Page 36 of The Golden Boys

He walks away after that, with the four of us laughing because he means every word. As my mother’s older brother, he’s never taken to my father, and for good reason.

“Homework and then clean your room,” I say to Scar as she moves toward the door.

“But I need to start baking tonight!” she snaps. ”Or did you forget about the block party tomorrow.”

OfcourseI forgot, but I’ll never tellherthat. Not with how important this bake sale is to her.

“The party is all the more reason for you to get your work done tonight. If I let you put it off, you’ll start on it at 11:59 Sunday night. So, homework first,thenbaking. Deal?”

This time I get an eye roll as I tug the end of her pink ponytail, but she doesn’t object.

“If it’s the math assignment, I can help you,” Shane offers. “I got mine done in class.”

The very thought of these two being left alone makes my heart race a mile a minute, wondering how I can cock block from here at the diner.

I meanactuallycock block.

Jules sees me scrambling and intervenes. “Tell you what, I’ll hang out at the house until you get off. That way Scar can get help … and you don’t have a heart attack,” she adds only loud enough for me to hear.

I discreetly mouth a heartfelt“Thank you”in return.

“Hold up a sec.”

We all turn when Uncle Dusty rushes out of the kitchen again.

“Almost forgot to have you take these for Ricky and your aunt Carla,” he says with a warm smile as he hands two bagged carryout containers to Shane. “If you have other plans, make sure you stop home to drop those off first. Made ‘em fresh.”

“I’ll get it there,” Jules promises.

“Thanks, Dusty.” Shane offers a polite nod as my uncle makes his way back to the kitchen.

“See you guys when I get off. Shouldn’t be too late,” I add.

They wave and I watch until they leave the lot, then slip behind the counter. Uncle Dusty is putting the finishing touches on a phone-in order when I lean on the ledge cutout between the kitchen and dining room.

He catches me and flashes a smile from behind his gold-toned beard—one so big I often tease that it’s been fertilized with the tears of lesser men. Tall, broad, and looking like he’ll put a guy through a wall if he needs to, you’d never guess that when it comes to me, Scarlett, and even Hunter, our uncle is a big softy. One who’s actually given a stranger the shirt off his back once.

“Something I can do for you, Blue-Jay?” he asks, flipping the spatula just because he’s a show-off.

Shrugging, I smile back. “If you’re taking requests, I’ll take a yacht with a million bucks stashed inside.”

His smile turns into a quiet laugh. “Well, make that a double. When you find this mythical genie granting wishes, point him in my direction.”

The door chimes again, ending our conversation. Dusty glances over my shoulder and then goes back to scooping mashed potatoes into a to-go container.

I tighten my apron and start toward the door to greet the customers who entered, but I stop dead in my tracks when I finally look up and see who said customers are.

My first instinct is to ball both fists at my sides, and my next is toswingthem when West flashes that wicked grin at me.

How on Earth did he know where to find me?

The group of twenty-plus make their way toward the booths lined along the window, but not West. His steps are steady and brimming with confidence when he strides over to me, stopping only when there’s a foot of space between us. Naturally, my body goes rigid being so close to the enemy.

Among the many things I take note of within the first few seconds of laying eyes on him is his hair. The unruly, loose curls are tame tonight, wet and darker than normal. The wifebeater beneath his white tee is visible, highlighting the breadth of his shoulders. A scent permeates from him and I hate that I enjoy it so much. It’s clean and crisp, not at all overpowering.

West’s height gives him an advantage and he uses it, staring down on me like he loves to do. And like always, I can barely breathe in his presence, doing my best not to show any sign of weakness.

“You have to go.” The words are biting, and every bit as scathing as I intend for them to be. “Two of our servers called in sick, so we’re understaffed. There’s no way we can wait on all of you.”

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