Page 54 of Playing for Keeps

I back away and watch the two of them circle Shitgibbon One. Poor Alexis can’t fight for shit. However, Clover uses some of the fancy karate moves she learned during high school and drops Shitgibbon One for good. Nearby, Tuesday and Roxie beat the fight out of Shitgibbon Two.

“We won!” Alexis cries and bounces around. “I wasn’t sure we would because we had to worry about our looks and they didn’t. But we did it, team!”

Everyone claps. Well, not Edith. She looks genuinely angry.

“It’s okay,” I tell her while she fiddles with her purse and I get the feeling she might pull a gun. “These losers are always starting trouble.”

“Yeah, baby,” Tuesday says and hugs her cousin. “You don’t need to worry. My hair is still gorgeous.”

Edith rolls her eyes. “I’m sick of people starting shit with us. Every time we go out, someone needs to get into our business. We can’t have a lick of privacy.”

As Elishia and her cousins crawl their defeated asses out of the shop, Tuesday sways with Edith trapped in her embrace. I watch them, uncertain if this behavior is normal.

Though I don’t know Tuesday and Edith well, they aren’t strangers. Back in the day, Tuesday and I dated the same guys. Once we had a “slut off” at a bar, where we danced on opposing tables while guys voted on who’d they rather bang. Duke was horrified when he heard about our hijinks. He was far less irritated when he learned I won.

“Thank you for throwing down today,” I tell them, trying to gauge their moods.

Tuesday smiles effortlessly, bright and sunny like usual. Even when she lost our “slut off,” she simply bounced around the bar while claiming I’d gotten pity votes on account of me being a brunette.

Edith suddenly frowns hard at me like I’m her enemy. Then, just as quickly, her anger fizzles out, leaving her looking sad. I don’t know what the hell I’ve done to make her feel so bad.

She tugs free of Tuesday’s embrace and walks away. I look to her cousin to explain.

“She’s the last homestead kid to be without their dream person,” Tuesday says. “But even though she’s super jealous of your love, she’ll still have your back. That’s the kind of quality family you’re marrying into, Lola.”

“Yes, you were very impressive. Thanks for explaining the Val moonshine situation for me, too.”

“I just want everyone to be happy,” Tuesday says and then loses her smile. “If Edith doesn’t find a man soon, she’ll move away and I’ll be sad. You should prepare for me to whine a lot.”

“And I will be supportive because that’s the kind of quality family Val is marrying into.”

Tuesday finds her smile and begins to bounce. “Let’s go get spicy drinks and wings for lunch.”

As we file outside to a warm day, I study my knuckles for a moment and realize I’ve busted a few of them.

“What’s everyone's schedule tomorrow? I wouldn’t mind getting my nails done before the wedding?”

Tuesday bounces next to Roxie. “Our girl gang is growing! Pussy power!”

Roxie rolls her eyes, even as she grins at Tuesday’s enthusiasm. Our group is in a festive mood, including my sister who rarely wants to go out and do anything.

The only one wearing a pout is Edith. Even after she drinks a giant margarita and scarfs a half dozen chicken wings, she can’t find her smile.

Right then, I decide to go on the hunt for a guy for Edith Mooney. She’s hot-as-fuck and can punch like a dude. I’m sure she has other qualities.

If I can gain anything from my slutty past, it’s my long list of exes to hit up for a date with Edith.

VAL, AKA THE SAGE OF BASIN ROCK

Lola is off the walls excited when she returns from her lunch out with the homestead gals. Kissing her busted knuckles, I listen to the play-by-play of her fight with a woman who apparently went down on me while I was staggeringly drunk.

“I have no memory of that,” I promise Lola. “And I would never choose to put Earl near a woman like Elishia. She’s gross and mean.”

“She took advantage of you,” Lola replies, trusting my words. “I wish I had hit her.”

Our evening is relaxed with us deciding to see a movie in Rockwell and get dinner at a pizza place. I nearly ask if she wants to spend the night at my parents’ house. We could hang out in my room and have breakfast with the family.

Since I’m supposed to ride with Duke tomorrow, I keep my idea to myself and spend another night at Lola’s apartment.

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