
“Why?”
“You’ve never had a call that pissed you off?” I ask.
Jolie swallows hard.
She’s intuitive and smart. She wants to pull the curtain back on my life but isn’t sure what to expect.
I grab her hand. “Did you figure out why you showed up last night and tonight?”
“I think I did, Mac.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m crazy,” she says.
“That’s not an answer,” I say. “That’s an excuse.”
“I told Violet…”
“Oh, that’s good,” I say. “How pissed is she?”
“She’s really pissed,” Jolie says. “She, uh, she knew though.”
“Knew what?”
“That something was different about me.”
I grin. “One short night with me for a few hours and you’re changed?”
“Shut up,” Jolie says. “I didn’t mean it like that. But she just-”
“Saw the glow on your face, huh?” I ask. “Or did you just float around. If you’re in love with me already, I’m okay with that. You don’t need to be shy around me, sweetie.”
Jolie puts her hand to my chest. “I think you’re too far ahead of yourself, Mac.”
Mess You Up (Brooks Crest Book 1) Page 9