“Seriously, dude, what the hell?” I snap.
“C’mon, you know what I’m talking about.” He starts shoving papers around his table; the so-called back room also works as an office. I blink a few times at him. “Oh, c’mon!” It’s his time to snap. “That blond asshole you’ve been crushing on for years.”
“How the hell do you know about that?” No matter how long I’ve lived in Little Hope, I always find new reasons to be genuinely astonished by the power of the rumor mill.
“A small town.” He shrugs.
“You don’t even live in Little Hope.” My voice rises. Freaking small towns.
"I just know, kid. I just do." He says it so tiredly, so sincerely, that for the first time, I look at him from a different point of view, not just as business associates. I think he might actually care about me, and that realization makes me want to cry. A year ago, I had only Marina, and now there’s a growing bubble of wonderful people around me. "He's no good for you. The dude's pining after you, but he’s toxic. No good.” He shakes his head while touching his long beard. He always does that when he’s thinking. I watch him, speechless. I don’t even think I’m blinking. How does he know that when I only found out about Justin’sthoughtsmyself?
"TJ," my voice pleads, "I know, but I just can’t.”
“Can’t what? Follow your dream?” He pulls the drawer from his table out and rummages through the contents.
“It’s complicated.” I let out a defeated sigh.
“I’ve heard about your debt.” He shocks the hell out of me with this announcement and proceeds to pull a checkbook out. “I can lend you money to pay it off.”
“Oh.” I stand there completely dumbfounded. “How do you—”
“Don’t insult me, kid.” He shuts me up with a raised hand. I swallow nervously, not knowing what to say. I was hoping the sins of my family wouldn’t follow me to the workplace. I’ve earned TJ’s respect through years of hard work, and I don't want it to be ruined by the information he's unearthed.
“Yeah.” My whole body loses pressure like a suddenly popped balloon, and I sag into a chair.
“How much do you need?” He’s smoothing his beard again—a clear tell that he’s deep in thought.
“Oh no!” I jump up from the chair. “I mean, I don't need the money; I'm just embarrassed. How long have you known?"
“Since your first day here.” He taps a pen on the table. “Things like that don’t happen around here unnoticed.”
“True.” Unfortunately.
“It doesn’t change anything.” He states firmly.
“But—”
"It doesn't change anything." He repeats. "You're not your mother; their sins are not yours."
“Yeah, could argue against that one.” Most of the fine citizens of Little Hope would disagree with him, but my guilty mind does, too.
“Let me know if you need help.” He begins shuffling through the drawer again. “I’m here for you through anything." He stops moving and holds my eyes. "Anything. Got it?" He smacks the checkbook on the table.
"Got it," I answer, swallowing a huge lump.
"Good. Now get outta here; papa has some shit to ink."
I laugh and walk away, wondering what type of ‘shit’ he’ll be inking today. For the first time in forever, I allow myself to dream that I'll be the one leaving permanent marks on people’s bodies. A positive mark for a change.
ChapterThirteen
JUSTIN
I wake to a hammer to my head. Not literally, but it feels as if someone has been knocking on my skull with one for hours. This always happens when I come back to the land of the living after a crash. My body should be rested and feeling great, but no, that would be too easy. Now I have to suffer through a killer headache and foul mood.
I sit up and get confused by my location. I look around and slowly realize I'm on the floor of Kayla's trailer, tucked in with a blanket and a few pillows. She must have left them here for me.
I lean on the couch, cover my face with my hands, and groan.Son of a bitch. That’s embarrassing. I dropped on the floor like a sack of shit right after the kiss.The kiss. Fuck, that was a kiss. I’m surprised I didn’t break my dick during the fall because it was hard as iron. Happens every time I’m near her, especially if I get a whiff of her smell. What happened during the kiss… I was not prepared for that. Just remembering her in my hands, feeling her skin under my fingers, her lush mouth swollen from my kiss makes my dick go full mast again. I look down:will ya chill already? You aren’t getting shit! And we aren’t buddies anymore because she’s our enemy, remember? You traitorous… dick!
