Page 4 of Dirty Ginger

Darryl began pulling the groceries out of the paper bags and setting them on the counter. “Sullivan’s convinced he’ll be a ball player, but I’m betting my money on him becoming a cop one day.” At Penelope’s nod of agreement, he turned his attention to Amelia, giving his serious look. “And you? How are ya?”

“Good.” When they both just stared at her, she laughed to break the silence. “Honestly, I’m in a good place. I spent three days crying in my hotel room, hiding under the bedsheets, and ordering room service. But the trip was exactly what I needed, and I’m glad everything is over. I don’t have to see or hear about Luka again, and life can carry on.” Or at least that’s what she would keep telling herself until she believed it.

Darryl cringed.

Penelope looked at everything but Amelia.

“What am I missing?” Amelia demanded.

Penelope and Darryl exchanged a long look before Darryl asked, “You haven’t heard about Beckett?”

Amelia frowned at them. “I heard that he was watching the place for me while I was gone, but that’s it.”

“You haven’t seen him?” Darryl asked.

Amelia looked from Penelope to Darryl, and her frown deepened. “He was just here, but didn’t say anything. What’s going on?”

Darryl set the basket of strawberries down, then turned to face Amelia, giving her his serious cop look. “Luka pressed charges against Beckett.”

Amelia blinked. Processed. Heat tingled in her face. “You are kidding me, right?”

Darryl slowly shook his head, clenching his jaw. “I’m afraid I’m not, and Luka’s not dropping the charges either. I’ve spoken to him on two occasions to follow up to see if he had changed his mind. He hasn’t.”

Amelia could barely believe what she was hearing, a tremor rocking her to her core. She gripped the counter tight. “Wait. Luka is really charging Beckett for a punch to the nose? Which he rightly deserved?”

Penelope gave a quick nod, taking out the bananas from the grocery bag. “I guess Beckett broke it real good. Luka’s health insurance covered the original break, but there’s a bump on his nose now. Luka needs plastic surgery to correct it since it’s not covered.”

Amelia couldn’t wrap her head around this, wanting to help put away the groceries, but feeling rooted to the spot. “What is Beckett facing here?”

“Luka is suing him for the money to cover the surgery. But Beckett will also face third degree assault, which is a Class 1 Misdemeanor,” Darryl explained. “It could get him two years in jail and fines up to five thousand dollars.”

A sick feeling sank into her stomach as the realization dawned on her. “This isn’t the first time Beckett’s had that charge.” It happened after his twenty-first birthday. The judge had considered Beckett’s clean history and he had ended up with probation and mandatory counselling.

“I know, that’s the problem,” Darryl said solemnly.

Penelope said, “Last time, they let him off easy because he was a first-time offender with a clean record. This time, it’s not going to happen again, because to a judge, it looks like he has a history of violence.”

Amelia pondered all this, and it all boiled down to one conclusion. “I need to go talk to Luka.”

Darryl gave a grave nod. Though he didn’t seem happy about it, he said, “Looks like it might be the only way to get him to change his mind.”

Amelia drew in a long breath, processing everything that had happened since she got out of her Uber this morning. “Let me get this straight. I need to get the brewery cleaned, come up with six new beers as per Ronnie’s request this morning, and mend things with my ex-fiancé that dumped me at the altar in order to save my ex-boyfriend from jail time.”

Penelope smirked. “Welcome home.”

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