Page 49 of Fighting a Riot

“What did you load into my fridge?”

Trixie folded up the paper bag. “Food. Now give me your phone. I gotta program Mallory’s info into it because I don’t trust you to add her.”

My head tilted to the side a touch. “Why would I need her contact info?” I glanced at Mallory. “No offense, but we just met.”

She chuckled. “None taken, but surely you don’t need to be reminded that Trixie is as pushy as they come.”

Trixie spied my phone on the dinette table and grabbed it. “Girl, you’re about to go through some serious shit. Not that surgery isn’t serious… but I got little doubt chemo is next level. You lucked out when you passed out at Platinum’s because it means you got the attention of the Riot. Between me, Mallory, Abby, and Andrea, you’re gonna be covered on all fronts. Food, dealing with those drainage tubes you got right now—”

“That’s all Abby, though. Sorry, I’m not a nurse,” Mallory said.

Trixie widened her eyes at me and nodded. “She’s got that right. I’m not cool with drainage stuff either. But you need something, we’re your people. And since I get the impression you wouldn’t want to… ‘impose,’ we’re gonna be droppin’ by when we’re in the neighborhood.”

I leaned against the counter. “That’s so sweet, Trixie. I appreciate it, but you’re right. I don’t want to impose on anyone. It sounds like I’m much farther north than most of the other women.”

Trixie gave me a stern look. “Woman, that shit doesn’t matter. Everywhere is half-an-hour away in this town. It’s no biggie.”

“She’s right,” Mallory said.

My head wobbled as I thought about it. “She is, but she isn’t. A half-hour here means another half-hour to get back to wherever home is.”

Mallory leaned toward me and lowered her voice to a stage whisper. “You should go with it. This is Trixie we’re talking about.”

Trixie held my phone out. “Okay, unlock this thing. I gotta put in her digits and we found something you gotta have.”

With a head shake, I unlocked my phone. “You just brought me groceries. What else could I possibly have to have?”

Trixie kept her eyes glued to my phone screen and entered Mallory’s contact info.

Mallory edged closer. “A song, and believe me, you have to have it.”

Trixie handed my phone to Mallory. “Here. Looks like she has the right app, but you said something about gifting it to her.” Trixie grinned at me, but it almost looked evil. “Every woman needs a theme song. Mine’s ‘Bad Reputation’ by Joan Jett. But yours… We found the perfect one for you.”

I felt my smile fall. “I’m scared to ask.”

Mallory chuckled. “Don’t be. It’s called, ‘B.O.T.A.’ and stands for Baddest of Them All. And we know you’re a bad-ass because you’re showing cancer who’s boss.”

I shook my head, but the music started before I could argue. A fast dance beat filled the air. The more I listened to the song, the more I suspected these two ladies were off the mark.

When the song was close to ending, Trixie wagged a finger at Mallory. “That’s not why I think this song is so great for her. She and Yak totally have this damned vibe going on. Both of them acting like they don’t want something to do with the other.”

I tilted my head. “There is no me and Yak, Trixie. Besides dealing with surgery and chemo, I don’t want to treat him like a rebound.”

Trixie arched a brow. “From the way he kissed you, he wouldn’t mind.”

“That was to keep some other men from talking to him.”

Trixie laughed. “Don’t tell me you believed that?”

I shrugged. “Whatever. He hasn’t spoken to me since dropping me off here that night.”

Silence filled the room.

Mallory looked at Trixie. “Well? Aren’t you going to tell her how you got in trouble for putting your nose in Yak’s business?”

My eyes shot to Trixie. “Why would you do that?”

“She’s a romantic at heart, but she’ll deny it,” Mallory said.

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