Page 17 of In Spades

As I stretched to my tiptoes to slide the casserole dish back into the cabinet, headlights flashed through the window. Zoey bolted to the screen door and ran outside.

“Mr. Chase!” Zoey shrieked, setting off every dog in our trailer park.

“Zo!” I tossed the tattered dishtowel aside and lunged after Zoey, but she was already running full speed.

Chase stooped down with his arms out as she leaped into his chest. He wrapped her up in a hug and spun her around. “How’s my Zoey Bear?”

“I loss a toof!” she said with a broad smile, clinging to him like a koala. “Wanna see?!”

Chase guffawed. “Losing teeth already? What are you gonna do when they all fall out? You won’t have any teeth left!”

She giggled and shook her head adamantly. “Krissy told me it’d only be one atta time. Den I’ma get grown up teef!”

He chuckled and swung her around for a piggyback ride into the house. The front steps groaned under his weight as he marched up the weathered wood.

Kylie peeked around the corner, looking like the human form of the heart-eye emoji. “Hi, Chase.”

Dear God. I shot her a glare. “Simmer down, lady.”

Bright red cheeks replaced her swoony expression.

I hated calling her out, but it had to be done. Chase was an adult twice her age and had a girlfriend. Cutting through the fog of sixteen-year-old pheromones required immediate intervention.

“Chase!” Hunter shouted, bolting down the hallway.

“What’s up, man?” Chase grinned from ear to ear and offered a fist bump. “Where’s your brother?”

Hunter jerked his head down the narrow hallway that led to the boys’ bedroom.

I leveled Hunter a look. “Manners and words, please.”

Hunter decided to double down and roll his eyes. “In our room.”

I opened my mouth to scold him for getting an attitude with me, but I was too tired to pick that particular fight today. It had been a long day at the inn followed by a doctor’s appointment for Zoey, Kylie telling me that she had outgrown yet another pair of jeans, and grocery shopping for too many people on a too-small budget.

“You got a minute?” Chase asked as he plopped Zoey on the couch—the couch I slept on every night because there wasn’t enough space in Kylie and Zoey’s room.

I felt bad about making a sixteen year old share a room with a six year old, but I didn’t have another option.

“Yeah,” I said, forcing a smile as I tucked my hair behind my ears. “What’s up?”

Chase paused, glancing at Hunter and Zoey

“You two get started on your homework like I told you before.”

Thankfully, they went without argument. Chase grabbed the towel and stood at the dish drainer, wiping droplets off a dinner plate. “How you doing, kid?”

“Chase—”

“Someone’s gotta ask, Kris.”

“I’m not a child.”

He cracked a smile. “I know. I’m just checking on you.”

“Steve said he’d try to get my car running by the weekend. If you need your truck back?—”

“I’m not here about the truck. Use it as long as you need.” He handed me the dried plate and grabbed the next one. “Your boy came around the bar asking about you tonight.”

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