Page 7 of His Stepdad Wears Leather

“We should light it… and make a really good wish, Mom,” Parker said.

Stacey smiled at Parker and pressed a kiss to the top of his head. Geena fished out a pack of matches from her bag.

“Smoking again?” Stacey asked with a raised brow as she snagged the pack.

“Nope,” Geena said wide-eyed.

After the candle was relit, Stacey stared at the dancing flame a moment, a melancholy expression on her face. She then closed her eyes and perhaps made a wish before she and Parker blew out the candle.

Stacey smiled. “He’s eighteen tomorrow. Hopefully we’ll hear from him soon.”

Geena took Stacey’s hand and kissed it. “Maybe. Once he’s an adult and can do as he wishes—maybe he can be free.”

Brody turned to a glum-looking Parker. He didn’t want his son wallowing in grief. “Excited to hit Adventure Island this weekend?”

Parker’s face lit up. “Yeah! Buddy Trimble had his twelfth birthday there, and we had a lot of fun. They’ve added laser tag since then.I can’t wait.”

“No adults… a bunch of kids, trampolines, and too much energy. Sounds like an injury waiting to happen,” Brody said with a chuckle.

“It’s notno adults,” Stacey countered.

Brody chuckled. “The grownups are going to bounce, run around like mad, and play laser tag, too?”

“Imight,” Geena said with a wink. “There’s also a space where the grownups can hang out while the kids go wild. Win-win.”

“Big screens with the game. Food. They serve beer,” Geena said with a wink. “We’ll be just fine.”

“Drink and then drive the kids home,” Brody said. “What a novel idea. AndIget shit for serving alcohol. At least I don’t add kids in the mix.”

“I don’t know, Brody—you’ve got some kids around your place by the looks of your little friend,” Geena said with a wink.

“Touché,” Brody replied. He gazed around and saw their waiter eyeing him from a drink station. The guy gave him a sultry smile. If he could only remember his name.No worries. I’m sure he’ll remind me later tonight.

The check arrived, and Brody reached for it. Geena refused, slapping her credit card inside and waving the little leather booklet in the air for their server.

“At least let me eyeball it and see if his name’s on there,” Brody whispered.

Geena grinned wickedly. “And make it easier on you? Not a chance.”

“Really?” Brody asked. “I thought we were friends?”

“Friends take care of one another,” Geena replied. “Greatfriends laugh when you trip. You’re falling face-first, buddy. I almost wish I could be in the club tonight to see it happen.”

“Love you, too, Geena.”

Geena winked at him.

* * *

It was nearly midnight when Noah stepped off the Greyhound, lone duffel in hand. The stop wasn’t an actual terminal, but an old, dusty sign and a bench placed outside a small, older strip mall that held a Mexican tienda inside the shell of an old 7-11, a Chinese joint, and a T-Mobile with a bright neon sign advertising their name hanging inside the plate glass window. The latter two were closed, but the lights were on at the grocers—to the relief of his bladder. There’d been a bathroom on the bus… but someone had destroyed it midway through Nevada and he’d chosen to hold on as long as he could. He followed the only other passenger to jump off with him into the tienda, bells signaling their arrival. The smell of bleach almost burned his nose and eyes when he first walked in, but hell, at least he knew it was clean.

“Hola,” the man said behind the counter as he entered. “¿Como estas?”

“Sorry… I don’t speak Spanish,” Noah said. “English?”

“Lo siento… no hablo,” the man said, shrugging. “No inglés.”

Fuck.Picking through his brain for the little bit of Spanish he recalled from high school, he asked one of the only full sentences he remembered. “¿Dónde está el baño?”Where’s the bathroom.

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