Page 106 of Collect the Pieces

She hurries to catch up with me, looping her arm through mine again. We cross a small, one-way street and continue along the sidewalk until she stops at a narrow storefront with a red awning hanging over a few sets of tables and chairs set up on the uneven sidewalk in front of a tall, plateglass window.

“This is it.” She grins at me as if we’re about to step into a fine dining establishment.

I glance up at the red, white, and black sign announcingLuigi’s Slicein red script.“Luigi’s slice of what?” I ask.

“Stop it,” she scolds. “Be nice.”

I grab the door and hold it open for her. A wave of oregano-scented heat rolls over me. “You’re going to sweat to death working here in the summer,” I warn her.

“They have A/C.”

Sure they do.

“J-bird.” A girl who looks like she spent her high school years perched on top of the cheer pyramid calls out to Jezziefrom behind the counter. She hurries over, her long, light-brown ponytail swishing down her back, and locks her arms around my sister in that bouncy, overexcited way that screamscheerleader energy.

J-bird?

Jezzie’s not quite as enthusiastic but she accepts the hug. Laughing, she pulls back and grabs my hand. “I brought my brother. He wants to check out the place.”

I scowl at her. How am I supposed tocheck it outif she announces that’s why I’m here?

“Jensen, this is myfriend, Erin.” She stressesfriendlike she wants to make sure I remember my manners. “Erin, this is my big brother.”

“Goodness.” Erin’s gaze travels up to my face. “Youaretall.” She flashes a blindingly white smile. “I’m so happy to finally meet you. J-bird talks about you all the time.”

“Does she now?” I side-eye my sister again.

“All good stuff.” Erin touches my arm. “Promise.”

“Don’t tell him that,” Jezzie warns. “It’ll go to his head.”

More like stop my heart from the sheer fucking shock.

Jezzie approaches the counter with Erin, but I hang back and take in the place. Small, but clean. Narrow. Simple. Two red vinyl booths by the window, each big enough to hold about four people. Two smaller tables against the wall to my right and a counter with four barstools on the left. Assuming the counter is for people picking up their own slices, at most Jezzie’ll be waiting on four tables? Six if she’s supposed to cover the two outside.

Erin and Jezzie have moved to the far end of the counter, excitedly gabbing.

Beyond the counter, huge steel ovens and a long, shiny silver prep station take up most of the space. A big, broad-shouldered man slides a pie from a large wooden pizza paddle into the oven.The oven door clangs shut, and he makes his way to the register. A worn black T-shirt withLuigi’s Slicescrawled across the front stretches over his large frame.

“How can I help you, sir?” he asks with a tired but polite expression fixed firmly on his face.

“Uncle Luigi.” Erin hurries to his side. “This is J-bird’s brother.”

A more genuine smile lifts his cheeks. He holds out his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

I shake his hand—firm but polite grip. Doesn’t try to impress me with how strong he is. “You too.” I shift my gaze to my sister. “Jezzie says you offered her a job?”

“Sure did.” He tilts his head toward his niece. “She’s here with Erin all the time, anyway. Might as well earn a few bucks, right?” he laughs. “Seriously, though. My last part-timer got married and left. So it’s just Erin and me, and another guy who works the mornings. We get busy in the afternoons and weekends. Mostly a carry-out joint.” He nods to the tables. “But we get a few dine-ins.”

“So, she won’t be making deliveries or anything?” I ask.

“Nope. Don’t deliver. Most of our customers are from the college. They can walk their lazy asses down here. It’ll do ‘em good to get some fresh air.”

“Can’t argue with that.” I like him already. Seems straightforward, no bullshit.

He eyes me up and down, his gaze lingering on the patches on the front of my cut. “You ride?”

“Hell yeah. You?”

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