Page 49 of No Cap

He frowned and looked over his shoulder at me. “What?”

I jerked my chin in the direction of the house.

“They got this house when I graduated.” I sighed. “I’m guessing, and this is all truly just me theorizing, but I think they spent the money they saved up to buy me a car and pay for my college on the down payment.”

His eyes went hard. “Surely not.”

I didn’t bother to tell him the type of parents I had.

He’d find out soon enough.

I shrugged and we fell into step up the long walk.

The yard was immaculately groomed. Likely by a person someone hired, and not my actual parents.

The only time they used to have a nice yard at the house I grew up in was when I wasn’t working long enough to cut it.

I walked up behind Quincy, my gaze on his ass because it made me feel better, and nearly hid behind him when he knocked on the door.

I hadn’t ever walked right into this house. I bet he didn’t have the same dilemma at his own.

Likely, they left the light on and the door unlocked just for their kids.

The doorbell rang, a gaudy chiming gong sound, and we waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Eventually, the door opened, and my dad eyed the two of us.

His gaze focused on Quincy for a long moment before he said, “We don’t have enough food for two of you.”

Likely, they didn’t even have enough food for either one of us—my mom cooked for four and four only—but I wasn’t going to reply.

Why bother?

I’d learned a long time ago that it was a waste of breath.

My father didn’t care, nor did he listen to anything I had to say unless it was to argue with me about.

“Dad, I’d like you to meet…”

Before I could finish, Quincy interrupted saying, “Her man, Quincy Carter.”

Dad didn’t reach to take anything from Quincy’s hand, nor did he step aside to allow us in.

“Dad,” I said. “Can you let us in? These are heavy.”

He reluctantly stepped sideways, allowing us passage.

I ignored the gaudy decorations that lined the walls—my mom was the quintessential awkward middle-aged woman who liked to put motivational and uplifting quotes on her wall—and headed in the direction of the living room.

I nearly rolled my eyes when I saw the Christmas tree in the corner.

It’d been up for two years because all of them were too lazy to take it down.

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