“As long as I stay on top of them, I’m okay. Reading for long periods makes my eyes hurt, which leads to migraines.” I frown because lately I’ve been doing a lot of that.
“My cuz is going to be a teacher,” Tierra tattles. “As if the school needed another teacher like Cal Hutton.” She shakes her head. “I am so glad I’ll be graduating in May. Too embarrassing to have both my cousins teaching there.”
Garrett lifts a brow at her. “I think Terrence is more than capable.”
“You don’t know him like I do,” she sasses back.
I roll my eyes. “I won’t be doing shit if I don’t pass these certifications.”
“I want you to get your eyes checked,” Garrett says to me. “I could do it, but if you need glasses, you’ll have to see an optometrist anyway. Make an appointment. Might help with your headaches too.” He pulls out his phone. “I’ll text you Dr. Rowland’s number.”
My phone buzzes in my pocket and I nod my thanks. Not interested in getting glasses, but if it helps, I’ll try it. Just like physical therapy has been helping. I'm not so stubborn I'd rather leave myself at a disadvantage if there's any possibility I can improve and become pain free.
“Ahh, there’s my baby girl,” Jace says, grinning.
Roux walks over to the table, Emilia in her arms. “Hey.”
Jordy like a fucking vampire just appears behind her, dragging a chair up to the table for her to sit. “Hey, Little Hoodlum.” He presses a kiss to her mouth and then runs his thumb over Emilia’s dark head before nodding toward the kitchen. “Food’s almost done. It’s too busy to take a break, but I’ll come back by later.”
“Give me my girl,” Jace says, holding his tattooed arms out for Emilia.
Roux passes her to him and then smiles sweetly as her dad—huge ex-con—hugs the baby to him. He coos at her in a stupid ass voice, but I get it. I’m about to have my little girl in my own arms and if baby talk makes her feel happy, I’ll do that shit too with a goddamn smile on my face.
“Me and Jordy have some news,” Roux says, her amber eyes lighting up.
“I told you Jordy has super sperm,” Loden whispers loudly to Charlotte.
Roux shakes her head. “Ha. No, it’s something else.”
Concern flashes in Jace’s eyes. “Everything okay?”
“Perfect,” she assures him.
The waitress stops by, delivering our food, and everyone dives in. Penny, no longer hyped up from the game and with fatigue wearing her down, grows tense at all the clattering of silverware on plates. She’s great at managing the way they bother her, but I notice when she’s stressed, tired, or upset, she has no wall high enough to stop them from whipping at her like lashes of a belt.
I give her thigh a reassuring squeeze, letting her know I know she’s struggling, but that I’m here for her. Some of the tension bleeds out of her body.
“Did you tell them?” Jordy asks, taking Emilia from Jace so he can eat.
“I thought we could do it together.” She beams up at him, proud as hell.
Jordy and Roux are stupidly in love. It’s satisfying to feel their happiness rippling off them in waves. Those two deserve that shit more than just about anyone I know.
“Bob’s selling the restaurant,” Jordy states. “To a local businessman.”
“This has Garrett English written all over it,” Penny whispers to me.
“The businessman,” Roux says, flashing Garrett a wide grin, “has offered to sell it to Jordy and me at a ridiculously low price and has also offered to finance it for us. The interest rate is lower than any bank and the payments are more than manageable considering how busy the restaurant stays.”
“The businessman runs his life like it’s a goddamn Monopoly board,” Jace says with a smirk. “We’re all pawns in his game.”
“Better hold on tight to that get out of jail free card then, pet,” Penny says.
He rolls his eyes. “Penny’s got jokes. What else is new?”
“We’re going to fix this place up and make it really nice,” Jordy tells me. “Garrett’s lending us some extra for renovations.” He nods at Jace. “And Hirsch over here is gonna help with the hard shit since he’s good with his hands.”
“There’s a joke there and I’m holding it in because I don’t want broken bones,” Loden says, bursting out into laughter that makes Charlotte join in on.
Jace messes up Loden’s perfect rock god hair, making him scowl and whine for Charlotte to trade places with him.
“That’s great,” I say, grinning at Roux. “I’m happy for you guys.”
“It’s exciting. It’ll be hard with a baby, but Dad said he’ll babysit when he can if I want to do stuff around the restaurant,” Roux says. “Aunt Penny is a good babysitter too, huh?”
Penny stiffens at her words. “Yup.”
I shoot Penny a questioning look, but she’s in impenetrable wall mode, face expressionless.
“I’ve been adding more Tex-mex dishes into the menu,” Jordy states, a proud grin on his face. “The customers are digging the new specials. Might make them permanent additions.”
“When the restaurant is officially ours, we’re going to revamp the whole menu,” Roux reveals. “Charlotte’s going to help with the new décor, too.”
“You going to keep it the same name?” Tierra asks.
Roux shakes her head. “It’s probably silly, but…”
“It’s not silly,” Jordy assures her, using his free hand to stroke his fingers through her hair. “They’ll like it.”
“Hood River Hoodlums.”
“Catchy,” I say with a shit-eating grin. “A name that demands respect.”
“Damn straight,” Charlotte agrees. “Ooh, we should sell T-shirts!”
“Starting to sound like a cult,” Penny pipes up. “Am I right, pet?”
Jace laughs, holding his hands up in defense. “No comment.”
“Am I the only one who hasn’t drunk the Kool-Aid?” Penny asks. “When did everyone turn into Hoodlums around here?” She points at Jordy and then me. “OG Hoodlums. Roux is Little Hoodlum.” She flutters her fingers at Charlotte and Loden. “Barbie Hoodlum and her sidekick Gay Ken Hoodlum.” They both crack up.
“What about me?” Jace asks, smirking.
“Like you don’t know you’re Daddy Hoodlum, pet.” She rolls her eyes and then points at her dad. “Wannabe Mayor Hoodlum.” He snorts out a laugh. “Rockford Reject Hoodlum.”
“Bitch,” Tierra says, cackling and elbowing Penny.
“I’m the only one here who’s not a Hoodlum. Even Emilia is one.” Penny crosses her arms over her chest, her brow lifted, daring anyone to argue.
“You’re Mean-Ass Hoodlum,” I tell her with a laugh. “Sorry to break it to you, but you drank the Kool-Aid the moment you stepped foot in Hood River.”
While everyone laughs, I lean in and whisper, “And you’re my Hoodlum.”
She smiles—a rare, beautiful Penny smile—because she knows it.