Sophie and Katelyn whisper something about the fried chicken recipe and its importance, but I miss the details because Dad stands and says he and Brody are going downstairs.
“I think you’re in good hands here, honey.” He scans the group of women taking up residence in the tiny space and kisses my forehead before walking out the door.
Brody has the sense to look from me to the girls to the moms in the kitchen, almost like he’s checking to make sure I’m okay with the situation, but then he throws me that arrogant smirk and follows my dad. “Pussy!” I call out to him.
Mama Louise sing-songs, “Language!”
Mom shakes her head. “I swear I taught her manners, but that girl is her father’s daughter through and through.”
“And proud of it,” I say with zero humbleness.
For a hot second, I worry. Is Dad playing nice and then taking him downstairs to kill him? Reed would definitely help. But Brody can handle himself, and honestly, I think Dad is truly seeing reason. He’s had all these plans for me for so long, and I’ve been skirting some and latching onto others. I think he’s finally on board with my having my own plans too, or he’s at least considering the idea.
Once that’s settled in my mind, I look around me. Normally, I’d be irritated to be left with the womenfolk in the kitchen while the guys go talk shop just because I have a vagina, but these women make me feel like one of them, even though we’re all so different. And I find myself enjoying their camaraderie and feeling a part of it myself. Even from my couch confinement.
I’ve missed this. I have it with Emily, of course, but I don’t have female friends other than her. I have nothing in common with them, but somehow, that doesn’t matter with this group. The only thing they have in common is that they love each other and will do anything for one another. That I can support.
Mama Louise and Mom chat away about stubborn husbands, and Sophie, Katelyn, and Allyson chime in here and there. I mostly doze, feeling the pain meds kick in again.
But when I fall asleep this time, it’s with a clean slate and a full heart.
Chapter 27
Brody
Downstairs, Reed and Manuel stop what they’re doing and intercept us, Reed with his feet wide and his arms crossed while Manuel just looks worried.
“She okay?” Reed asks Keith.
He hums, nodding. “She will be. Just gonna take some time. I’ll come back and help at the shop while she’s recovering.”
That’s the first I’ve heard of that, and though it makes perfect sense, I’m a smart enough man to know that Erica’s gonna feel like Keith is stepping on her toes. But I have to trust that they’ll work it out. Fuck knows, she won’t sit idly by and make it easy on him though the man successfully ran the shop for thirty years.
Reed’s hands drop to his sides, fists curling before he points a greasy finger my way. “This is your fault,” he snarls.
“Mine? I wasn’t even here and sure don’t know a damn thing about cars for it to be my fault.”
“You knew what she was doing, and any idiot knows how dangerous it is! And still, you let her go out there and get hurt!” He points out the open garage door, like he means Erica could be hurt anywhere in the great, big world. He cares about her, and the fear Reed must’ve felt when he heard what happened is starting to worm its way into his voice, though he’s fighting valiantly to stay hard and cold.
I chuckle, shaking my head. “Let her? Let her? Have you even met her, man?” I’m trying to keep it light because Reed is on the edge and I really don’t want to finish my first introduction to Keith Cole by beating the shit out of the guy he considers a son. But I will if I have to.
He growls, turning to Keith. “You told her no more racing, right?”
Errk, all stop. What the actual fuck? Does Reed think Keith would actually do that? Hell, would he? I feel like he understood where Erica was coming from upstairs, but he forbade her once and it nearly destroyed her, taking away something she loved. Now that it’s even more important to her, and all out on the table, I think it’d destroy both of them.
Slowly and carefully, Keith tells Reed, “I think it’s time to see what she can do if she can live her wildest dreams. I think it’s time for her to fly.”
Reed looks pissed, but he deflates while Manuel just continues on his stoic way. Keith therefore turns to me. “Come on, Brody. You’re taking me to the track to pick up Rix’s car. What’s she driving, anyway? I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of a racecar my little girl built.”
He sounds genuinely excited, and I know that I was right. Erica should’ve shared this with him a long time ago so that they could have this thing together. But I’ll never tell her that. It happened when it did, how it did, for a reason, even if Todd would probably beg to differ.
“I think I’ll leave that a surprise, mostly because I know I’ll fuck up all the horse-this and throttle-that she told me, and I don’t want to look like a dumbass in front of you. In my world, horses have four legs and help me herd cattle.”
Keith laughs even though I’m not kidding. But I’m taking the win.
We get in the truck, and Keith immediately runs a hand over the dash, then opens the console, rooting around inside. “What the fuck, man? That’s private,” I snap, glad that Mark didn’t have anything weird in there since I commandeered his truck to get to the hospital.
“No such thing now, Brody. Tell me everything I need to know about you, and don’t leave out the shitty stuff. I’m playing catch up here, and it pisses me off, especially when it’s about one of my girls.” He leans back sullenly in the cushioned comfort of the seat, waiting for me to spill my guts.
Shit, his daughter is a total mini-me version of his stubborn bluster. But I decide to use that to my advantage. What works on Erica will probably work on Keith.
“Cowboy. Oldest of four. Mostly raised my youngest sister but did a shitty job of it so she raised herself to spite me. Not as dumb as I look.”
Keith grins at that. “Didn’t think Rix would have you if you’re stupid.” It’s as close to a compliment as I can expect from him. “A cowboy, you say? You got land?”
Damn, he goes right for blood. The knife cuts through my heart, and I wish to hell I could say yes. “Neighbors bought it and now we work for them. They’re like family, though. That’s who invaded back there. Technically, Mama Louise is my boss. Mostly, she’s a pain in my ass.” I scratch at my lip, grinning. There’s no heat in the insult and I don’t mean a word of it. “I’ve got a plan to get it back, though, just gonna take some time and a lot of hard work.”
“You up for that?” Keith eyes me from the passenger seat, and I keep my eyes fixed on the road.
“Been working every day my whole life. Ain’t scared of it or anything.”
He chuckles. “You scared of Rix? Because you should be. She probably knows three different ways to slit your throat and hide the body.”
He’s joking, but she’s already told me this one. “It’s five different ways. And I’m not scared of her because of that. I’m scared because she’s got my heart in her hands and that’s a scary position for a man to be in.” It’s a big confession and a gamble, but I’m laying it all out there because I don’t think there’s anything to be gained from holding back at this point when it’s blazingly apparent that Erica has me by the short hairs. “Reckon you know what that’s like with Janice?” I hedge, side-eyeing him.